Ramesha's Story
Dear Friend,
Ramesha’s stomach groaned as she handed the last bite of food from her plate to her younger sister. Their family had been sharing only one meal a day for weeks, with no end in sight. Their home had once been bustling and full of life with three children under the age of seven, but hunger had taken its toll. Ramesha and her two siblings struggled to attend school due to weakness and severe hunger pains.
No parent should have to watch their children starve… but the food crisis in Sri Lanka has left them no choice.
In April of 2022, Sri Lanka suffered a tragic political and economic collapse. For the first time in the country’s history, they do not have enough food to feed their people. This economic disaster is the result of numerous political decisions, and the repercussions for their people are life-altering. Rolling blackouts engulf their homes in darkness, sometimes for 10 hours a day. Shortages of fuel and food leave families unable to meet their basic needs.
The situation is dire, friends. The cost of food has tripled with the rate of inflation rising to a shocking 68%. As a result… children are barely eating one meal each day.
BUT God is working amid these physical and financial challenges! Soup kitchens are being established across the country by Sri Lankan believers to meet the needs of their communities. From rural villages to city centers, believers are sacrificing out of their own meager means to feed their friends and neighbors.
In July of 2022, Assemblies of God churches in Sri Lanka joined together to officially launch the Soup Kitchen Project. Since then, the project has grown to 25 functioning soup kitchens. Because of their faithful efforts, the program is now feeding 50 children at each location three times a week.
Ramesha is one of these children! One afternoon, she noticed a group of children gathered outside the church in her village with bowls of steaming food. Her mouth began to water, and her stomach growled as she watched them eat. The pastor noticed her wide eyes and the signs of starvation on her frail frame. He immediately ushered Ramesha and her siblings into the group to receive their first filling, nutritious meal in weeks.
More than 1,200 children are being sustained by this feeding program, but thousands more are still hungry. For JUST ONE DOLLAR, you can feed a child on the brink of starvation. We need your help to expand the reach of the Soup Kitchen Project!
The compassion of this local church gave Ramesha’s family a tangible glimpse of Jesus’ love.
Not only are people receiving life-giving nourishment, but the Soup Kitchen Project is creating opportunities to share the gospel in these communities like never before. The people of Sri Lanka have been historically intolerant of the gospel, making it a difficult and dangerous place to minister. But now, hearts are opening to the transformational love of Christ, because Sri Lankan believers are being the hands and feet of Jesus.
A local believer, who has been a volunteer cook for the Soup Kitchen Project, told our team, “This program has been a great endeavor in taking the gospel to unreached souls. In fact, it has been one of the greatest steps towards evangelism.”
The goal is to increase this feeding program to five days each week AND add 50 more soup kitchen locations.
We want to link arms with the Sri Lankan Assemblies of God churches, who have already given so much.
The impact of the existing soup kitchens has been astounding, but the truth is children in Sri Lanka are still going without food.
Your gift of $1,500 will fully establish one new soup kitchen. This includes pots, pans, gas burners, and two weeks of food. Each new location will meet the needs of 50 more hungry children!
A local pastor shared his experience with us saying:
The picture our village had of the church has changed in a positive way. They know we are there to truly care, not just to get people to come to church. Everyone is talking positively about this feeding program where the population is more than 90% unbelievers. Even the community leaders who were once against us and considered the church a nuisance have now started to see us as indispensable. I have been ministering to children for 23 years, and I see this as an answer to my prayers for a long time to be able to provide meals to children.
The Sri Lankan believers are passionate about maximizing this opportunity to show the remarkable love of Jesus to the neediest in their communities. Can you imagine the number of children, like Ramesha, who are physically and spiritually empty? With your partnership, they can be filled!
Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ – John 6:35
Please send what you can for the urgent hunger crisis in Sri Lanka. Together, we can impact this nation for Christ! Thank you in advance for letting the children in Sri Lanka know you care.
P. S. When Mary poured out her most valuable perfume on the feet of Jesus, we began telling the story of her faithfulness and generosity throughout the ages. Your gift can change the course of a child’s life and will be remembered for years to come!
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