When I emailed the area director of Southern Asia almost a month ago to ask what current events in Southern Asia we could share here on the blog, I had no idea how poignant and timely his response would turn out to be.
Like many Americans, I’ve been glued to the news the last several days, watching in horror as our coasts were devastated by two major hurricanes in less than two weeks. The damage from the winds, storm surges, and subsequent flooding is overwhelming, and since my home in Tennessee was in the path of both storms as they weakened, I was also watching to see what kinds of severe weather might befall us here.
Nothing of note happened, and I was a little ashamed of my quickness to focus on my own concerns and needs when so many are suffering so much more than I am.
But isn’t that how we are as people?
Aren’t we quick to elevate our own pain and minimize the suffering of others?
The reason I share all this is to preface what I’m going to tell you about what’s going on in Southern Asia right now.
Nations like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka seasonally experience periods of heavy rain, but over the last couple of years, higher than usual levels of rain have led to catastrophic flooding and dangerous landslides. And it’s probably something you won’t hear about much on the news.
While we who are in the US can’t get away from the stories of the damage caused by Harvey and Irma, people on the other side of the world are experiencing devastation and loss of life on a much larger scale.
And the poorer an area is, the harder is for them to recover and rebuild after something like this happens. According to some estimates, more than 24 million people are being affected by the floods in Southern Asia.
So this week, as you continue to pray for those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma (as rightly you should!), please don’t forget for those who are suffering from similar conditions in other parts of the world.
Pray for our workers in Southern Asia.
Pray God’s protection over them and their families.
Pray that even as they face these situations, that God would open doors for them to share the gospel with the hurting.
Thanks for praying, and thanks, as always, for being a part of this community. We couldn’t reach the nations of Eurasia for Christ without you.