IDES COVID-19 Response Efforts
To date IDES has provided aid for 34 countries, that’s $1,133,620.66 in COVID-19 relief, with new projects coming in each day!
Personal Stories from IDES’ COVID-19 Relief Efforts
Akash
Akash is a student from our own school. He studies under a full-time scholarship from NICM, and he and his family were victims of the crisis. For a while now, he had been eating plain rice without a proper portion of vegetables (like onions or potatoes), masala and pulses. He was extremely appreciative of receiving a month’s supply of potatoes, onions, rice, pulses, sugar, salt, tea leaves, cooking oil and medical supplies like masks, gloves, bars of soap, liquid soap, detergent powders and hand sanitizers etc. His family, too, gladly received the aid, as they will not have to struggle this month. They will have full bellies for a while as long as this pandemic lasts (hopefully not too long). Akash has sisters and a mother. No one should have to see girls, women and elderly suffer, and we have alleviated their suffering. Thank you, IDES.
Poornima
Poornima is an old lady who lives with her son and grandchild. Her son’s wife passed away from a disease. They reside at one of the villages where Pastor Robin leads a Church. They gave their lives to Christ and have adopted the Church as their spiritual home. Regularly attending Church, her son, Madan, had been requesting for a miracle to help them with food since he lost his job due to the pandemic. Being a brick maker, he already had a difficult time bringing food to the table to support his mother and child. In fact, he had told Pastor Robin a few days before receiving aid that he wanted to commit suicide because of pathetic he felt about not being able to put a very basic necessity like food on the table for his young daughter and very old mother. The pandemic made things even worse for them when his employer had to close down operations and suspend their workers without pay. However, NICM (through IDES) were able to answer his prayers and supply needs. He eats well without the worry of seeing his mother and child suffer during this lockdown. Seeing how vulnerable his mother and daughter are due to their old and young ages respectively, he does not have to worry about them becoming weak and falling prey to the virus. Thank you.
Providing Help & Hope all over the world
IDES has been very active in the fight against COVID-19. In early February, IDES helped send over 20,000 masks through our partners in China to help prevent the spread of the virus. IDES has been active on the homefront of this outbreak as well, partnering with local churches who are providing for the increase in Hunger needs here in the United States through their food pantries. IDES provided over 3,700 meals for local families now struggling with food insecurity as a result of the pandemic.
IDES continues to further the COVID-19 fight. This week alone, we are reviewing new requests for aid from multiple countries including the United States. We are also receiving new project requests expanding the way IDES is able to help those most in need during this time. If you would like to donate to these efforts, please click the link below, and select “COVID-19” in the designation menu!
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
We share the concern and challenges that Coronavirus (COVID-19) presents. The health of our staff, volunteers and visitors is our top priority at IDES. Our goal is to take the necessary precautions to ensure this safety, as directed by the public health organizations.
IDES staff will continue to meet during their regular business hours. All staff will use caution for their own health, as well as the health of other staff members, volunteers and visitors. The precautions we are asking staff, volunteers, and visitors to take are the following:
Take extra care to clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs and handles
Continue to wash hands with warm water and soap regularly, especially when meeting with guests and volunteers, as this should be common practice
Hand sanitizer will be available for visitors, volunteers and staff to use
If staff, volunteers, or visitors are sick, we ask that you stay home. Our goal is that you can recover quickly while also limiting the number of other people who could get sick as well
IDES is currently responding to the tornadoes in Tennessee. We are asking that volunteers bring disinfectant/hand sanitizer and to use extra caution when working to ensure their safety and the safety of others. We also ask that those who are sick or have flu-like symptoms not volunteer for these efforts until you are healthy again. If you are sick, but would still like to help out with these efforts, IDES is also taking donations to help with the recovery efforts in Tennessee.
IDES will continue to follow the direction of public health organizations. The situation is fluid and we will continue to update our procedures as the situation dictates.
A Message from IDES’ Executive Director
Do you see the blue fish shape in the middle of the IDES logo? It’s an ancient symbol used to help Christians reassure one another that they were not alone – other believers were standing with them in difficult times. IDES is here to strengthen the witness of the church, mobilizing ministry resources throughout the world in the name of Jesus Christ. Our hope is anchored in Him!
In the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis we are taking necessary precautions to protect the IDES staff and volunteers. Some of our scheduled events and speaking engagements must be cancelled. Yet we are committed to serving the continued needs of suffering people. IDES sent a shipment of medical supplies to mission partners in China at the onset of what is now a world-wide pandemic. We are providing some of IDES’ packaged meals for local families struggling with food insecurity. Heroic IDES volunteers are helping with tornado cleanup and recovery in East Tennessee this very moment!
Every time we wash our hands, let’s be praying for each other! We are not alone. God is with us and He is giving us opportunities to share His love to a fearful world. Thank you for standing with the IDES ministry as we partner with Christians in many places to advance God’s kingdom through compassionate crisis care.
Rick Jett
Executive Director