Children Sharing Christ in COVID-19 Lockdown
By Jacqueline McCarter
India currently has the third-largest number of COVID-19 cases in the world, and our Beracah ministry hub is located within one of the country’s pandemic “red zones.” In addition to a nationwide lockdown, the Indian government has closed the school and ordered the children to be returned to the care of their families. Given that the ministry hub serves as a necessary place of refuge for the children until they can be safely reintegrated into family care—the situation is concerning.
But during the COVID season, God continues working and caring for His children. With the help of staff and gospel workers, our field partner is checking in on each of the children, and delivering dry ration kits (containing 1-month supplies of food, face masks and hygiene items) to their families. Staff and volunteers have counseled and prayed with over 80 parents and children by telephone. Our field partner shares:
[The] Lord is opening new opportunities and unexpected doors during this crisis period! Many of our children called to tell us that they are singing and telling Bible stories and share the memory verses to their families and neighbors! Praise the Lord!
Niharika
One of these children is 11-year-old Niharika, whose father died when she was a year old. Having suffered from malnutrition, Niharika is chronically ill and unusually small for her age. Since the lockdown, Niharika has returned to live with her mother and grandmother who are seasonal agricultural workers with meager pay. And due to the lockdown, they can no longer work at all.
Niharika knows Jesus, though, and she is telling her mother and grandmother about Him. She is singing and sharing the many songs and Bible verses she has learned, and they are finding comfort and inspiration in God’s Word. Niharika’s family is grateful for God’s provision of dry rations. And we are thankful for friends like you—who gave so that those rations would be delivered to Niharika’s home in her time of need.
