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Gospel for Asia Emphasizes Suffering Neighbors after Harvey, Irma and Sri Lanka Flooding

It’s been impossible to escape any news relating to natural disasters recently.

Hurricane Harvey flooded homes in the gulf coast of Texas.

Hurricane Irma left thousands in Florida without power.

Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc in Puerto Rico, with 83 percent of the island still without power and 36 percent currently without water.

An earthquake in Mexico took the lives of 360 people and left thousands homeless.

Fires are currently ravaging homes in California.

Natural disasters happen. There’s no stopping them. And they change people’s lives forever.

Oct. 13 is International Day of Disaster Reduction, a day to raise global awareness about reducing the impact natural disasters have on people.

Gospel for Asia receives reports from its field partners every year about the devastating toll natural disasters leave on families and communities. The most recent reports were about the flooding that happened all across South Asia this summer.

On September 1, we released the following report:

1,200 Perish After Unprecedented Flooding in Four Asian Nations

A month of monsoon rains is wreaking havoc in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is considered the heaviest monsoon rains in years. More than 1,200 people have lost their lives so far from flooding and landslides, and the United Nations estimates that around 41 million people have been affected.

Those living in regions that experience annual flooding during the season of monsoon rains are shocked at the magnitude of these floods. Mumbai, one of India’s most populous cities, received an entire month’s average rainfall in just 24 hours.

One field correspondent in India wrote, “There is no proper communication. [The villagers] are unable to get food, clean drinking water and are having sleepless nights because of the continuous heavy rain.”

One-third of Bangladesh’s landscape is reportedly submerged, and nearly 1,500,000 acres of farmland, which is a key component of the nation’s economy, are damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of acres of crops are completely destroyed between the four nations, raising concerns of food shortages.

Displaced families are gathering under makeshift tents and tarps. They are at risk of disease and in need of food and water.

Can you imagine if that was you? Your entire life, the life you may have worked hard to build and preserve, stripped away from you in a matter of a few hours. That’s the reality for hundreds of thousands of people all around the world right now—even thousands in our own nation who are still displaced.

While natural disasters are, unfortunately, inevitable, it’s encouraging to see how people band together in those times of need. We stand beside those grieving the loss of their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. We see the needs of our suffering neighbors, and we step in to provide. That’s what happened after Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria. People rallied together despite differences to be there for others and serve.

After Sri Lanka experienced some of its worst flooding in more than a decade, Gospel for Asia founder and director, Dr. KP Yohannan, visited the flood-stricken country. While there, he and our field partners were able to work together with the religious leaders of a Buddhist monastery in order to provide relief supplies to men and women in need.

Sri Lanka flood relief distribution - KP Yohannan - Gospel for Asia — KP Yohannan participated in a Sri Lanka flood relief distribution event at a Buddhist school. Bag of rice and other goods were given to a group of people who are still suffering from the floods that hit this area of Sri Lanka.

This is what the Buddhist leader said: “This is the first time a Christian religious leader has come [here],” he said. “[They have] helped the really needy people of our village who greatly suffered due to the flood crisis in this area. This shows that there is no division of race, caste or religion, and everyone can join together as one to help.”

When we join together, what will be remembered is not only the devastation that happened but the fact that people stepped into their grief and offered love, provision and hope for a better tomorrow.

So for International Day of Disaster Reduction, let’s celebrate the unity that can bring healing in times of devastation.

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