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COVID Ministry Updates

Read these uplifting and impactful stories from the COVID-19 featured ministries!


 

The Chalmers Center - West Africa

Causes: Microfinance, Local Church, Savings Group


Brian Fikkert, Founder

Story from Central Togo - The Chalmers Center's West African trainers equip volunteers from very poor churches--church facilitators (CFs)--to start savings groups as a ministry of their church. In the month of May 2018, one of our trainers, Pastor Olive, trained a group of CFs in Akpare; a village located in Central Togo. By the beginning of June 2018, one of the CFs named Koulahome had already formed a saving group called Unity. Everything was going well until the government announced restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Pastor Olive could not travel to coach Koulahome, and Koulahome could not gather the savings group members to meet together. Koulahome didn't know what to do. Without meetings, the savings group could fall apart, and the very poor members would not be able to access the savings and loans that are vital to their survival. In addition, the savings group members were afraid because nothing like this had never happened in their village. They lacked information about Covid-19, so they were not sure what to do.

With generous financial support from Servant's Heart Foundation, the Chalmers Center quickly developed a communication strategy that helped the trainers, the CFs, and the savings group members to stay connected via cell phones. The strategy enabled Pastor Olive to call Koulahome, who also called all the members of the Unity savings group. As a result of those calls, the group members decided to continue their savings and loan repayments. As they could not gather to meet as a group, Koulahome planned a time when each member could come and save or pay back their loan in front of the group leadership. The group was able to stay alive during the crisis, and the members gathered on June 11 to get their end-of-cycle payouts and to celebrate what God had done...practicing social distancing as they'd been taught.


 

Eden Mission - Congo, Africa

Causes: Sustainable Remedy to Poverty, Christ-Like Transformation, Church Planting


Kenneth Rwego, CEO

God's Radiance Amidst Confusion - Since the end of colonialism, tribal differences in many African countries has created conflict that has often escalated to catastrophic wars taking the lives of millions. The resulting tension has led to deep hatred, social marginalization, and exclusion among tribes in this region. Demonstrations and violent rioting are commonplace as people are continually looking for ways to make their voices heard. The shutdown from the COVID-19 pandemic has become a silencing force as there are no opportunities to hate or oppress the less privileged and no militia activities. In our societies, the majority of people live hand to mouth making this a trying time as the restrictions in movement have made it extremely difficult to provide basic needs. With support from friends like Servants Heart Foundation, our staff at Eden Mission used this unique time to share Christ’s love in our communities by providing basic groceries for almost 20,000 people. Through this, nearly 200 people were brought to faith in Jesus Christ as their savior.

To our brothers and sisters in America who are facing uncertainty with the pandemic and the political and racial tension, the call of the church is to be the feet of Jesus and work to replace hate with love and be a refuge to provide emotional and spiritual healing. May Christ be glorified during this trying time.


 

Father's Heart Mobility - Uganda

Causes: Wheelchair Distribution, Gift of Mobility


Francis Mugwanya, Founder

One of our partner organizations, Free Wheelchair Mission, coined the phrase "Because no one should have to crawl." It's a great motto. And now we have a new one "no one should have to starve." We never would have guessed that we'd be giving relief food but that's exactly what we've been doing! THANK YOU for making it possible! We have assisted 1287 families with food to date. Please enjoy some of the photos below!


Thank you for praying for us. Please continue to pray for wisdom, grace, provision and for our lockdown to completely end soon!


 

Global Unites - 13 Nations

Causes: Youth Movement, Transformation, Restoration, Reconciliation


Prashan De Visser, President and Founder

Our teams in Sri Lanka, Kenya, DRC, Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and Nepal have been doing some amazing work to respond to families who have lost their jobs in the informal sector due to lockdowns and curfews. We have also partnered with an organization in Guatemala and Pakistan though two of our Global Unites core team members to provide aid in these countries as well. We are on track to support over 5000 families with essential food supplies for at least two weeks. We are committed to standing by these families at least till the end of June as they get their life back on track after the lockdowns. The governments in our countries have no financial ability or the will to provide for these people and we felt it was our responsibility to do all we can. The generosity of so many donors has made our efforts possible. 

We are now looking at leasing land in each of these countries, recruiting some farmers to grow vegetables and provide for these communities. We have also be providing vegetable seeds to some of these families so they can grow and maintain their own vegetable patch. We are partnering with a agricultural  company to provide video tutorials on how to grow vegetables even in small spaces


Global Unites has formally launched our Master Trainers Academy . A year long training for some of our most gifted and committed volunteers representing 12 nations and 4 continents. They have now embarked on this journey  to become the lead trainers of the movement. The academy will help enhance their skills as peace builders, community leaders and mentors of youth in their nation. These leaders will also continue to serve along side their National Directors to respond to the COVID19 crisis in their nation. 


 

Kitu Sevena - Sri Lanka

Causes: Widows, Poverty, Abandoned/Abused Children/ Medical Clinic, School Scholarships, Trauma Counseling


Pastor Adrian De Visser, Founder

I remembered the young boy with five loaves of bread and two fish, who unashamedly but by faith offered it to the Lord trusting he could use it to feed the five thousand plus that had gathered to hear him, we know the outcome. I responded in the same spirit, we decided to use some funds we had designated to help the poor, the need and the amount was ridiculously out of proportion, but we went ahead. God honored this step of faith and our commitment to care and provided so miraculously so that we could care for those in need.

Testimonies


“We had skipped couple of meals wondering what we do next, and just in that moment a food parcel filled with dry rations and essential needs was delivered to us from the church. We are grateful to the Lord and to the church, you cared for us when we had no other hope.”


These were the words of people who do not know the Lord or belong to our fellowships,

“We have heard the word love but now we have experienced it. We now see how Christians care for each other.”


Our prayer is that people will know us by our love, and that is what we have witnessed, many non-believers have shared that they are touched by the love and support of Christians. We thank and praise God for entrusting to us the task of caring for the people of our nation in this time of need. We commit to continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus.


 

Uganda Unites – Kampala, Uganda

Causes: Youth Movement, Transformation, Restoration, Reconciliation


Amos Kiyingi, National Director

A reminder of the power of faith, hope and unity -No one doubts that COVID -19 is one of the direst threats the world has ever faced. And yet, amidst the confusion and anxiety, there are ever stronger signs of faith, hope and unity, a sense of, and desire for, togetherness. The shared sense of responsibility and togetherness has inspired Ugandans and our


friends abroad donate toward the food relief and hygiene packages that Uganda Unites is putting together for daily wage earners, enabling us to support 596 families of more than 2,980 people. As a youth movement we inspire, equip and connect young people to be change agents within their communities and during this pandemic w

e have seen them step up to serve. There is a desire among young people that we have mentored to be part of the solution. Even with the risk of exposure, young people across the country have signed up as volunteers with Uganda Unites to ensure that the food relief items get to the people that need them. Public and private transport was grounded for the most part of the last 85 days, however we have volunteers like Ambrose Matsiko that decided to walk for long distance to ensure that the elder in his community and neighboring communities receive the food relief packages so that they can stay indoors and avoid the risk of exposure to the virus. Without ignoring the realities of challenges faced by Ugandans, such as the effect of COVID – 19, tribalism, poverty, violence and conflict, it is clear that many communities are reaching for a positive message. The challenges we face as a country will not be erased by the pandemic, but amidst the hardships that we continue to endure, we can find comfort in the stories of hope and solidarity such as that of Ambrose, but most importantly in the fact that just like we have come together for the fight against the pandemic we can com


e together once again to end the challenges that cripple us like conflict and discrimination.

“We are a family of sixteen, nine of whom are my grandchildren. I look after them because my children passed on. I am a tailor but because of the lockdown I cannot make any money, my grandchildren and I usually make pancakes and they sell them at school but also the schools are closed. We have been surviving on 1 cup of porridge a day but it got to the point where it was only enough for the grandchildren. I had lost hope and faith, but you have brought me to tears and restored my hope, that even in these difficult times someone care share with us. I was ready to die because I knew hunger would kill this family and not the virus, but now I know God had my prayers” – Namuli Annet

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