INDIA: Lockdown Triggers Biggest Migration Since Partition

Source: INcontext Ministries, March 25, 2020

On March 20, hundreds of thousands of Indian migrant workers lost their jobs after India instated a 21-day lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus. This loss of employment has caused the workers to embark on journeys home to their villages—some as far as 650 kilometers—on foot, as all public transportation has been suspended. There are approximately 100 million informal workers in India living and working in large cities to support their families living in remote villages.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemed to be taken by surprise at the mass exodus from the cities and has said that the Indian government will provide rent money and food for those affected, but that declaration hasn’t slowed the number of people fleeing the cities—many with no food, medicine, or other necessary resources.

From a Christian perspective, India has a Christian population of around 28 million, making up just over two percent of the total population. Indian church leaders have been working with local government leaders to provide more aid to their communities. Local churches have also been raising funds to deliver food and medicine in areas where the government aid has not been enough. However, this service has financially stretched churches since congregations are not able to gather physically to give their monetary offerings.

» Read full story with prayer points. As you probably heard, India has now extended the lockdown another three weeks, though some exceptions have been expanded (BBC).

» See also Prayer Emphasis for Sikhs, Prepare to Pray: April 12-16 and grab the free downloadable prayer guide (IMB).

» Read how churches in Russia and the former Soviet states are responding to the COVID-19 crisis with prayer and giving (Slavic Gospel Association).

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