"I've just spent 10 days in India working with a medical team providing medical relief to victims of the tsunami that devastated South Asia on December 26. Here's a brief description of what our 31 person team experienced:

-          We visited 7 coastal villages in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu where we treated over 4500 people.  Not all patients we physically treated were tsunami related, but we did see our share of tsunami injuries including broken bones requiring casting, open sores, infected lacerations, injured shoulders, wrists, necks, backs, hips, knees, and ankles.  

-          Besides addressing physical needs, many of the people who we
treated were suffering from deep emotional and psychological terror from the
tsunami event.  Each day we heard numerous accounts from survivors who lost husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and other relatives.
Some recounted how clinging to palm trees saved them while the devastating

waves crashed through their villages taking lives and destroying their grass
huts or brick homes.  Members of our team often ministered by lending an ear, praying with and comforting grieving survivors.

-          Many of the people affected by the tsunami made their living by
fishing.  Due to the fact that their simple fishing boats and nets were
either destroyed or significantly damaged, many are without a way to meet
their basic needs.  Relief efforts have provided some assistance, but
because many of the villages we visited were located north of the heavy
devastation in India, they are often out of reach of the large relief agency
efforts.

-          Many live in great fear of another tsunami
coming without warning.  One afternoon a false report that "the water was
coming" sent the village into a frenzied panic as they ran further inland to
escape the non-existent coming waves.  Predominately Hindus, they believe
the gods of the seas are angry with them and they don't know why or how to
appease them.

-          The Dalits or "untouchables of the Indian social structure"
living in these villages experience even greater hardships.  What aid does
arrive in the villages is often taken by the high caste villagers.  Members
of our team witnessed firsthand acts of discrimination against Dalits.  One
evening, along with our Indian partners, Operation Mobilization India, we
delivered household items (buckets, water pitcher and plates) to a
predominately Dalit area.

Obviously, there is still much work to be done.  Thankfully, our partners with Operation Mobilization India, have committed at least 1 year of ongoing ministry to the villages we visited.  If you would like to explore further ways of
helping those in need, please contact me at [email protected] 

I has the opportunity to further understand the work of the Dalit Freedom Network, a ministry committed to empowering India's "untouchables" in their quest for social freedom and human dignity by networking human, financial and informational resources.  Please pray that the Lord would help me discern any ways he is calling me and Antioch Network to further partner with the work of the Dalit Freedom Network.  In March I will be traveling to Denver to meet with Nanci Ricks, Executive Director of the Dalit Freedom Network, and Joseph D'Souza, leader of Operation Mobilization India and the All India Christian Council.

 

The link with 24-7 Prayer is that I work with Antioch Network , which provides apostolic leadership to churches passionate about making disciples of Jesus among the nations. Immanuel Fellowship in Frisco, Colorado, a church within our network, has prayed 24-7 since last July. We see the relationship between intimate transforming prayer with our heavenly Father and establishment of God's Kingdom among the world's unreached peoples, so we are very much interested in what God is doing through the 24-7 prayer movement."

 

Dan Kane, Phoenix, Arizona, USA