Although outbreaks of COVID-19 have been somewhat reduced in the United States, the virus continues to spread rapidly in many parts of the world. India is one country that continues to face a high number of people infected. Sadly, many people who contract the virus don’t have access to medical care, health insurance, or money to pay their medical bills.

Supraja Yeruva contracted COVID-19 in India during her pregnancy. While she delivered a healthy baby boy, and her husband and six-year-old daughter didn’t contract the virus, Mrs. Yeruva needed to stay on a ventilator for a long period of time. Even with health insurance, the medical bills for Mrs. Yeruva’s treatment totaled over $80,000 USD!

• Yeruva’s family didn’t have that much money sitting around for her medical bills. Have you or any of your family members ever needed medical care and worried if it would turn out okay—or how your family would be able to pay for it? If not, how do you think this might feel? (Answers will vary; one might feel desperate, scared, or hopeless.)

Unsure of how to pay such a large sum of money, Mr. Yeruva turned to a popular crowd-sourcing website to use the fundraiser feature. Through the Ketto website, family, friends, and anyone who feels compelled to give can donate towards Mrs. Yeruva’s medical bills.

• Through the crowd-sourcing platform, people can donate regardless of whether or not they know they Yeruvas in real life. What kinds of things might compel someone to donate to a family they don’t know? (Answers will vary.)
• What other stories have you heard of people who have sacrificed something, perhaps even their own lives, for the sake of others? What was the purpose of the sacrifice? (Answers will vary.)
• Have you ever sacrificed something for another person? Tell us about it.(Answers will vary.)

Sacrifices of time and money are offered by people to help other people. Although these acts are needed and demonstrate kindness, there are limits to the effect of the sacrifices people make. There was a time when sacrifices were made for sin. There were limits to the effect those sacrifices had, too. Let’s find out more.