The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) invites its global family to join in prayer and solidarity with the people of Kandy District, Sri Lanka, who are enduring profound suffering after Cyclone Ditwah brought the region’s most devastating catastrophe since 1942. The scale of loss and destruction continues to unfold as communities struggle to comprehend what has been taken and what must now be rebuilt.
According to reports, the disaster’s impact across Sri Lanka has been extensive, with thousands displaced, countless homes destroyed or partially damaged, widespread infrastructure failures, and major disruption to communities’ daily lives and livelihoods.
For several days, the Kandy district endured a complete breakdown in electricity, water supply, and communication networks, leaving entire communities isolated and without access to assistance. Although some services have been restored, major access roads into Kandy remain impassable, further complicating the delivery of food, medicine, petrol, and essential goods. Water remains scarce as authorities work to repair heavily damaged infrastructure.
The agricultural devastation is immense. Farmland has been washed away, irrigation systems destroyed, and transportation disrupted — resulting in severe shortages of vegetables and threatening long-term food security. Farmers fear they may not be able to return to cultivation for at least three months, compounding economic hardship across the district.
Church communities have also been deeply affected. Fourteen church families have suffered direct damage to their homes due to landslides, and nearly all families in the region face the loss of daily livelihoods. Yet, in the midst of destruction, congregations have mobilized to offer comfort and care — distributing used clothing, preparing warm meals, and sharing their limited resources with those in greatest need.
As the people of Sri Lanka face a long and uncertain road to recovery, the WCRC calls upon its global communion to hold the affected communities—and our member churches, the Presbytery of Lanka and the Christian Reformed Church in Sri Lanka—in prayer.We pray for comfort for those who grieve, strength for those who have lost their homes, and resilience for families whose livelihoods have been swept away. We pray for safety, for the swift restoration of essential services, and for hope to rise even in the midst of devastation.
In this time of suffering, may the global reformed family stand together in compassion, solidarity, and unwavering prayer and support.
