Source: www.csw.org.uk
Date: January 29, 2022
Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. (Psalm 100:2)
May these words from Psalm 100 encourage you as we pray for the nation of India this morning. We lift our voices to a good God, who always gives us a reason to sing.
Foreign funding licence restored
We give thanks that the Indian government has restored and renewed the foreign funding licence of Missionaries of Charity – a global order of nuns founded by Mother Teresa in 1950, which runs more than 400 homes dedicated to serving the poorest of the poor, and those who are sick and homeless.
Missionaries of Charity was initially told on 21 December that their application to renew their Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licence had been refused without reason. This would have meant they were unable to receive funding from abroad, which would have severely impacted their humanitarian work.
The decision was reversed on 7 January after it sparked widespread criticism, but they are not the only charity to have experienced this injustice.
As of 1 January 2022, an estimated 5,968 organisations have had their FCRA licence cancelled. Please pray for an independent review of this legislation so that no other organisation has their vital work hampered in this way.
In summary, please pray:
- Thanking God that Missionaries of Charity have had their licence renewed, enabling them to continue serving those who are sick and homeless.
- Giving thanks for the national and international criticism that put pressure on the Indian government to reinstate their FCRA licence.
- Pray that the Indian government will review and reform this legislation so that vital humanitarian work can continue without hindrance.