By the International Executive Team
During the coronavirus pandemic, video conference meetings have been widely used by Navigators to maintain life-to-life discipleship. However, many international Navigators are serving non-believers in physical ways, often putting themselves at great risk. These tangible, sacrificial expressions of God’s love are having a powerful impact on the hearts and minds of non-believers. We lament that we can’t publish every beautiful example.
Africa
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, families in an unreached nation are running out of food. People are isolated in villages and have no resources left. In response, African Navigators have raised funds and have been delivering truckloads of rice and cooking oil to families, in partnership with some churches.
In another African country, young Navigators seeing the need to protect their community during the onset of Covid-19, began setting up hand-washing facilities. Then they expanded their efforts by starting a manufacturing business to make high quality face masks at a reasonable price. This business has provided work for about 30 people at time when the lockdown has caused increased unemployment.
Asia-Pacific
In an unreached nation, a pulmonologist in the Navigator work is leading a Covid-19 task force in the district where he lives. Married with two children, his eldest son volunteered to provide health-care assistance in another city. Unfortunately, the son contracted the pathogen, which required the family to live in separate quarters.
Two nurses in the region’s Navigator network have been caring for hospitalized patients, even though they often lack personal protective equipment (PPE). They risk their lives daily by staying on the job in Christ’s name. In just one unreached country, there are at least 73 medical doctors and nurses in the Navigator network who are caring for patients affected by Covid-19. Navigators organizationally and locally are raising funds for PPE and praying daily.
Eurasia
In a village hard-hit by Covid-19, a Navigator team is operating a primary care clinic where they provide medical and spiritual support to unreached locals. Strict quarantine measures have left most people in the community—especially daily wage earners—without income for food, medications, or Covid-19 tests. This tangible service is opening doors for the Gospel and strengthening bonds with local partners, including with some who are providing aid in a poor squatters' village. One young believer, age 24, is now seen as a village leader due to her generous food distribution efforts. Younger women began coming to her for spiritual help, so she started a women's group to share her life and faith in Christ.
Latin America
In Latin America, a doctor in our Navigator community who works directly with Covid-19 patients noticed that the hospital’s nurses had been struggling with severe fear and stress. So, he invited them to join a daily “calming” moment during which he reads encouraging words from the Scriptures and reminds them that their work is a noble act of love for people and service to God. As a result of these short gatherings, the nurses, doctors and other hospital workers have experienced renewed strength and peace.
Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
After a Navigator leader in the region badly injured his foot, leaving him unable to walk and unable to find medical care in his small town, a fellow believer teamed up with two Muslim friends to help. The three of them dropped everything they were doing and drove our injured leader a long distance so that he could receive quality care. Despite the health risks at the hospital, they stayed by his side during treatment and recovery, and then brought him back home—all at their own expense. God used this hardship to deepen friendships with Muslim friends.
North America
In a rural penitentiary, where 1800 men reside, a dentist involved with The Navigators has been treating patients with critical, emergency needs, such as severe oral infections. In addition to oral surgery, she and several nurses have been going into prison cells to test hundreds of quarantined prisoners for Covid-19. Her willingness to put herself at risk for prisoners is also a testimony among her non-believing friends.
