India Partners reach the poorest of the poor with help and hope.

By August 31, 2006

India (MNN) — More than 400 people have been killed during India’s monsoon season, and that number is expected to rise into possibly thousands, even as the flooding recedes.

This year’s heavier then normal monsoon season decimated homes, crops and livestock, and now, deadly diseases are breaking out to threaten survivors.

The viral fevers, malaria and chicken gunya fever, are being spread in the aftermath of the flooding. Brent Hample with India Partners says it’s being felt by all five of their indigenous partner ministries in the states of Andra Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu, and the weather disaster’s impact spreads out beyond that as well.

India Partners is providing food, clean water, blankets, clothing, medicines and shelter to those Hample says are the prime targets for disease. “The poorest of the poor there are the untouchables, the tribals and the rural villagers, and those are the people that we’re going to help with these relief funds.”

Ministering in India since 1984, India Partners has a lot of history with disaster relief as they work with churches, hospitals and non-profit partners in-country. They have close relationships on the ground with their indigenous partners, and Hample says it’s a powerful way to do ministry.

“When we can show that we care for people with the love of Jesus Christ, through the giving of food, through teaching them how to read and write, or all the other development projects we have that are given through the love of Christ, people’s hearts are changed. And they really can see God’s work being done through the hands of our brothers and sisters in these areas of India.”

“There’s nothing as powerful to help someone in need, knowing that it’s come through the gifts and the love and the compassion of brothers and sisters in this country on the other side of the earth who have compassion and who have the love of Christ in their hearts. There’s something special about that kind of relief. It’s not given out by the government. It’s given with love, and that makes it special to these people that receive it.”

Hample continues, “It can affect their lives. People then receive it and a lot of them will say, ‘Our own government, and the people around here of different faiths don’t care for us, but these Christians, they are different. They love us even though we’re not Christian, and what does that mean?’ And it really affects their lives and makes them really wonder, ‘why are they doing this?’ and of course it’s because of the love of Jesus Christ.”

In an email from a partner in Andra Pradesh, one of the hardest-hit areas of flooding, Hample reads: “Millions of people have lost everything. They have no food, shelter or clean water to drink. They are prime targets for disease and need relief supplies immediately. The poorest of the poor-Dalits, tribals and rural villagers are usually the last to receive help. The flood victims are still helpless, left out in some areas. Through our relief camps, some of the poorest areas received rice, daal, and oil to prepare food. There are many areas left out without any help. These people are still crying and suffering. Five farmers committed suicide because of the loss of crops by floods. Still in villages, children are caught up by diseases and dying without medical care.”

“This is a chance where someone can make a difference, even in just one person’s life,” says Hample. You have that opportunity. Contact India Partners through their information given below to help contribute and make a difference.

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