From a believer living in Mali
By God’s grace, Mali has largely been spared from Covid-19. We have had 2,688 confirmed cases and only 125 deaths as of 22 August 2020 (John’s Hopkins Tracking Data).
However, it has greatly impacted our economy. Several large companies that employ hundreds of workers have closed for at least several months.
People have been afraid to go to clinics and hospitals for medical care. As a result, the receipts of the mission hospital are down significantly and would have missed paying staff salaries by almost 25% for the past two months, if they had not raised outside support. However, starting this month, they don’t know how to meet salaries and are proposing cutting them for everyone by 20%. Most people are barely surviving month to month during normal conditions so this will be very difficult. The average wage is only $1.25 per day and more than half the population survive below the poverty line.
COVID-19 is adding insult to injury as there is increasing jihadist activity throughout the country and now a military coup on 18 August 2020.
We desperately need an awakening in the country. Therefore, we need the small (0.66% evangelical Christian) Church to turn to God with all its heart and to cry out to him in repentance and conviction. The Church needs to rise up and be a great witness to their Muslim family and neighbors so that our true and eternal hope can be found in Christ alone despite pandemics, jihadist threat and political instability. To God be the glory!