Aid mission for people in need – mission trip to Sri Lanka

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In February 2023, a mission group from CDH-Stephanus traveled to Sri Lanka. There, they visited the "Arudpany Girls Home in Batticaloa," which the Stephanus aid organization has supported financially and through prayer since the 2004 tsunami disaster. The mission group also visited several congregations and families in northern Sri Lanka, distributed aid supplies, and participated in worship services.

Due to the Corona pandemic, no mission trips to Sri Lanka have been possible since 2020. This year, however, the mission trip to Sri Lanka took place again. Twenty-six participants from various BFECG congregations departed from Frankfurt Airport. In 2021, a fire broke out in the girls' home, resulting in high costs because the fuse boxes and the entire electrical system had to be replaced.

After the long flight, the tour group landed at the airport in Colombo and then drove for about six hours to Batticaloa. When they arrived at their hotel in Batticaloa late in the evening, they prepared the gifts they had brought for the girls at the orphanage. The gift bags contained items such as toiletries, notebooks and pens, hair ties and clips, hairbrushes, and cards with encouraging Bible verses.

The next day, the group traveled by coach for about an hour to the girls' home, where they received a very warm and hospitable welcome from the girls and the home's staff. After the greetings, everyone went up to the attic. There, they held a short service, introduced themselves again as a group, and sang a song for the girls. The girls also presented a short program. Afterward, the Germans distributed the gift bags and donated clothing they had brought to the girls. The girls also received letters that the girls from the FECG Ramstein youth group had written to them earlier. The girls from the home wrote back thank-you letters with great joy and enthusiasm.

Afterwards, everyone went outside to the garden with the children to divide them into small groups and play the games they had brought along. After a group photo, everyone went on a trip to the beach, where they had a picnic together. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed the rest of their time by the water. Finally, the travelers got some ice cream before the girls said goodbye to their house leaders after a prayer together. They were very grateful and happy about the visit.

Current information about the girls' home

Currently, 26 girls aged 7-22 live in the girls' home. The home has a total capacity of 30 girls. Not all the girls who come to the home come from Christian families. Nevertheless, the pastor, his wife, and the staff raise the girls according to Christian norms and values. Each girl has a Bible, which she reads daily. All the girls also attend school. The girls live in the home for various reasons. Often, financial difficulties are the reason, as the parents can no longer provide for the children or they would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend school and receive an education. Others have experienced rape or abuse and are allowed to find protection and care at the girls' home.

On the third day, the group continued their journey by bus to Trincomalee. There, they first visited the "Devine Love Church," where they participated in the service with a short sermon and a song. This congregation was distinguished by its 50 widows. Most of them had lost their husbands in the civil war and have since lived in difficult financial circumstances. After the sermon, they distributed relief supplies to each widow. The relief packages consisted of food items such as rice, flour, sugar, salt, red lentils, spices, and other necessities. After lunch, they proceeded to the next church, the "Bread of Life Church," which was already expecting the mission group. There, too, they offered a short sermon and a song, distributed the relief supplies, and brought some sweets to the children. Due to time constraints, they were unfortunately unable to visit a third church. Therefore, the pastor of that church was asked to distribute the relief supplies.

The next morning, after breakfast, the travelers continued their journey for about five hours to Jaffna. There, they first visited a private homestead with several families, offered a song, prayed for one another, and distributed aid supplies and sweets to the children. Mothers with their sick children also came and asked for prayers. Afterward, they continued to the village where families live in extreme poverty. The mission group split into three smaller groups and visited the different families. Their accommodations are very small and cramped, and they have few possessions. Some of them don't even have a bed. One family was Hindu. They explained that the father had died of a heart attack ten days earlier, and they didn't know what the future held for their family. The German group told them about Jesus and how He holds their situation in His hands and will guide them if they turn to Him. They shared the Gospel with them, prayed with them, and sang another song for them. In the evening, they visited a church community ("Bethel Church in Jaffna") that was already expecting them. A small service was held, during which they were allowed to serve and distribute aid supplies and sweets to the people.

On the sixth day of their trip, after breakfast, they drove for about two hours to Kilinochchi to serve the congregation with a sermon and a song. Afterward, they distributed sweets and relief supplies to the church members. They then drove another two hours to Vavunyia to visit Kangankulam Church and also provide them with relief supplies. After lunch, they continued to Bethel International Revival Church, where approximately 50 pastors were waiting. The mission group prayed with them for their congregations, offered a song and a sermon, and distributed a financial donation to each pastor for their congregation. Afterward, they split into smaller groups to visit four more families, pray for them, and deliver donations.

The travelers spent their last day taking a walk in the national park at Sigiriya Mountain. The next morning, they left very early for the airport to begin their journey back to Germany. The mission group is very grateful to God for the opportunity to support people in their need and to edify them with His Word.

Janine Witt

CDH-Stephanus

More information about the project and the opportunity to donate:

https://cdh-stephanus.org/sri-lanka/