Blankets For India

Atypical cold weather in Northern India has caused over 100 deaths.  See here and here for news articles.

Photo borrowed from The Guardian Express

Our friend MK (seen in several of the photos from Tedd's recent post about his trip to N.India) and several of his co-workers are responding to the need to provide blankets to the poor.

Dozens of Indian house churches are raising money to buy blankets, as well as dozens of believers abroad.  If you would like to join in the effort, please see details for how to get in involved over at our Facebook event "Blankets for India."

Because of donations made over the past week, 600 blankets have already been ordered for distributing among some of India's most destitute.  Please join us in praying for the families who will receive blankets - for both their physical & spiritual needs to be met!  The following update is an excerpt from the Facebook page:

AN EXCITING UPDATE! I want to say thanks again to all of you for your generous response to India's need. The original goal of this "event" was to raise enough money to buy 200 blankets. Because of your concern and generosity, an order has already been placed for 600 BLANKETS!! That will be 600 families who will receive a blanket this month. That's a really big deal, guys! THANK YOU for reaching out!! 

We don't have to stop here. Please continue to invite others who may be interested, and for those who haven't already, please consider making a donation for a few, or few dozen, blankets. 

I spoke with MK this morning and he shared with me the goals and plans that he and his ministry teams have put together as a result of receiving so many blankets to hand out; I think you will be encouraged to read about it!

Because of this opportunity that God has placed in their hands to help the poor, they have created a strategy that will allow them to visit over 40 of the poorest of the poor villages in the states of Uttar Pradesh & Bihar. MK said that in each of these villages, there are about 30-40 families residing, and many of those families live under trees or in shack-like structures. The goal of MK & his ministry teams is to share their sincere Christian faith among these families as they distribute the blankets, praying that as new believers emerge, one house church will be planted in each village.

This may sound like a lofty goal to many of us, but remember that MK and his co-workers will be reaching out to the poorest of the poor in his area - literally the "untouchables" of India. Many are spiritually hungry - starving!- and have never heard the story of Jesus. The field is "ripe for harvest." MK & his teams all have very personal testimonies about how the one true God has transformed their lives in very real and tangible ways. Already this group of Gospel workers has planted hundreds and hundreds of Christ-following house churches. By God's power and provision, this goal is very attainable!!

We've gotten behind our Indian brothers & sisters with our checkbooks, now let's get behind them in prayer! Blankets to cover the poor is wonderful and God-honoring, but your donations toward blankets can be so much more - it can have eternal value, so let's pray for that in faith.