Burma Situation Keeps Getting Worse & Worse

We received the following appeals from Burma:

Please note: The government is taking many of the Christian orphans and will be raising them as buddhists or even worse.
Also, to rebuild Christian churches requires government permits, which they are not allowing.

Rangoon, Burma

May 26, 2008

Dear Fellow Karen & Well-wishers

With heart-broken and deepest sympathy for our Karen Baptists from Labutta, Pyapon, Bogalay Townships, I would like to convey some sad information to you and your church members.

I have visited Labutta Township from May 7-12. I went through Bassein and some villages of Ngaputtaw Township. Nargis cyclone had destroyed almost all our Karen villages and churches which are located in Labutta Township, Pyapon Township, Bogalay Township respectively. The most effected area is Labutta Township. More than 5,000 Karen Baptists died and over 20,000 are homeless. From Bogalay, Pyapon, Daydayeh, Kyaik Latt Townships, over 2,000 Karen Baptists died and 40,000 are homeless. Ngaputtaw Area’s Karen Baptist Churches lost only buildings, but the people’s lives are spared. The wind speed of this destructive cyclone was 140 mph and it took 15 hours, and had crossed Hinegyi, Ngaputtaw, Labutta, and the rest of Ayeyawaddy Division. This deadly cyclone destroyed not only our Karen villages, but also Brumese and Rakhine villages severely killed not less than100, 000 people and left more than 2,500,000 people homeless. Now, only at Bassein camp we have over 3000 homeless and desperate cyclone refugees. We also have over 10,000 people who are taking havens in other camps like, Maubin, Myaungmya, Yedwinyegan, Pyapon, Yangon, Labutta, Kawlaylu, etc. The Bassein Myaung Mya Sgaw Karen Baptist Association and Home Mission Association had arranged motor boats to convey pure water, salt, clothes, and rice to the effected villages and brought back homeless people to safety places. Now, this opportunity was closed down and the remnants in these villages have to depend on God alone.

My village- Kannyinaung was totally uprooted by strong wind, high and speedy tide or waves. My two sisters, my brother-in-law, my niece, and my grandson were carried away by this violent cyclone and died with my beloved 60 villagers/church members. When I went back there, I could not even see my father and mother’s house and the church building. Over 20 pastors and ministers died with their church members and most of their bodies could not be found until now. I have seen many dead bodies, including buffaloes, cows, etc, were floating along the rivers and some corpses, and dead bodies of cattle were stuck on the banks of the rivers and in the rice fields. Since sea waters has flooded all the rice fields and villages, farmers and villagers will surely face big problem to cultivate their rice fields and to get pure and sweet water for drinking and daily usage. Many people are now suffering from mal-nutrition, down hearted, trauma, grief, diarrhea, depression, hopeless, dehydration, etc. Their urgent needs are rice, pure water, salt, medicines, mosquito-nets, clothes and shelters to cover them from heavy rain.

Please look for some ways and means to help meet their needs. Please also ask your church members to pray earnestly for them. God alone can provide and fulfill the enormous needs of these people, human cannot. Please convey this information to other Baptist churches and our Karen Baptists. Please make many copies of this letter and distribute it to your friends and co-workers. Helping the victims of Nargis cyclone will not finish within a few months. I think it will take several months or, a year or 2 years. As I am one of the advisors of the Relief Committee of the Bassein Myaungmya S.K.B. Association, I would like to request K. Baptist churches and other Baptist Churches to extend their love and sympathy by helping the needs of our desperate brothers and sisters who are facing immeasurable problems and dangers. You can send your contribution to the Bassein Myaungmya S.K Baptist Association office and the Yagon Home Mission K.B.Association, or KBC. My telephone number is 01-552459 & 095027630.

May God use you mighty in helping these victims effectively and generously.

In his service,

An eye-witness

Advisor

Relief Committee

BMSKBA

Aids from other countries

You might heard and see many stuffs, things arriving in Yangon. But all are controlled by the Military Government. These things rarely reaching our Karen villages. Some portions might reach Burma villages but not to our Karen villages. Unless our Karen help the Karen victims, nobody will not. That is why many Karen victims don’t want to return to their villages, but they were forced to return. (just a few minutes from Bassein, I heard that all cyclone refugees at Bassein were forced to leave and return to their villages. At No.3 S.H.S Camp, some Bamas who refused to return were forced by soldiers to leave Bassein.)

Children

We heard some rumors about the children, the orphans that the government would like to keep them in their camps or orphanages called “parathitta” If our Karen Christians orphans were forced to be like that, I am sure, they will become Buddhists, soldiers, prostitutes & sold-out, etc.

Reconstruction

The Vinton Memorial Hall/Church and over (100) Karen Baptist church buildings were totally destroyed by the cyclone. To reconstruct these churches, first, we need the permission from the government. Nowadays, to obtain the permission to erect religious buildings, especially, the church building is very hard or, not permitted. Second, the expenses to do the construction are very high. Since many houses were severely destroyed, the victims will need shelters crucially. In Myanmar during June, July, August, September, usually we have heavy rain. After the cyclone, I have seen 80% of thatches (roofing & covering material) were destroyed. 90% of schools were also destroyed. The victims who went back to their villages have to make their temporary tents by themselves.

Rehabilitation

The works of rehabilitation is the hardest one. Since all their rice fields, buffaloes, cows, fishing nets, fishing boats and properties were gone, to continue their normal lives and earn their living is a very big problem. The government has no interest for the victim’s rehabilitation. Unless international countries are involved, our problem will never be solved. Through they have plough machine to do the cultivation, another problem is getting diesel or fuel. Enormous aids will be needed for rehabilitation.

May 10, 2008.

An Emergency letter from Honor Nyo

(Formal General Secretary of the Karen Baptist Convention)

To: Friends and co-workers in Christ.

Re: Nargis Cyclone

Dear Friends & Co-workers in Christ,

I am very sad to give you some information about the severe destruction and impact of Nargis Cyclone which destroyed the Delta Area of Burma seriously. It was happened on May 2-3. The speed of Nargis Cyclone was more than 140 mph. It lasted 15 hours and killed not less than 100,000 people and destroyed houses, churches, trees, schools, monasteries, boats, buildings, coconut trees, rice mills, etc. severely.

I was there from 7-11, May and have seen a lot of damage of things and people. My own 2 sisters, one brother-in-law and many relatives died. Pastor Rev-Maung Bay, Thra Center, Thra Moo Say, Thra Lah Say Wah, Thra Tha Plah, Rev. Andy, Rev. Moo Wah, Thra Raymond, Thramu Thwe Htoo, etc. died. Some of their bodies were found and buried properly but most of them could not be found and missing or may still be floating in the rivers and sea. In some families only one or two members are left and now there are many orphans in Bogalay and Labutta Township. I was reared in Kannyinaung village Labutta Township and has visited 15 villages during May 7-11 and found that all their homes, churches, animals and plantation were gone. The survived families members are now suffering from heart- broken, despair, hopelessness, grief and trauma. What they need urgently now are rice, pure water, salt, shelters, clothes, blankets, mosquito-nets and medicines. I have seen a lot of corpses are floating and stuck on the river banks. No one care to remove or burry these corpses of people and animals. We have sensed horrible smell all over these areas. Since the rainy season is approaching fast, these victims will be in need of shelters and foods urgently. To grow rice in salty water flooded areas is a big problem, also another problem is since almost all their cattle to use for cultivating their rice fields died and only a few rich farmers own plough machines the majority or farmers will be in danger & great problem. Another big problem is pure water to drink and daily usage. The government has no concern to rescuing these victims. Now, only civilian are helping and rescuing their own people to be able to rescue and help these victims quickly and effectively, we are in need of diesel/ petrol to convey foods, water, etc. and bring back children/orphans, & survivors who lost everything to refugee camps. Now the cost of diesel & petrol are very expensive. Car can reach only to Labutta Town. To be able to reach to the cyclone affected area/village, it will be lasted 8-10 hours form Bassein by motor boats.

Now at Bassein Christian Camps alone, more than 4000 refugees arrived

At Paw Bawlu village, more than 100 villagers took refuge in their village church building which considered the strongest building. At that night, they have faced a strong wind which brought waters; it flooded their village with a very speedy flow. The water has reached to 20 feet and destroyed all homes including their church. The roofing of the church collapsed and killed not less than 70 people who took refuge under it.

The pastor of Has Gyet (Thra Center) and 50 young people were invited to Mr & Mrs Tornado’s thanksgiving on 3.5.2008. Both Pastor and his wife, their children and 50 young people were also struck by that violent storm and except 5 young people. The rest were wipeout by the strong wind and speedy water to death.

My village (Kannyinaung) and its nearby village called, Ye dwe gone, Theh Gone, Hsin Chaung, Ponako which are located on a small island were uprooted almost totally by Nargis Cyclone.

I am afraid these villages/churches in that area to reestablish themselves again a village or churches in the future. Please help meet their emergency needs and pray for them earnestly.

Another urgent need of the farmers is seed paddy to grow it when the regular rain comes. The farmers used to keep seed paddy, but now, all were gone. Thatch plants and bamboo were also gone. Therefore, to rebuild their houses/shelters is another big urgent need.

Baptist Christians Suffer Heavy Losses in Burma (Myanmar)

Myanmar Baptists suffer heavy toll
Baptists in Myanmar were among those hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis, which struck the country on May 2 and 3, packing winds of 200 kilometers per hour and causing widespread flooding.
The Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) lost more than 10,000 members who died as a result of the cyclone. More than 94,000 other members have suffered loss of home and other property. Many church buildings were destroyed, and the headquarters of the MBC was badly damaged. The estimated cost of repairing the headquarters building is US$100,000.
A leader of the MBC, whose family narrowly escaped death and injury when a tree fell on their home during the storm, reported to the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) that Myanmar Baptists have put plans in place to assist those affected by the natural disaster.

The “Myanmar Baptist Convention organized the Nargis Relief and Rehabilitation Central Committee, including the leaders of MBC, and the Nargis-struck areas of Kayin, Pwo Kayin, MBCU and Asho Chin conventions,” he said.

The MBC is divided into more than 20 other smaller conventions and those the MBC leader named are in the hardest hit areas. The leader informed the BWA that “at present the basic needs of the people are foodstuffs, clothes and tents or construction materials,” but stated that “it is advised to assist in cash instead of in kind.” BWAid Rescue24, a search, rescue and relief effort of Baptist World Aid, the relief and development arm of the BWA, sent a team to Myanmar to do assessment of the damage and needs and to offer aid. BWAid Rescue24 registered with the United Nations Development Program and opened an office in the damaged MBC building in Yangon, the largest city in the Southeast Asian country. The team is working through MBC and the Karen Baptist Convention, one of MBC’s smaller conventions, to offer aid to six camps where internally displaced persons (IDPs) are housed.
The team reported that “the assistance is literally saving lives at this point, with situations of widespread diarrhea, and serious electricity and water shortages.” They further informed the BWA that “the IDPs are desperately seeking shelter; the more fortunate get plastic sheeting while others are trying to fabricate huts from palm trees and bamboo.”
Reporting that the total death toll is now at 134,000, they said, “Cyclone Nargis destroyed the greatest rice productive fields and the animals used in agricultural work, leaving thousands with no hope for food for the next year.”
Furthermore, fishing, a major source of food, is not being done, “due to the fact that the masses of dead bodies could not be buried, local officials had to throw them into the rivers… Locals refuse to continue fishery from the contaminated water.” A round table meeting of Baptist convention and relief and aid leaders is planned for Saturday, May 24, in Bangkok, Thailand, to assess the situation in Myanmar. The BWAid Rescue24 team will attend the meeting and give a report. Donations to the BWAid Emergency Response Fund can be made at www.bwanet.org/bwaid or sent to: Emergency Response Fund Baptist World Aid 405 North Washington Street Falls Church, VA 22046 USA (May 21, 2008)

FOB & Myanmar Burma Relief in Action

May 14, 2008 – MBRO’s Logistics Committee has delivered the much needed boxes of alcohol prep pad and cotton balls to the Labutta area. Photos are to followed soon. May 12, 2008 – MBRO’s Logistics Committee is working on the delivery of rice bags to the affected areas. MBRO is negotiating with a rice merchant in Yangon for this delivery. The price of a 120 lb bag of rice is $20 USD. May 12, 2008 – MBRO’s Logistics Committee is working on the delivery of medical supplies by container to the affected areas. May 12, 2008 - MBRO has been informed that alcohol pads and cottons balls are among the most urgently needed items in Labutta (one of the most affected areas). MBRO has found a supplier in Yangon and is waiting for a price quote. May 12, 3008 – MBRO’s onsite team arrived safely in Bogalay Township and successfully delivered two truck loads of water bottles. MBRO’s onsite team arrived back in Yangon this morning and is now planning its next delivery trip. May 11, 2008 - MBRO is currently working on the logistics of delivering rice bags. May 11, 2008 - MBRO is currently working on the logistics of delivering medicine. May 11, 2008 - MBRO is currently working on the logistics of delivering medical equipment and supplies. May 11, 2008 - With the assistance of MBRO's onsite teams in Yangon, MBRO has successfully delivered a second load of drinking water to Bogalay Township, one of the areas hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis. May 10, 2008 - With the assistance of MBRO's counterparts in Yangon, MBRO has successfully delivered two truck loads of drinking water to Bogalay Township, one of the areas hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis. This delivery of 1 liter drinking water bottles was among the eight truck loads of donations that left Yangon for Bogalay earlier today at 6:00am. MBRO has contracted with a water bottle manufacturing company in Mandalay, Myanmar, to supply 250 5-gallon water bottles. MBRO also has a contract with a water purification company in Pegu, Myanmar, to fill these 5 gallon water bottles with drinking water. MBRO estimates that these bottles will be delivered to the victims within two weeks. MBRO is also making arrangements to have additional bottles delivered in the near future.

Burma Needs Our Help

I am feeling desperate and helpless as I see the pictures and hear of the death and devastation that abound in the isolated country of Burma. I pray that God will use this disaster to open the floodgates of love and concern for this country that the world has forgotten. Just two years ago I visited some of the areas devastated by Nargis. The Christians we met tugged at our hearts because of their Joy in the face of hardship and even governmental opposition. I pray that joy continues, although I can't imagine the heartache and despair that must be prevalent. We grew in love with the seminary students at Pathein, and now we have learned that Nargis caused the death of some, and the destruction of much of their property. The Pwo Karen have lost much in this storm. At the time of our trip I told my wife that very few Americans could live in Burma. We don't know how to face hardship like the Burmese do. The joy on their faces and the love in their heart will be forever branded upon my soul. We must not abandon them. We must pray that God will change the hearts of those He has put in power. We must plead with them as in Psalm 2:

"Now therefore O Kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him"

The Friends of Burma organization is already at work funneling aid to organizations that already exist withing Burma (Myanmar). FOB has partnered with the Burmese over the past 20+ years since God impressed upon Neil and Diana Sowards to come to their aid. Neil's mom and dad were missionaries to Burma for many years and were forced to leave the country in the early 60's after the military took over. 100% of every dollar given to FOB goes toward humanitarian and Christian causes in Burma. All administrative work done in the United States is by volunteers.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are already in contact with several Christian organizations in Burma about the needs that are so overwhelming. We have already sent them emergency funds of $20,000 US as well as 200 mosquito nets. Here are some of the reports from our contacts in Burma:

1. The front part of our church (the pulpit part of Pwo Karen Baptist Ch.) was totally destroyed and the five big stands were cracked. Some church members who live in our church compound are now living in Pwo Karen Theological Seminary classrooms because all their houses' roofs and walls were lost.
2. The worst thing is that the church near by our church, Sanchaung Sgaw Karen Baptist Church was totally destroyed. Now the church members are also living in their seminary classroom.
3. Our working place, Myanmar Institute of Theology was also affected by cyclone. The fourth floor of our seminary was totally devastated. Our computer lab was also damaged. Some of the staff houses were also tear-down.
4. My wife Tin Tin got ph. Contact with her family. Her father got accident on his nose and arm by broken glasses. He is now under-treatment. He had to take 16 stitches on his nose and 10 on his arm. He is now getting better. I still do not get ph. contact with my family. I do not know where my mother is, but I hope she will be doing fine. My former organization World Vision is serving among the victims. My friends informed me that one of my brothers' house was collapsed.
5. All goods prices are increased and people are facing difficulties with their daily food. They guess electricity will be unavailable for nearly three months. If there is no electricity, there will be shortage of water supply. There will be many consequences of this disaster: health problem, sanitation, insufficient food, etc.

"This morning, my mom got contacted with my younger sister in Burma and found out that Maung Maung Htwe got back to Yangon after being trapped in the storm in delta area. He is heading home today. I have learned some sad news from my friend from CT, that at least seven Pwo Karen Churches were being destroyed which means that seven whole villages had been wiped out by the powerful wave and wind. The Sgaw Karen Churches are three times more that Pwo Karen Churches, so you can imagine that. Saya Soe Thiha had visited those areas and reported that it had totally devastated and destroyed. There are more Buddhist villages than Christian churches, so it means there are many, many villages had been wiped out. Let's pray that God will give some comforting arm around the survivals and his mercy and grace to them, and God loosens this hard headed military junta and let the international relief workers to go there and help these people." (from Saya Zaw Wynn)

1) Two Pwo Kayin Seminarians were killed. 2) Most of Pwo Kayin Theological Seminary students' parents and family members were killed. 3) 9 Pwo Karen Churches and more than 35 Pwo Kayin villages were disappeared. They guess there will be more than 3000 PK church members were killed. We, the members our Pwo Kayin Baptist Conference (PKBC) are living in delta area. In PKBC, we have 6 associations. All these associations are in delta area and all were affected by cyclone. Dr. Soe Thiha (Andover NTS), Rev. Dr. Maung Maung Htwe (ANTS), and Ko Ko Lay (PTS) alumni are leading in relief camps. Now PKBC provide a relief camp in Pathein, the capital of Irrawaddy division. Tomorrow, my youth pastor and youth will go to Pathein for relief. Pathein is nearly 200 miles far from Yangon.

The special website set up to handle your donations for the relief effort in Burma is: www.myanmarburmarelief.org

You can donate online, or you can send your donation to Friends of Burma @ 548 Home Ave Ft Wayne, IN 46807. We are a 501(c) organization, so all donations are tax deductible.

If you can't give, please pray to that God will turn the hearts of the military regime to allow humanitarian aide into the country. The world can not sit by and allow these people to keep on suffering and perishing because no one will help.

Submitted by Jim Tompkins