Thursday, May 8, 2008

Ministry focuses on long-term recovery for Myanmar

Myanmar-The cyclonic death toll continues to climb in Myanmar with tens of thousands missing and over a million homeless. American-based aid teams are having trouble getting in to work.
However, the junta government has opened some doors to China, Indonesia, India and Malaysia so that aid can trickle in slowly.The Irrawaddy Delta is still under water, and recovery is slow. Infrastructure is non-existent, and corpses can be seen floating in the water.With one of the world's worst health systems to fall back on, the situation is bringing a growing concern over the spread of waterborne disease.International Aid's Milton Amayun says the devastation won't be resolved quickly.Because of the problems getting aid in as a first responder, they're looking further ahead at rebuilding."The infrastructure-things like housing, medical clinics and service-will have to be restarted.Our health equipment and our abilities to restore services will be in play during that second phase."International Aid is issuing an appeal for financial assistance in order to respond most quickly and appropriately to the disaster. They're in communication with aid groups with a presence already on the ground-groups like World Vision, World Concern and ADRA.Although International Aid can't directly send relief supplies, they can send money to buy goods needed most by those affected and to assist the economic recovery in the region.The local church has already earmarked funds to assist purchasing emergency supplies.Among the immediate needs of those affected by the cyclone and the flooding are clean drinking water, nonperishable food, blankets and medical kits.The Myanmar Baptist Convention is the single largest Baptist group in Asia with a membership of more than 1.1 million baptized believers. Their witness is largely among minority and marginalized ethnic groups such as the Karen, Chin, and Kachin.Amayun says their help is also a strong witness to Christ.
Pray "that God's people would respond both in prayer and in generosity.
Pray that God would melt the hearts of the people in the government to open the doors for people coming from the outside to help them."
Click here if you can help.
As in the days of Noah...

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