People living in India are taking care of their neighbours during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Christians are taking risks to care for those around them in the midst of COVID-19 and harsh religious persecution, Mission Network News reports.

About 40 per cent of India's population are day workers, living day-to-day according to their wages, says Todd VanEk, president and CEO of Mission India.

"They earn to eat," VanEk says. But he says the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown in India has created "a huge humanitarian crisis in terms of a lack  of resources for food."

India's dense population of 1.3 billion has recorded a total of more than 21,000 cases of COVID-19. Health experts do not anticipate the peak of the virus to hit until June or July, however.

During this time, the poor are struggling to find food, and Christians are working hard to help by providing relief kits from Mission India. But the religious persecution of Christians in India makes this task more difficult.

Christians have continued to provide aid to those around them in the midst of this harsh environment.

India is listed as the 10th country on Open Doors' World Watch List for the extreme persecution of Christians.

But it seems Christians are even reaching those who have persecuted them. VanEk says the persecution of Christians comes from all areas of the country, even the government. Now, the government is reaching out to Mission India for assistance with carrying out relief efforts.

Mission India is providing relief kids that can feed a family of four for up to 40 days. The kit contains food and hygiene items to help families during COVID-19, as well as the message of the Gospel.

VanEk says most of the ministry's work is conducted in rural areas through local believers. With the added coronavirus impact, believers are focusing their efforts on these rural areas and some urban areas.

"India is the most unreached nation in the world," says VanEk. "More people in India have never heard the name of Jesus and anywhere else. They just have no hope to look to.

"We think this is an incredible opportunity where God is opening a door for us to demonstrate the love of Christ to people who need it so desperately."