Pandemien rammer India i stor grad, og vi som menighet ønsker å stå sammen med våre brødre og søstre der nede. Pinsekirken Tabernaklet har drevet med misjonsarbeid i India i mange år, og en av våre samarbeidspartnere har tatt kontakt med for å be oss om å stå sammen med de i bønn. I tillegg ønsket vi å gi en ekstra gave i begynnelsen av mai, og samlet inn 100.000 kroner, som ble sendt for å hjelpe Bethel Church i denne vanskelig tiden. Vi ønsker å dele det siste brevet fra Raja Samuel:
Dear Pastor Benjamin, Greetings from Katihar, I was very glad to see your mail in my inbox. Thank you for writing me. We all are well in the family, some of our church staffs were covid positive but now they have recovered. As India struggles with a massive and severe second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the loss of lives is mounting up. Till now, the nation has lost over 350.000 people to this virus and these are just the official numbers. India has now confirmed Covid-19 cases of 25.000.000 plus and counting as of 10th May 2021. The daily confirmed cases are the highest in the world with nearly over 450.000 cases being reported every day for the last two weeks. Hospitals are overburdened and medical personnel are finding it hard to cope up not only because of the sudden and massive increase in the number of cases, but also especially in the light of lack of medical supplies particularly oxygen. Many patients have died because of lack of oxygen at the right time. The poor, migrants, homeless, and the marginalized have again been the hardest hit by the various lockdowns in all of the country. They have lost their jobs and their hope. Many have nothing to eat. Crematoriums and graveyards are packed as people line up the bodies of their loved ones for the last rites. Parks are being converted into crematoriums to deal with this new reality. The Church too has suffered losses and many Bishops, Pastors, and leaders have been lost to Covid-19. It is estimated that over 500 pastors and Church leaders have succumbed to Covid-19. Churches have been unable to meet for months now, a pattern we also saw last year, and has resulted in economic hardships for pastors and evangelists who are dependent on the offerings of the congregations. It is a desperate situation. I am much thankful to you and all the friends of Tabernaklet Bergen for standing with us and Praying for India. I am speechless to hear that friends in Norway, the Church together with you have collected NOK 100,000 for supporting people struggling with this Pandemic wave in India. Please share my best greetings of thanksgiving to your church and all supporting friends. With best greetings and love on behalf of Bethel Church (India) Raja Samuel.