The impact of COVID-19 is beyond comprehension. Your generosity is already having an impact on our partners.
With the impact of COVID in many of our partner countries getting worse, we launched an emergency ministry appeal. This was to help our local Churches of Christ partners provide care and support directly at a grassroots level.
Your response to this appeal was overwhelming! Over $150,000 was given to provide this care. And it is making a difference in the lives of people.
Our early focus was providing relief through our partners in India. We connected with our partners Hosanna Ministries (Mumbai and Yavatmal), Reaching Hands Society (Orissa), Ashwood Memorial Hospital (Daund), and the Churches of Christ in West India (Mumbai, Baramati, Shrigonda and surrounding areas). Each is placed to provide support to affected people. Thanks to the funds raised from the appeal, both partners could quickly give care to the community. This care will be ongoing as the effect of COVID continues to be felt.
Hosanna Ministries has provided essential medical assistance, food kits and vital supplies to families. Our partner Daniel Gaikward reports:
“So far we were able to provide medical help towards a community of people affected by leprosy. About 35 people with leprosy have lost work due to Covid pandemic and the shutdown of many businesses. We were able to provide medical help that will last for one month’s time.
“We were also able to bless about 30 transgender people, living in a community in the Ambernath area. The members of this community live on begging for food in local trains or singing at weddings or birthday functions of rich people. Due to lockdown their income has stopped. Through GMP we provided them with food kits that will help support their family of six members for at least one month.”
The Churches of Christ in West India have also been distributing essential supplies. They have given 350 supply kits to people in need through local churches and institutions, such as the Baramati and Shrigonda children’s homes.
Pastor Dr. Robert Gaikwad writes:
“We could reach out to the people and distribute soon after the travel transport was allowed. (Travel was restricted as part of lockdowns in India). We give thanks to God for members of Churches of Christ in Australia who prayed for us and sent financial help for groceries.
“We distributed grocery kits weighing about 32 kilograms. Altogether there were more than 16 items such as wheat, jawar, rice, poha, bathing soap, washing soap, dal, hand wash, mask, sugar, tea powder, mung dal, tur dal, mataki and cooking item (masalla). All the beneficiaries were happy.”
Your gifts to the COVID-19 Ministry Appeal have made this vital outreach possible. And our partners are so grateful.
“We give glory to God and thank you as Global Mission Partners and Australian Churches of Christ members who are generously helping the needy and persons who had financial problems,” Pastor Dr. Robert Gaikwad continues. “Many are jobless and had no food to eat but the help came from GMP at the proper time. Kindly convey our gratitude and regards to all the churches who have made this possible.”
Daniel Gaikward said, “We are grateful to you for sending us financial help to carry out much needed Covid relief work in the slums of Ambernath, Mumbai and nearby areas as well.”
Thank you for your gifts to the COVID-19 Ministry appeal. We will continue to report on how you are helping those in need.
Because of you, our partners can keep reaching out. We continue to work with our partners in India, and also with partners in other countries that are experiencing extreme spikes in COVID cases. Your generous giving will help plan new support initiatives as needed.
Hosanna Ministries already has plans to reach out to more people in need.
“We have received help calls from neighboring hut churches run by various small groups and independent pastors.” Daniel says. “In total there are about five hut churches and about 100 families. We want to help them with food kits and medical help too.”
We are now working with our partners in Fiji to provide critical support. Our three partner churches are situated in minority Indo-Fijian communities and are experiencing a rapidly growing COVID outbreak. Most people in their communities are day labourers. Many are unable to work due to the local travel restrictions that help stop the virus spread. With few resources and threatened income, people in these communities need vital supplies.
With your support through the COVID 19 Ministry appeal, the three local churches have distributed 150 food hampers to people in need. Each food hamper is worth about 50 FJD and is aimed to be distributed equally between the church community and those outside the church.
In addition to these initiatives, we are regularly in contact with all our partners to see how we can assist them as the local situations change.
Thank you for your continued support of GMP and our partners. Your support enables us to work with our partners to respond to the needs in their communities. We are so grateful for your compassion and care for those in need.
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You can still give to the COVID-19 Ministry Appeal. We anticipate that as the effects of COVID-19 develop, we will be able to offer further support to our partners in need.
Click here for more information on the COVID-19 Ministry Appeal.