08/06/2021 India (International Christian Concern) – “God helped us amazingly by providing food through ICC,” Pastor John Almeida recently told international Christian Concern (ICC). From India’s Karnataka state, Pastor John is one of the thousands of pastors ICC has served with COVID-19 food relief amid the second deadly wave of the pandemic.
Pastor John serves as a church planter in the Chamarajnagara district of Karnataka. In his time as a church planter, he has faced many challenges, including physical assaults and direct persecution. Despite this, Pastor John reports that the pandemic has been the most challenging situation of his ministerial career.
“The pandemic has been the most difficult phase of our lives,” Pastor John told ICC. “We as a family endured much pain and suffering due to the lack of food and financial resources. The most difficult phase was the lockdown and all that followed with that.”
“My wife contracted COVID-19 and she was in very serious condition,” Pastor John continued. “I did not even have money for her treatment. I prayed to God along with many other faithful Christians and she survived.”
Coming through this difficult situation, however, Pastor John has seen the love of Christ and God’s faithfulness to his people.
“We experienced God’s faithfulness when we received help from ICC,” Pastor John said. “God opened the door and we received help from ICC.”
Like thousands of other pastors in India, Pastor John received COVID-19 food relief from ICC amid the country’s worst pandemic surge. The rice, lentils, cooking oil, flour, and other food stuffs provided Pastor John and his family with enough food to sustain them for a month.
“We thank the Lord, and we thank ICC for this critical assistance,” Pastor John concluded.
For interviews, please contact Addison Parker: [email protected].
