Lanka Evangelical Fellowship of Churches

Reports of work in Sri Lanka

Report from Paul Fountain of his trip to Sri Lanka in October 2008

On May 19th 2009, the President of Sri Lanka officially declared the end of a 25-year-old civil war between the Sinhalese government forces and the LTTE (Tamil Tigers), which has claimed more than 80, 000 lives and displaced more than 1.2 million people. While the fighting, for now, appears to be over, its legacy is becoming increasingly apparent as a major humanitarian crisis unfolds in the north-east of Sri Lanka. Many of those who had previously fled to government camps are now in need of urgent aid, having little access to food, water and medicine. The physical needs here are unquestionable. Yet the aftermath of war is also proving to have spiritual implications that require the attention, prayer and support of believers worldwide.

Jeyakanth is the senior Pastor of a growing number of Reformed churches in Sri Lanka, there over 20 Tamil churches and 2 Sinhalese churches he has planted or linked together into ‘Lanka Evangelical Fellowship of Churches’.

Two of the churches in the Vanni district, near the war zone, have been destroyed. There has been great concern for Christians from these churches as for some time now there has been no news of their whereabouts or wellbeing. Two believers are known to have died, many more are missing, and more still are suffering with sickness, stress and mental exhaustion.

In order to try and help the Christians trapped in the refugee camps, Jeyakanth arranged for two pastors of nearby churches to visit them. They have been able to spend four days in the camps, distributing clothing, dry rations and flip-flops in those camps that would permit it. Some of the deacons from Jeyakanth’s churches are in these camps, and they have been given money to distribute to Christians so that they can buy essential items from the camp welfare shop.

There is still a great need for clean water, medicine, food, clothes and milk powder for the children. We have just sent seven large boxes of clothes which should arrive in Sri Lanka in June. Many of the other churches in Sri Lanka are collecting items and money to send to the north; despite their own poverty they are still willing to make sacrifices for other believers. However, it is not only the aftermath of civil war that Sri Lankan Christians are having to contend with; they are also facing increasing opposition from Hindus and Buddhists. In one church in Mutur the Hindus bribed the authorities to stop the Christians meeting, and other Christians are experiencing bullying and harassment from Sinhalese Buddhists who have been emboldened by their success in the war.

I had the privilege of visiting Sri Lanka with Jeyakanth last October, witnessing firsthand the hardships that Christians there are faced with. The faith and reality of their love for the Lord had a profound effect on me.

Accompanying Jeyakanth as he visited churches, I experienced something of the daily dangers that are part of Christian life in Sri Lanka. On one particular occasion after a morning service, terrorists came and kidnapped a 24-year-old man called Rajenni while we were having a meal. We are not sure why they took him, but he has not been seen since. Incidents like this have created a climate of fear

In addition to encouraging and supporting the churches, Jeyakanth has established a children’s home which houses needy children, many that have been orphaned by the war or tsunami. This work, which initially began in his own home, soon outgrew it, and in 2006 six acres of land were purchased and two homes were been built, one for boys and one for girls; altogether housing eighty-two children.

There are many pressing needs for new church building, for support of pastors, sponsorship of children in the Children’s homes, support for widows, and those in refugee camps and for the many displaced families and friends at this time.

Prayer is also needed for wisdom to make the best use of limited resources, and for Jeyakanth in particular, as he seeks to lead the ‘Lanka Evangelical Fellowship of Churches’ in this difficult and trying time.