Floodwaters are receding now, but they covered entire villages several days ago. Landslides triggered by monsoon rains carried away people, homes, and livestock. World Mission’s Greg Kelley says national partners in Nepal send grim reports.

“They’re telling us about villages that they’re working in being wiped off the map; bodies are being washed away. [In] places where we planted churches, people are disappearing,” he recounts.

“[Monsoons are] just devastating in a place like Nepal because when it goes into a higher elevation in the mountains, it all just congregates. Then, it (water) comes just rushing down those rivers and anything in its path is destroyed.”

Even so, a silver lining remains. “When you combine India, Nepal, Bangladesh, we’re talking about some of the highest concentrated areas in the world where people have never heard about Jesus,” Kelley observes.

“These monsoons – as devastating as they are – it creates an unprecedented opportunity for the Church to do evangelism and share Jesus.  We need to step into this moment and take advantage of that.”

Why is “spiritual” aid important?

Physical aid is an obvious need during times of disaster. Clean water filters and rice become critical needs when floodwaters contaminate wells and wash away food stores. World Mission makes funds available to help purchase basic necessities and medical supplies for people who have been severely affected. Learn more here.

(Photo courtesy of World Mission via Facebook)

To some nonbelievers, the timing of this response may seem like manipulation – believers deliver audio Bibles along with water filters to flood survivors. However, national partners never force audio Bibles – called Treasures by World Mission – upon people; they simply offer the resource during natural conversation.

Sometimes, people ask specifically for the Treasure because they’ve lost everything else.

“People are looking for answers. In many cases, they’ve lost everything, and it’s in those moments of desperation where the Treasure becomes effective because their hearts are open to the Gospel,” Kelley explains.

“We’re seeing God do amazing things even in the midst of the flooding.”

Next steps

Now that you know, what will you do? Connect with World Mission here if you want to help send physical aid or Treasures to survivors. Most importantly, pray.

Be “praying for the safety of our national partners as they’re trying to go in” to affected areas, Kelley asks.

Pray also for people who hear about Christ through solar-powered Treasures. Nepali people often hear the Gospel for the first time through these Treasures, Kelley explains, because most of Nepal is unreached – less than two-percent of the population is Christian.

“People in their point of desperation are uniquely receptive to the Gospel. So, we need to pray that the Gospel finds fertile soil in the hearts of the people there.”

Header image is a representative photo credit Amio James Ascension via Flickr.  The photo depicts 2009 monsoon flooding in Bangladesh.

Sending Aid

GOES-16 captured this geocolor imagery of Hurricane Harvey on the verge of making landfall on the Texas coast on August 25, 2017. (Photo, caption courtesy of NOAA Satellites via Flickr: https://goo.gl/mbVDiw)

Executive Director of Keys for Kids Ministries, Greg Yoder shares, “We were able to send about 17,000 devotional books and regular books. One of the books that we have is called “Seasons of Faith,” and it has to do with disaster.

“So, we sent those picture books down. It’s for younger kids. So, it was really great how we were able to partner with International Aid.”

The books were sent in tandem with International Aid’s hygiene packs. Still, sending down the devotionals had a price tag attached. And, rather than backing down, Keys for Kids decided to go ahead and send the books out on faith. Soon enough, donations came through the door to get the books to where they needed to go and replace the ones that were sent.

The ministry sent down every last one of their Spanish devotionals as well. Yet, with sending these down, along with its previous devotionals and even devotional samples, the ministry was only able to meet about half of the need in Texas.

Why It Matters

When you think about it, a lot of these kids don’t really have much while they wait to return back to some type of normalcy. Some have been staying in shelters, with little to keep them busy.

Now, they can at least learn about Jesus in this time of disaster. And, while Harvey was anything but good, it opened Keys for Kids up to a different type of ministry.

“This is something that Keys for Kids is going to be doing in the future. You know, reaching out in times of emergency, to kids who are struggling,” Yoder says.

“Because let’s face it, kids kind of hold it in their hearts sometimes. They don’t really let it all come out and they don’t know where to turn. And when they have questions about where God is, where do they find the answers?”

(Photo courtesy Keys For Kids)

Keys for Kids helps kids find the answer in Scripture. The stories even help get their minds off of their own life problems, even if for only a little while.

“Some of these stories are just so infectious in really pointing out the truth of who Jesus is. And not just leading them to Christ, because that’s not enough, but taking them down that road of life and having that communion with God,” Yoder explains.

Continuing Discipleship

And though it’s going to be hard staying in touch with these kids from Texas, Keys for Kids is partnered with other organizations to help make sure they are reached with the Gospel and then discipled. In a way, these devotionals act kind of as a key to get the Gospel through the door and into their lives.

“I’m hoping [the kids] sign up for Keys for Kids and that they’ll become regular subscribers, or they’ll listen to our kids’ radio network and be able to hear about Jesus all the time. But, I don’t know,” Yoder shares. “Sometimes you have to leave it in the hands of the Holy Spirit to really watch them come to Jesus.”

Pray for the kids to be impacted by the Gospel. Also, pray for their safety and recovery. Pray for churches and other ministries to come alongside these kids and disciple them. And finally, ask God to provide the needed resources to keep sending these devotionals to Texas, and for Keys for Kids to be able to print more for future times of need.

Finally, will you consider giving to help get these devotionals in the hands of kids in Texas? Keys for Kids is beginning to work on a new devotional that will be specifically focused on disaster. Would you consider donating to this project as well?

Click here to help provide aid to Harvey victims!