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Myanmar emergency appeal
You will all have heard in the news about the devastation that Cyclone Nargis has brought to Myanmar. The full extent of the loss of life has yet to be assessed but it is estimated that more than 100,000 people are dead and between two million and three million have lost their homes. It is estimated that 40 percent of the victims are children. But given that 25 million people live in the delta region, it is very likely that these figures are conservative. Worse still is that the country’s “rice bowl” – its largest rice-growing region - has been destroyed at a time when a world rice shortage is looming. The ruling military junta has been slow to respond and at the time of writing had not fully opened the borders to international aid agencies and/or military emergency personnel.
Comparisons to other disasters
These are helpful in grasping the full extent of this crisis and put it in perspective against events like the Boxing Day Tsunami.
Hurricane Katrina (USA) 1836 dead
Typhoon Thelma (Philippines) 6000 dead
Orissa Cyclone (India) 10,000 dead
Hurricane Mitch (South America) 11,000 dead
Boxing Day Tsunami 300,000 dead
So what can we do?
Our partner church, the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar, has not been able to answer any of our emails as yet. It is likely that the communication infrastructure in Yangon has been destroyed. However, we have friends on the ground in Myanmar who will be able to respond. Our Moderator the Right Rev Pamela Tankersley’s two-year special appeal is for the PCM. The target for this appeal is $100,000. However, Pamela has readily endorsed our recommendation that the Global Mission Office set up an emergency appeal alongside the special appeal.
The impact of this disaster is going to last for years and our challenge is to provide long-term and sustainable support. On numerous occasions, the PCM have told us that the most dramatic evangelistic tool Christians have in this profoundly Buddhist nation is an ability to minister to the needs of the oppressed. This is an opportunity like no other to enable our partner church to minister to those who have lost everything.
Prayer
Please also pray in your Sunday services for the people of Myanmar. Pray for the Church. Pray that the military junta will open the borders to the aid and relief agencies. Pray that this disaster would speed the political process for democracy rather than hinder it.
Donations
Please send all donations to the Global Mission Office, 1/22 Station Road, Otahuhu, Auckland 1062. Cheques can be made out to the Global Mission Office - please attach note saying the donation is for the Myanmar Emergency Appeal or Moderator’s Special Appeal. Donations can also be made electronically or by credit card. Please contact Liz van den Berg on globalfinance(at)xtra.co.nz for electronic payment information.
Please contact the Rev Andrew Bell on globalmission(at)xtra.co.nz for more information on our friendship with the PCM.