Thank you for faithfully coming alongside IGSL for another school year, especially through prayers. This month, we would like to intercede for our brothers and sisters in India. As we read their stories, may we let the Holy Spirit guide us in praying for our students, alumni, and fellow Christian leaders who are in the midst of great suffering.
“The situation is still pretty grim as the number of beds, especially ICU beds, can’t keep up with those who need it – The new strain is affecting many younger people and we’ve heard many, many reports of children being orphaned – The poor are the worst affected – Many brave and sacrificial people are volunteering to serve through cooking free meals for patients, calling hospitals for beds, even conducting burials and cremations as the bodies continue to come in – In one group where I volunteer, a week ago we got this message from the burials team -“It’s 8:20 am and already we are making arrangements. to bury 14 bodies” – Vaccine is mostly unavailable here – Churches are spending a lot of time fasting and praying – There’s a sense of heaviness and gloom and we cry out that people would put their hope in Jesus.” -from Bangalore
“So many pastors have died here. The church leaders are suffering from exhaustion and trauma. Please pray for us. It’s going from bad to worse. Whole families are affected with covid, with multiple people in each family dying. People are asking where God is and what his sovereignty means.” -from Bangalore
“…my heart is so raw from seeing and hearing suffering day in and day out. As a pastor’s wife I’ve had calls at all parts of the day and night for women seeking comfort. Some days I didn’t have the strength to get out of bed but I had to care for my sick husband and hungry kids and take care of spiritual needs of our congregation. Some days I was mechanical and numb. Couldn’t feel joy or sorrow or pain. Fell asleep with exhaustion and woke up with a start. Some days I would watch an online funeral of a church member or family member and I would I sob for hours.” -from Delhi
The new caseload in India’s traumatic second wave has finally started to drop, but the deaths just continue to climb. This wave has taken a great toll on pastors and medical professionals in staggering numbers. Believers are writing to us asking for prayer and expressing unimaginable pain and loss and overwhelming needs for counseling. It is clear to us that the church in India is tired and grieving and many of her leaders have passed away, leaving bewildered lay leaders to minister to the congregations.
God will be writing a new story in the lives of believers as they recover and find their bearing spiritually. May he also be pleased to reach many unbelievers in this dark time when many are asking where hope can be found. Please pray for the church in India. Pray for our alumni and all believers as they minister out of weakness and loss. May God multiply our efforts to train leaders for the subcontinent. May he mobilize many solid organizations to meet the massive need for grief and trauma counseling as well.
