The heavy rainfall and flooding in Henan Province had affected about 1.36 million people, resulting in 73 deaths by 12:00 am July 28, according to the national natural disaster management system. Fortunately, the breach of Weihe River was finally fixed at 2:27 a.m. on the 26th.
Eventually, the floods will pass and the rescue will be over, but the damage caused by this disaster to our compatriots in Henan will take a longer period of time to heal. The damage in this disaster not only includes damage to properties, such as houses, vehicles, and other materials but also spiritual traumas caused by the loss of loved ones and the panic after the narrow escape. For Christians elsewhere, besides helping in every way we can, we also need to eagerly pray for our compatriots.
Pray that the Lord would be gracious to the churches in Henan Province and that brothers and sisters would be more involved in the work of post-disaster reconstruction.
Although the floods have caused damage to the churches in Henan, as God's children, we should overcome our weaknesses as soon as possible so that we can be more involved in the work of post-disaster reconstruction by the grace of the Lord. First, let's pray for the Christians in Henan, and plead the Lord to be gracious to every child of His and warm their hearts with His great love. Pray that our brothers and sisters in the churches of Henan have the heart of Christ and give loving help when they see the needs of their compatriots and do more work than gossip so that the beautiful image of Jesus Christ can be shown through their ministry.
Pray that the Lord would be gracious to the provincial, municipal, county and township governments in Henan, that they would be full of wisdom and govern properly.
The post-disaster reconstruction needs to gather people's hearts, build up strength, and be fully prepared to fight long-lastingly. As the floodwaters recede, all kinds of cleanup work and disinfection work must be done in time, and these works require many human, material, and financial resources. The government needs to take the lead in the post-disaster reconstruction. Therefore, Christians need to earnestly pray for those in power on these matters.
Pray that the Lord would be gracious to Henan's economic reconstruction, letting the hard-hit businesses, factories, and stores recover as soon as possible.
The post-disaster reconstruction work will of course include economic reconstruction. As a result of the flooding, many businesses, factories, and stores are affected to various extents. Perhaps, many people may have lost their jobs, and private business owners may have lost a lot of money. Pray that those vulnerable businesses, factories, stores, small workshops, and other self-employed people will survive the harsh environment and be able to revive themselves in the near future.
Pray for the Lord to raise up more evangelists and psychotherapists.
We ask the Lord to raise up more evangelists in the post-disaster reconstruction to bring His love to people in grief and fear. There are times when preaching the gospel alone is not enough; pastoral counseling is also needed for certain people. They may be mentally broken down because of the loss of loved ones. And some people may go into a trance, fantasizing that their loved ones did not pass away and often seeing them when they dream. In other words, we need not only be there for them but also listen patiently and point out the crux of their problems appropriately. Necessarily, we also need to lead them to God, helping them emerge from their problems through prayer.
- Translated by Elle Wang
