India (MNN) — COVID-19 has been seemingly slow to rise in India, but now – well into the global pandemic – India’s coronavirus numbers are gaining traction.
India currently has over 3.2 million coronavirus cases – the third-highest globally. And for daily new cases, they’re at the top of the chart. If India maintains this trajectory, they could soon overtake Brazil for second place overall.
One of Mission India’s Church Planter Training partners who blessed many in India through Relief Kit distribution. (Photo courtesy of Mission India)
When the pandemic first hit in March, India responded with one of the strictest lockdowns worldwide. But in June, India started to loosen its grip and allow a more state-by-state approach to virus containment.
The recent spike in India’s numbers could be due to several factors: limited ability to social distance in condensed and impoverished areas, loosening lockdown policies, or improved testing capabilities and reporting networks.
Mission India’s Erik* says, “It’s a developing nation, so the healthcare network isn’t as robust…. There could be a lack of testing capability in certain areas.
“So I think really what we’re seeing is a developing nation that has 1.3 billion people really grappling and struggling with how to efficiently test and report on those testings. As that becomes better and it comes online more, you’re starting to see that.”
Mission India works with local Christians to run Children’s Bible Clubs, Church Planter Training, and Adult Literacy Classes. In light of the pandemic, they are also distributing Relief Kits to provide physical and spiritual hope.
(Photo courtesy of Mission India)
“The majority of workers in India are day laborers meaning if they can’t go to work that day, they don’t have money to go buy food for that day to eat or support their kid and have clean water and access to essential items for hygiene,” Erik says. “So because of that, these Relief Kits are a much-needed tool to help these families get by as — like the rest of the world — India tries to grapple and get out of this global pandemic.”
Recently, Mission India’s partners even distributed Relief Kits to 100 orphans and child laborers.
You can support Mission India’s Relief Kits here! Just $40 provides four weeks of food, hygiene items, and other essentials to a family of four in India.
Additionally, Mission India is imploring the Body of Christ to pray for India and their ministry partners.
“[Ministry] partners are now getting COVID-19 unfortunately. So we pray for the whole nation of India and for our partners specifically that they would be protected, that their health would remain stable, and that they wouldn’t contract COVID-19.”
Erik also asks, “As it relates to our partners distributing Relief Kits, [pray] they have the wisdom and the words to speak life and love and grace of Jesus Christ to the people they interact with.”
Click here to learn more about Mission India’s ministry.
Header photo courtesy of Macau Photo Agency via Unsplash.
*Names changed for security purposes.
