On Giving Tuesday, May 5, 2020, we asked people to give to the work of All Nations’ frontline missionaries who are actively responding to the COVID crisis. We received a bit over $4000. 100% of those funds have gone to our missionaries who are actively providing relief in response to COVID.
Through this relief, our frontline missionaries are bringing the hope of Jesus to those filled with fear and despair. This is the first of our reports relating how these funds have been used, from Amanda* in South Asia.
South Asia: Serving the Neglected
In our country there was not much warning and the government put us on strict lockdown. I knew that it was going to be hard for so many people. Many people carry bricks, gravel, and sand for a living, or weave carpets, or drive taxis. None of these would be able to work. In fact, a majority of the population wouldn’t be able to work, and I knew that there would be little to no government help for these people.
After the initial shock of the lockdown, we started looking through our phones to see who we knew that was probably suffering, and praying for God to show us who was in need. “We” means my family and the couple who are our first believers that have planted a fellowship, Sally and Sam. We have been distributing a lot of food to people with no food left, people who we knew would need help. In addition to those who are clearly in need, there are some who we might think are ok that are in need.
God Sees the Need
One day I called a neighbor who is an electrician and said, “Can you come to the compound wall between our houses? I want to give you something.” I gave him a 55 pound bag of rice and then another bag filled with lentils, sugar, tea, soap, snacks, and all sorts of things. I didn’t ask if he needed it, I knew he did. He had been on my heart all day.
Ten minutes later his wife called me and said, “Thank you SO MUCH! We only had enough food for two more meals, and we had nobody to ask. We didn’t want to worry our families in the village since we knew they couldn’t help. So we just sat not knowing what to do. When our son (who is about two) saw the soap, he got so excited and immediately wanted to wash his hands.” I didn’t know they were so desperate, but I trust the God who loves these people and put them in my heart.
A few weeks later he was so strongly in my heart again. I asked him to come to the wall. He isn’t a believer, but I said, “I was praying asking God who needed help, and your family was in my heart all day. So I don’t need to ask you if you need money, I know that you do.” And I handed it to him. Tears filled his eyes.
Oh to be cared about so deeply by a God that you don’t even know!
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If you would like to link arms with frontline missionaries who are bringing the hope of Jesus to those filled with fear and despair because of COVID, you can still give to this fund here.
*Names in this post changed for security
