Pakistan (MNN) — Monsoon season ended last month in Pakistan, but the major Chenab River went through serious flooding. Now several areas and farms in the Punjab Province are recovering from the damage, and many haven’t received any flood relief from the government.
(Photo courtesy of Christian Aid Mission)
“It’s mostly populated by farm laborers, and their fields are still four to five feet under water,” says Amie Cotton with Christian Aid Mission. “So survivors of the flooding are very worried about their families, especially for the children and elderly people.”
Flooding in a community that depends on agriculture can spell disaster for the families there.
“No lives have been lost, but residents of the community have been unable to work for the past month. So that’s no work and no money to feed their families. The fields are not only their income source, but a source to feed their animals, and all the crops in these areas are destroyed so they’re trying to get their animals to higher ground.”
Christian Aid Mission has ministry partners in India who are responding to flood relief needs in the Punjab Province. They’re plan is to provide food, soap, dish soap, and other items to at least 500 families.
Cotton says in doing so, the ministry is actively serving as the hands and feet of Christ, and the families often ask why.
“When people receive a needed item and they’re in dire straits, it makes an impact on them. They want to know, ‘Why are you helping me? You’re in the same situation as me.’ And that really opens the door to share the love of Christ, and to build a relationship that then can lead to sharing the Gospel.”
(Photo courtesy of Forgotten Missionaries International)
Recovery from the major flooding last month is going to be awhile yet, says Cotton. “At least for the next several weeks, it’s already been a month…. It is going to take time and it is going to take more resources, and so that’s why we’re asking listeners to pray about the situation and, if they feel called by the Lord, to help in this situation.”
“We’ve got the goods bulked together…. As you can imagine, they’ve got to get the goods from areas that aren’t under flood waters and then transport them to those areas.”
Cotton asks that, most of all, you add these Pakistani families to your prayer list and lift them before the Lord today.
“Pray for the ministry workers as they try to gather the supplies [and] transport them to the areas where the flooding is going on. Also, during times like this where the water is high, there’s additional threat of diseases spreading because of the standing water, there’s cholera and diarrhea. So pray for the people to be safe. Pray they can get to higher ground and have their needs met, and that the waters will recede quickly so they can get back to normal. They’re going to have to rebuild in a lot of areas, so there’s going to be a lot of work that has to be done.”
