Asia (MNN) — The first COVID-19 case surfaced in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Several variants and a pandemic classification later, the battle seems never-ending.
Joe Handley, President of Asian Access, shares encouraging news: “We have seen remarkable results for the Gospel, despite the horrific conditions across India, Bangladesh, Indonesia; the list goes on,” he says.
“We have seen movements of God that are quite profound.”
Asian Access helps Christians in 18 countries develop leaders and build capacity. More about that here. “It’s just astounding to see what God’s doing,” Handley says.
“Some of my colleagues and friends in China were reporting revival-like conditions earlier in the year.”
(Photo courtesy of Li Lin/Unsplash)
Asian Access has been supporting partners in COVID-19 “hotspots” since the pandemic’s beginning.
“We have done several things to help. We had a monthly Zoom prayer session with our national directors and key working teams. That was very nice on the front end, but I’ve noticed ‘Zoom fatigue,’” Handley says.
“People are getting a little exhausted of that medium, so we’ve had to use other means of connecting points – prayer calls, one-on-one conversations – the last few months. [We are] even raising funds to help with relief situations where people are in really dire circumstances.”
Learn more about the COVID-19 Relief Fund here. Supporting the ministry’s efforts helps more than you know.
“We appreciate Mission Network News and all those out there that listen to us, pray for us, and support us,” Handley says.
“These are difficult seasons to run a ministry like ours. Every time you write [us] an email, we are super grateful. It lifts our spirits, so I want to say thank you.”
Ask the Lord to give Asian Access leaders wisdom. They’re considering adding a trauma counseling program after one leader’s experience in a country we cannot name for security purposes.
“What [that person] faced was horrible. It’s a PTSD-type scenario, but that can impact anybody who’s faced horrific conditions [created by] COVID,” Handley says.
Join our daily email list here, or follow MNN on social media to stay up-to-date. “There’s always a silver lining in the dark clouds. But there’s a lot to be praying about,” Handley says.
In the header image, a masked tourist walks on an empty street during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Singapore. (Photo courtesy of Victor He/Unsplash)
