Home » Ministries » Global Mission Office » Global Mission Gazette » September 2008 Global Mission Gazette » Christians respond to Myanmar cyclone

Christians respond to Myanmar cyclone

History records many examples of human fortitude and resiliency by famous people facing dramatic challenges. Unfortunately the pages of history cannot record the millions of stories of similar heroism by ordinary people, like the thousands of residents of the Irrawaddy Delta who bore the full brunt of Cyclone Nargis in May 2008. Andrew Bell adds some thoughts to an eye witness account filed by Mary Campbell of Greenlane.

Powerlessness is a very difficult state of affairs to endure, no matter what the cause of your powerlessness might be. When it is caused by a ruthless military regime, it is logical that one would begin to hate the oppressors. But when the powerlessness is caused by a natural force like a cyclone, it can lead to questions about God – especially a God of love.

Christians, who are a tiny minority in Myanmar, were faced with these deep theological challenges after Cyclone Nargis hit. However, Mary testifies to the amazing faith and fortitude that she witnessed, which turned helplessness into faith and inspiration.

Mary was one of a group of New Zealanders who were in Yangon teaching English to theological students. Whilst they sheltered in the relative safety of their hotel, “none of us could have imagined the devastation and subsequent horror that was about to unfold”. Mary was woken by shrieking winds at 3.15am on 3 May. Outside trees were blowing over, debris was everywhere and “satellite dishes were behaving like flying saucers”.

When the group did venture out, Mary tells of how it seemed that nothing had been spared, and they were confronted by absolute devastation and shell-shocked local residents. Of course, people living in the Irrawaddy Delta itself had been hit far harder, with huge loss of life, livestock and livelihood.

However, this devastation was taken as a call to action by the Christians. The day after the cyclone, Mary and others travelled to a village church: “we were over two hours late because of transport difficulties but the believers were so thrilled that we had come, they stayed for another service and all gave testimony as to how God had protected them. No one moaned”.

For Mary it gave new meaning to the scripture “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) as their joy and thanksgiving overflowed despite the destruction all around them. The group also gave clothes to a Christian lady from a small church in Yangon, who in 12 hours had transformed them by hand into garments for children who had lost everything. Not even a cyclone could shake their faith in a living, loving God.

You can be part of enabling the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar to witness to the love of God in Christ. The Moderator’s Appeal is about to draw to a close, but the GMO will continue to actively support the work of our partner church.

By Andrew Bell and Mary Campbell