Efforts by NRB members to help those suffering from the COVID-19 crisis are still ongoing – especially around the world.
In addition to its work in the United States, Samaritan’s Purse reports that its 16 global field offices and four affiliate offices have launched new efforts or adapted projects to support people who are suffering during this global pandemic. It is also partnering with organizations in more than a dozen additional countries to meet urgent needs.
In Southeast Asia, for example, teams are working in several countries to provide hygiene kits, hand-washing soap, medical supplies, emergency food, and coronavirus prevention education.
In Africa, Samaritan’s Purse is providing critical medical supplies to those in remote areas while training local health center staff in on how to use personal protective equipment. The organization continues to provide clean water for drinking and washing as well as emergency food supplies.
In addition, in South America, Samaritan’s Purse is offering primary medical care, hygiene training, and emergency food packages to migrant communities along the Colombia-Venezuela border. It is also working in Bolivia to distribute food and hygiene kits and teach about virus prevention.
“Please continue to pray for our teams across the globe as they demonstrate God’s love to hurting people during this worldwide crisis,” the ministry reported.
Meanwhile, in the Caribbean and Latin America, Food For The Poor reports that it has been working in collaboration with one of its ministry partners on an initiative in Colombia, Guatemala, Guyana, and Honduras that is giving women the tools to produce masks to keep their families and communities safe while also earning an income.
Food For The Poor is also working with partners on another mask project in Guatemala, where women who received training to make clothing and handbags are now using those skills to make masks that are being provided to healthcare workers across the United States.
“Families barely generate income to survive under normal circumstances. Many cannot afford face masks to protect themselves,” said Food For The Poor President/CEO Ed Raine in a report. “This project will provide the income they need to feed their families while working on something with a higher purpose.”
Elsewhere, Food For The Poor and its partners have delivered 49 critical care monitors to eight hospitals in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Dr. Ramon H. Artiles Santamaria, Director of the Ramón de Lara Military Hospital in the Dominican Republic, said the monitors not only will help patients with COVID-19 but assist in other hospital care such as operating rooms, emergency rooms, and ICUs.
“We express our great appreciation for the donation which will help strengthen the timely management and care of our patients during this pandemic,” he said, according to Food For The Poor’s report.
In addition to the monitors, each hospital also received 100 personal care packages including toothpaste, soap, tissues, toys, and other hygiene items and basic necessities.
“COVID-19 is making an already fragile situation for the destitute poor even worse,” reported Raine. “The gift of these machines and basic everyday supplies will make a world of a difference. With the help of our donors and partners like MAP International and Edwards Lifesciences, we will continue to protect the most vulnerable we serve.”
Also helping people across the globe is TWR, which is providing online resources specially geared toward helping people cope with the crisis – especially as the increased use of digital tools over the past few months has led many people to turn to the internet for answers during these uncertain times.
TWR360, TWR’s multilingual digital arm, has put together two pages with the help of ministry partners that provides Biblical perspectives on life’s hardest questions: “From Despair to Hope – Coronavirus & COVID-19” (available only in English) and “COVID-19 From Turmoil to Hope” (available in 29 languages). Both pages offer relevant programming to help web visitors find comfort and encouragement during the pandemic. Also specific to current circumstances is the “Guidance in Crisis” topic collection, which provides audio and video messages that address timely and relevant topics such as death, fear, grief, stress, and other issues people are struggling with in this crisis.
“People are either suicidal or depressed or they have anxiety because of the turbulent times, so they start typing search terms along the lines of ‘is god real?’ or ‘god, help me,’” TWR360 Operations Manager David Creech noted in a ministry report. “We actually use those key terms for our search results in 360 so we get matches and provide content that maybe helps them through their anxiety and through times of crisis.”
TWR President Lauren Libby added, “The COVID-19 crisis is a terrible catastrophe affecting the entire world. But it’s also an opportunity for people to discover the God who gives comfort, assurance and salvation in times of distress. We believe God opens doors at just the right time. TWR360 is poised to reach millions of people where they are – in their distress and confusion. Now is the time to dispel the darkness and bring the light of God’s truth to a suffering world.”
Launched in May 2013, TWR360 transcends language and geographical barriers to minister to individuals all over the world. Currently, TWR360 works with more than 260 ministry partners to produce Bible-based messages, sermon podcasts, videos, audio Scriptures, and other resources in 90 languages, and is working to introduce more languages. According to TWR, these resources draw about a half-million visits each month from people in 225 countries and territories. Visitors can access the free resources on twr360.org or on the TWR360 mobile app anytime and anywhere.
PHOTOS ABOVE: [1] A worker makes masks at one of the training centers in Colombia. [2] Dr. Frank Soto (left) from Marcelino Veléz Santana Regional General Hospital and Kellee Brown (right) from the Order of Malta display a critical care monitor. Marcelino Veléz Santana was one of six hospitals in the Dominican Republic to receive critical care monitors thanks to a partnership between Food For The Poor, MAP International, and Edwards Lifesciences. The Order of Malta in the Dominican Repubic oversaw the distribution. Photographs courtesy of Food For The Poor.
