Chippewa Valley Street Ministry Journal - May 12, 2021
In October 2016, the street ministry formed a relationship with a street ministry in India. The street ministry is located in India in the city of Kolkata, which was formerly called Calcutta. It is also home to the Mother House headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity founded by the late Mother Theresa. Kolkata is a city of 14 million, 40 percent who live in slums or on the streets. Kolkata has perhaps the lowest urban standard of living in the world. More than 70 percent of Kolkata's people live at or below the poverty line.
These are a few pictures we received in 2017
Ritesh
Street Servants
Medical care
Over the years, we have communicated with members of their street ministry and have discussed the activities of both our ministries. Because of news reports regarding the critical situation in India related to Covid, we reached out to the ministry to learn of their current status. We received the following message and wanted to share it with you:
Corona virus report is not good in India and West Bengal Kolkata also. Here in Kolkata, more than 18,000 of cases are coming every day. The report is not good even in the whole of India. And every day over four lakh (hundred thousand) cases of covid are coming all over India. (8 May 2021 Report).
We need so much prayer. And then also need to help peoples here in Kolkata. We have three aslam areas. We have been working here for many years for poor families. In times of Covid and lockdown situation, lots of trouble comes over them. Children stop begging because there is no one to give them anything. With lockdown, the work of those families is also lost in this situation, those people have nothing to do. We help some families like these in the pictures and deliver them house food items. Many people died last year in which hunger was a big reason.
We need to save those people as much as possible during the time of pandemic.
Thank you, Sister,
God bless you, Ritesh
Pictures speak volumes, these were included in the correspondence:
Community members in line for basic necessities
Ministry member with children
Street ministry providing care
Street ministry members providing care to families.
Community members getting some needed support.
Click on the link below to view the A to Z ministry in service:
We asked Ritesh what the bags that are provided contain. He replied that they support families with flour, rice, dal (yellow peas), potato, and onion oil. They need funding to support these and other supplies and Ritesh is also trying to find ways to help support the need for oxygen. If you are interested in helping their ministry, they would be ever so grateful for a donation. Checks can be sent to the Chippewa Valley Street Ministry and the funds will be forwarded to the ministry in India.
For more information or to follow this ministry, please check out their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MissionAtoZ/
Karen - Social Worker/Nurse - CVSM
