GFA photo

Floods breach Pakistan borders, spread to India

Even though 20 percent of Pakistan is still under water, the angry flood waters know no boundaries. The floods have now spread into two provinces in India, creating a crisis in that country as well, reports MNN.

Speaking from an airport in India, KP Yohannan of Gospel for Asia shared an update about the devastation. "Not only [is] the flooding [in] Pakistan becoming a huge crisis, but now in many parts of India, it is becoming a problem. In one region, some 170 families are affected and have lost everything."

Some 145 people are dead in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, while 500 are still missing. To the south, 11 villages are under water in Andhra Pradesh, and hundreds are missing. At least 1,000 Christians are among those affected in the area.

In Andhra Pradesh, this is the second time floods have swept the state in 12 months.

Thankfully, Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries on the ground were able to respond immediately with relief in the form of food, clean water and other necessary supplies. Yohannan said this is GFA's advantage in crises like this: they are able to reach out before most other aid groups even enter the country.

Unfortunately, this also means that some GFA's missionaries did not remain unscathed by the waters and are in need of help themselves.

For those who are able to help in the relief, Yohannan said they view the floods as an opportunity rather than a setback: "Calamities and crisis and pain--regardless of country or culture--[are a] huge opportunity for us to demonstrate God's love for these people."

With the coupling of physical aid and spiritual outreach, GFA is fulfilling Christ's command to reach out to the "least of these."

"Pray for God's mercy because we are always asked to stand in the gap, pray for the suffering and the needy, and [do] all we can, thinking of what we would be if were in the same situation," Yohannan said.

As GFA missionaries do all they can, concern grows for the millions of vulnerable children who have either been separated from or lost their parents.

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TAGS: Pakistan India floods Gospel for Asia relief aid missionaries outreach evangelism

[08/26/2010]

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