A Shelter When the Waters Rose

When Cyclone Ditwah swept across Sri Lanka, whole villages disappeared beneath floodwaters. Homes collapsed. Families were scattered. Children were left standing in mud that reached their knees, clutching whatever belongings they could save. As the devastation spread, one truth became unmistakably clear: Every ICM church in Sri Lanka instantly became a refuge. According to a local ministry partner, “Every single ICM Church built in Sri Lanka is being used as a refugee camp for displaced people.”

People ran—not to government buildings, not to community halls—but to the churches they already knew as safe, loving, open places. And every one of those churches opened their doors wide. In one community, 95 people—mostly children—are sleeping inside an ICM church that isn’t even fully built yet. There are no finished floors. Walls are still incomplete. But the church stands, solid and welcoming. They lay mats on the ground for families. They serve warm meals each day. They comfort children who wake crying in the night. The pastor and congregation are “lovingly looking after the refugees and showing the love of Jesus to them,” the partner shared. The floodwaters in that region have finally receded, but rebuilding will take months—maybe longer. For now, the church is their home.

In a neighboring district, another ICM church has taken responsibility for feeding 120 people daily—and will continue to do so until food and clean water are restored in the region. These are families who have nothing left. But inside the church, they have meals, prayer, and people who know their names.

A third Sri Lankan church—dedicated only recently—has transformed into a center for essential supplies. Volunteers are assembling bags of food, powdered milk for babies, and other necessities, ensuring the community needs are met even as their homes remain uninhabitable. At night, 17 families sleep inside this church because they have nowhere else to go.

In the middle of this heartbreaking loss, God is moving through the local church.

What the cyclone destroyed, the Church—together with God’s people around the world—is helping restore.

These churches were built to disciple and gather. Today, they are doing even more: They are protecting, feeding, and holding together entire communities. Through the dedication of faithful pastors and congregations, people are learning and experiencing the love of Jesus in tangible ways, as these churches provide hope, care, and restoration—offering what nature took away from them. Their doors will remain open to all, welcoming Buddhists, Hindus, and people of other beliefs to receive care and compassion, reflecting Christ’s love without distinction in every ICM church.