Did you know that of all the disasters that occurred last year, floods affected the greatest number of people and accounted for the highest number of deaths? 

Floods are devastating weather events that seriously impact the livelihoods, health, and functioning of whole communities.  

More recently, cyclones and flooding killed over 1,800 people across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, and displaced well over two million people. 

Emergency Aid For 15,373 People

When a community is hit by a major weather event such as a flood, timely assistance is essential for survival.  

Our Disaster Action Fund helps our Partners provide this response, along with ongoing support as families work to rebuild their homes and livelihoods.  

In 2025, thanks to our generous supporters, the Disaster Action Fund helped our Partners: 

  • Directly assist 15,373 people, including 2,359 children
  • Provide 9,712 people with packs of essential items, including clothing and toiletries, to help meet their basic needs
  • Provide 5,534 people with food to prevent hunger and malnourishment.

Hope Amongst The Mud 

Eighty-five-year-old Dian has lived through many disasters, but the major flood that hit Central Java in March last year affected her deeply.  

The waters swept away most of her belongings (including her beloved sarong and blanket) and submerged her house, which then became inundated with mud.   
  
In the past, when Dian experienced a flood, she said, ‘we could only stay silent and hold back our fear.’ So, Dian was shocked when youth volunteers from the local Baptist Church, with support from our Partner, appeared to help clear the mud filling her home! They provided her with a pack of clothing, toiletries, food, and blankets, and invited her to join a mental health support group run by our Partner’s volunteers.    

‘The young volunteers were a beacon of hope,’ Dian said. ‘We felt seen, heard, and appreciated. The activities they brought really helped us manage feelings of fear, anger, and sadness.’  

Our Christian Partner’s support groups have been so effective at reducing isolation, anxiety, and health problems that Dian plans to ask the local health workers to continue the groups.  

‘We want to keep gathering, sharing stories, and even visiting others who cannot leave their homes. It makes us excited, and we feel that we are not alone,’ she said. 

Widespread Impact

Dian is just one of the many people who have been impacted by our Disaster Action Fund.

Thanks to the regular donations of our Disaster Action Fund supporters, our Partners can respond to sudden events around the world, bringing essential assistance to communities facing dire needs. 

Rina from Bangladesh thanked God after receiving food from our Partner:

Floods destroyed our houses, crops and animals, but God is good and provided us with food packages. 

Sunaram from India said his family was ‘unable to turn towards anyone for help’ when floods destroyed his farmland—his main source of income.  

When he came to the collection centre to pick up a relief pack from our Partner, he shared that he was rebuilding his home, but couldn’t access assistance from the government. 

‘We were unable to turn towards anyone for help but were deeply relieved when the local Church informed us that we would receive flood response relief,’ Sunaram said.  ‘We not only received relief items but also love.’ 

Pray For Our Partner’s Work

As 2026 begins, please join us in praying that:

  • God’s people would be beacons of hope for those who are disproportionately affected by disasters due to poverty, age, gender, or disability.  
  • Our Christian Partners would have wisdom and strength as they work with people who have endured devastation caused by flooding.   
  • Vulnerable communities can learn essential skills so they can better prepare and protect themselves against the impact of future disasters.  

Thank you for supporting the Disaster Action Fund, so we can help families recover from disasters. As Sunaram said,

I have a grateful heart towards the Church for taking the initiative in contributing to the needs of people like me.