World Hunger Fund Aids Flood Victims in South Asia

GRANTHAM, PA –In an urgent message to the General Church leadership, Bijoy Roul, regional coordinator in South Asia with Brethren in Christ World Missions, implores North American churches to reach out to BIC and other families living in the flood-hit Orissa and West Bengal regions of India with financial and prayer support. In response, General Secretary Don McNiven has released $10,000 from the World Hunger Fund for relief work by BIC churches in India—a good beginning, but a mere drop in the flood waters compared to the call for support from the Indian church.

In the wake of what officials and some residents are calling the worst floods in living memory, Bijoy reports that BIC families, along with thousands of other villagers, have lost their homes, personal belongings, and crops. Many people are not able to buy rice and other food items because of escalating prices. And with each day that passes, the threat of waterborne disease increases.

“We need to help these people as soon as possible,” Bijoy explains.

The BIC churches in Orissa have a plan and a way for distributing food, medicine, and other supplies to 25 villages in the region. Now they are looking to their brothers and sisters in North America for assistance. Bijoy estimates the cost of providing help to one family at approximately Rs 2,000 ($50 US or Canadian). Multiply that by the some 5,000 families in the affected villages, and the price tag for the relief effort comes in at $250,000.

 “At first hearing, $250,000 sounds like a lot of money, but break the total down into $50 chunks, and suddenly, it seems manageable,” Rebekah Basinger, director of congregational relations, said. “If families in each of our 295 North American churches would pool their giving to cover the cost of relief supplies for just 20 families ($1,000), we could forward $295,000 through the World Hunger Fund to the churches in India. That would be exciting.” 

Gifts in support of the World Hunger Fund can be made online, or by mailing a check made out to “BIC General Conference Ministries” to the Brethren in Christ Church Offices at 431 Grantham Road P.O. Box A in Grantham, PA 17027. Please specify “World Hunger Fund – South Asia Floods” on the memo line of your check.

To learn more about these events, read "South Asia flood death toll rises" and "S Asia millions face flood hunger"