Bangladesh
(MNN) — As floods continued to spread havoc throughout Bangladesh, many of the inundated
areas reported acute shortages of food, and a rising threat of water-borne
diseases.
Millions of people are homeless or cut off in their villages
because of this season's heavy monsoon rains and flooding. It
is likely that this situation will worsen through August as monsoon rains
continue to pelt northern Bangladesh
and flood major rivers.
The government released a report that says the floodwaters
left over nine million people marooned in 38 districts. The damaging storms caused substantial damage
to both life, infrastructure and standing crops.
Food For the Hungry's Ben Homan calls the situation
'extremely urgent'. "Food For the Hungry has close to 200 workers that
wake each day in Bangladesh
serving those communities. We have the
capacity to respond, but we don't have the supplies at hand unless we have
people that can assist with this."
Some aid is already being
distributed. FH aid teams have already
given out 10-day food supplies including rice, potatoes, lentils, salt and
cooking oil. In addition, their relief workers are providing for health
needs and combating water-borne diseases by distributing oral saline, water
purification tablets, soap and medicine.
Homan says their relief response provides ministry.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for people to experience the power of
God's rescuing in a physical sense, and that can communicate, along with the
compassionate prayerful conversation that accompanies a heartfelt
response. It becomes very powerful in
this kind of situation."
