Myanmar Cyclone UPDATE June 5, 2008

Having received recent updates from our partners in Myanmar, I would like to express my appreciation for your commitment and support to help them in their ministry during these difficult days. The funds we have been sending have arrived and are being used to meet needs there. The following are some brief excerpts from communication coming out of Myanmar:

Thank you so much for your concern for Myanmar people. Never in the history, has it happened like this before. It is difficult to comprehend why God let this thing happen. God is sovereign and we cannot question Him. He has complete authority to plant and to remove it. We pray that this might bring great revival in Myanmar.

Based on this, we felt to start “Nargis Grace Mission for Myanmar” which will focus on helping homeless, (those with)...no food and no water and preaching the gospel which is a means to church’s planting and taking care of homeless and parentless children. We have a very strong conviction that we should take a chance to preach the gospel.

Of course, Cyclone Nargis hit many people, houses, and paddy field. Because of this, many people are in need of help. People are suffering from hunger of food, water and diseases. Some are passing day by day. Our main focus right now is to help believers who are in need of urgent help.

On May 16, 2008, we took a trip to…Sihkung where we have started churches and also to Thingngu Village where we have a church. One of our students came with us. We brought rice and Tarpaulin, bread and cookies and water. They were so thankful that they received some food and drinking water. The needs are so great. All of their houses have been completely gone. They have no place to sleep and they are just sitting the whole night in the rain and praying that the rain may stop. We were there one night with them and could not sleep because of the rain. We need to help them to provide a shelter where they can live. The water is so bad. People are having dysentery and in fact some people died.

These are what they need: Shelter, Food, Purify Water, Clothes, Mosquito net, Blanket, Cups and Medicines. By God's grace, we could go to some villages during this week with some assistance where the help never been reached. Our hearts are gladdened to be even a tiny blessing to the people. Sadly, many of them are being hospitalized due to diarrhea. Kindly continue to pray for us.

Yesterday, we went to a village called Chungpiang Village Kunchhiankung Township, where the Cyclone Hit so badly. The population of this community is 600 and out of that 320 people died. No Christians there. We are planning to help them as much as we could. We pray that they may receive the gospel by helping them. We plan to go soon. They have nothing to eat. Please pray with us for this project. As you review the pictures, please pray for our partners who are faithfully serving the Lord as they demonstrate Christian compassion.

Additionally, a consortium of ministry leaders both expatriate and nationals have met and charted a collaborative effort to assist with immediate and long-term needs in Myanmar. WorldVenture is a part of this collaborative network and will be cooperating in these efforts to both honor God and help those impacted by this disaster.