Sometimes big disasters in poorer countries are not mentioned very much in national newspapers or television and radio news broadcasts.

Nevertheless you might have seen or heard a report about the floods in South Asia in recent weeks. Some of the countries hit were Pakistan, Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

In Pakistan rains have been very heavy, dams have broken, and 19 cities have been flooded and destroyed. Nearly one million people are homeless.

Monsoons and cyclones have ravaged India. In Bihar 7 million are homeless. In Assam State another 3 million are homeless and nearly 2 million acres of valuable farmland were submerged.

In Bangladesh millions more have been displaced by the floodwaters. In all, some 20 million people have been affected in South Asia. Most lost their homes, livestock and crops.

Unrelenting rains and flood waters have left millions of people homeless in South Asia. Some salvaged belongings with makeshift rafts. Others grabbed what they could and fled. Now they have nothing left.

To put it into perspective, remember that one million people were displaced in New Orleans during and after hurricane Katrina. Well, multiply that 20 times over. This is the magnitude of destruction and human suffering right now in South Asia.

People died from drowning and mud huts collapsed, but other problems also threaten the homeless people. Snakebites. Attacks by hungry wild monkeys. Diarrhea and skin infections are rising quickly. There is not enough medicine to treat all the people. Drinking water and food are desperately needed.

Government aid has been dreadfully slow. A national news reporter in Nepal was asked if help was getting to the most needy. Her response was, "Rescue workers can’t even reach those places."

Christian Aid is already helping several missionaries who live and minister in these areas. They are providing some urgently needed supplies. Ministry leaders say that the need is overwhelming and they urgently need assistance to provide food and water.

Would you please help by sending an offering for these needy people in the name of Christ? Christian Aid is set up to receive your special gift by mail, phone or internet. See instructions below.

Gifts to Christian Aid will go directly and quickly to the ministry, bypassing government red tape. And many needy people will be served by native missionaries.

Out of this tragedy, we are praying that these missionaries will have new opportunities to share the gospel.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration of this special need.

I want to help native missionaries bring aid and Christian care to people suffering from recent floods in South Asia.