About one month ago, terrible floods left millions without homes and more than a thousand people died. (Read more here). Since that time, ServeNow has been responding via medical clinics that have helped over 1,000 people. A few of touching stories have emerged that are shared below, along with an update on the situation and need for winter coverings going forward.
The state of Bihar is experiencing one of its worst floods ever. In some estimation nearly 10 million people are affected and almost 1,400 died in the past 2 months. In hundreds of the villages of Bihar, life has come to a standstill due to the flood and water logging and in some places after the water levels have come down there is a fear of an epidemic breakout as they are without clean drinking water, shortage of sanitation and even basic things like enough food.
Rev. Kiran shared, “It was disheartening to see families living without a roof over their heads as everything they had, including their house, livestock and belongings, had been swept away. People have been living in temporary sheds covered by polythene sheets. They have little to eat and all their clothes are mud washed. ServeNow’s medical clinic was the ray of hope that the people here needed very much.”
Responding to urgent appeals from pastors and churches in Bihar during the last couple of weeks, ServeNow conducted 6 medical clinics in the worst affected regions. Nearly 1,000 people from all communities in the worst flood hit areas in the state of Bihar have received free medical treatment and medicine through these medical clinics conducted by ServeNow’s team of local staff and volunteers, doctors and ambassadors.
For the patients, these clinics were a blessing as they had lost all hope and through that they are all left to rot in the dying stagnant water around them. It was also a great joy to serve these people and actually share the love of Christ with them, for many this was the first time they experienced interaction with Christian churches!
For example, the two older men in the picture above, were both standing outside ServeNow’s medical camp venue in the courtyard of a small church in Simalbari, as patients were being treated. A couple of ServeNow volunteers went up to them and invited them over to receive treatment with their medicine. They said, “We were hesitant to enter the camp as we thought it was only for Christians, but we now know that it was for the people from all communities and religions. We are very grateful to ServeNow for providing us with medicine and medical attention. They were a Godsend. Our health has been deteriorating due to the diseases spread through stagnant water and also the unavailability of food, supplies and medicine.”