Hundreds of prayer chains and meetings have been formed among the body of Christ in India as they intercede for their nation, which has been ravaged by a devastating second Covid-19 wave.

According to an article by The New York Times published on May 25, it is likely that an estimated 539 million people have contracted the virus, of which 1.6 million have died.

Though the government has said the second wave is now on a “downswing”, with the number of daily cases and deaths falling, the nation continues to be plagued by the far-reaching impacts of the pandemic.

According to reports, more than 7.5 million Indians lost their jobs in April alone, taking the unemployment rate to a four-month high of 8%. About 230 million Indians fell into poverty in the first year of the pandemic. And more than 9,000 children have been orphaned or left without a parent by the pandemic.

“The hopelessness is so severe that there is a real cry,” one Indian pastor told Salt&Light. “You don’t need encouragement to pray now.”

Here is just one of the countless prayers on the lips of a groaning nation, by Pastor Tabitha (not her real name) who prayed for her nation with Salt&Light over Zoom.

Would you take this moment to pray with her?

Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. 

Father God, we just acknowledge how great and mighty You are. Father, I pray for my own nation.

We just pray for Your mercy and Your healing touch. You are the giver of life. Today in hospitals, for those who are dying without You, we just pray that You will reach out Your merciful hand and You will touch their lives.

The positive cases, Father, touch them, heal them and restore them back to life. We pray for life for all those who are struggling for breath, Lord. Let Your living breath enter into them.

And we pray for all our pastors, all our missionaries and all their families. God, we just pray that you will give them hope, O Lord, because You say that Your word will not be cut off. You are the hope of glory. 

You love India, God. You love our city. You love every province, O Lord, every street. You died for each one of us in India and we thank you, Lord, because You are our hope.

Father, I bless my nation with the salvation of Jesus Christ. I pray that the eyes of the people in this land will be opened up, O Lord, to give their lives to the true and living God.

Lord, wash our country with the blood of Jesus. Set your people free, O Father. And Lord, we pray that in this situation they will know what you are saying to them. They will know the light of Christ. 

And I pray that in hospitals today, all the necessary arrangements will be sent. I pray that people will not be in want of anything, neither medicine nor oxygen, but everything will reach the people who are in need today. 

For those who are hungry, those who are without food, Lord, we cry out to You, the God who lifts up the poor and the needy from the dust, O Lord.

Raise them up and feed them. We pray that you will make arrangements for them, that people will reach out to them with food. We pray that nobody will die of hunger. 

God Almighty, we just pray for Your healing touch. We pray for Your new hope. Restore people’s health and bring about Your divine healing. We pray that this Covid-19 pandemic will stop. We pray for healing to be upon all families. 

As we cry out to you, Lord, will you heal our land? In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen. Hallelujah. 

Will you intercede for India?

At a 12-hour prayer meeting on May 20, thousands of believers from India gathered on Zoom throughout the day to intercede for their country. Until the crisis is over, will you join your heart and hands with them in prayer?

These were their prayer pointers:

1. PRAY FOR PROVISION

• For the timely supply of medical resources; oxygen cylinders, concentrators, oximeters etc.
• For churches, NGOs, government entities and families that provided food and essentials to the families of the infected.
• For financial resources necessary for the various needs.

2. PRAY FOR THOSE SERVING ON THE FRONTLINES

(a) Medical professionals. More than 250 doctors have died in the second wave of the pandemic. Many nurses, health workers and volunteers have lost their lives as well.

• Pray for the protection of health workers from illness.
• Pray for the demand on their availability to be managed well, especially keeping in mind their own health.
• Pray that the doctors, nurses and other health professionals will receive proper support with vaccination, infrastructure, security and better welfare systems.

(b) Mission hospitals in rural areas. A key opportunity to serve is in mission hospitals, many which are recognised as Covid care-centres.

• Pray for the health of professionals in the mission hospitals as they are already swamped with many patients in their limited bed hospitals.
• Pray for financial needs to be met to run these hospitals as they run on donations.
• Pray for infrastructural needs so as to provide excellent services in remote areas.

3. PRAY FOR THOSE SERVING NON-MEDICAL NEEDS

Many have lost their jobs and are struggling financially as well as emotionally.

•  Pray for the government, NGOs, churches and individuals to step up and help meet their financial needs.
• Pray for business owners, entrepreneurs and others to create new job opportunities.
• Pray for food and essentials to reach the ones in need.
• Pray for those providing emotional and financial support to the ones suffering.

If you’d like to contribute to aid relief in India, here are some organisations on the ground:

1. Red Cross

An independent humanitarian organisation known for responding to humanitarian emergencies, Singapore Red Cross is working with Indian Red Cross Society and other ground partners to raise funds for Covid-relief efforts.

Donations will be used to purchase urgently needed medical equipment and supplies, and adjusted according to regular assessment of the situation and the evolving needs of the people.

Find out more here.

2. Prayatna

A non-profit led by former United Nations staff and ex-civil servant, Pratik Kumar, Prayatna provides dry rations and cooked food to under-served families and distributing home care kits while educating people on how to prevent and manage the disease at home.

They will also be sending medical equipment to small, under-equipped hospitals. Awarded the Guidestar India transparency certificate, records of kits and equipment distributed are available to donors upon request.

Find out more here. 

3. SPARSH: Society for Peoples Action in Rural Service & Health

SPARSH is a non-profit that focuses on supporting vulnerable classes and communities deprived of social, economic, physical and educational development. For their Covid relief efforts, they will be focusing on the Gadchiroli District, one of the worst affected regions in eastern Maharashtra.

Their aims consists of providing financial help for affected families, distribution of rations and medical supplies and generation of livelihoods for rural/tribal members to sustain their living in spite of the pandemic.

Find out more about them here, or donate here. 

4. Goonj

Goonj aims to provide rations, hygiene essentials, masks, gloves, and lessons on sanitation to neglected communities such as tribals, the differently-abled, sex workers and daily wage earners.

They have an extensive reach within urban and rural areas by working with more than 400 organisations on the ground to support affected communities. 

Find out more about their Covid-19 relief efforts here, or donate here. 

MORE FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORT ON INDIA’S COVID CRISIS:

“Yes, we are suffering. But in times of darkness, that’s when the light shines”: Christians in Covid-embattled India unite to offer help and hope

“This is not the time for us to stop seeking God”: Man who lost 3 relatives in India’s second Covid-19 wave

Church in India in crisis as deaths from Covid-19 leave leadership vacuum

Where is God in this pandemic? A pastor from India responds