Covenant World Relief and Development, a ministry of the Serve Globally mission priority, has sent funds to the Hindustani Covenant Church (HCC), which is helping people in the flood-devastated state of Maharashtra in western India. The HCC also continues to respond to the Covid-19 crisis through creative ministry with people who might otherwise receive little assistance.
The government of India reported that more than 300,000 people have been evacuated and 213 people killed due to unusually heavy monsoon rains that began July 20, triggering severe flooding and mudslides.
“Places like Kurundwad and Tasgaon, where HCC has churches, are 75% submerged under flood water,” wrote Jyoti Deep, HCC project director, in an email in late July.
Covenant Social Services (CSS) of the HCC is providing relief to five affected villages.
As Covid-19 continues to spread through the country, including a recent spike in infections, many people were dying because they were unable to afford ambulances to take them to the hospital. In response, the CSS created a rickshaw ambulance service to transport residents of several slum areas of Pune. More than 800 people have been taken to hospitals, said pastor Akshaydeep Kakade.
The CSS outfitted an auto rickshaw with medical equipment that would help critical patients remain stable until they could find a bed at the hospital. The rickshaw ambulance had portable oxygen, ventilator, blood pressure apparatus, oximeter, sugar checkup, primary medication, and other necessary tools along with a nurse who attended the patients.
Funds from Covenant World Relief & Development-xx were used to purchase personal protective equipment for the drivers and nurses, who had to change PPE with each new patient.
Funds to help with Covenant World Relief & Development-xx work around the world can be donated online. For more information on the efforts of the Hindustani Covenant Church to help pandemic victims, read this previous story.
