Lutheran Hour Ministries—Myanmar is providing relief to people whose lives have been disrupted by catastrophic flooding this summer.
Heavy rains that began sweeping across Myanmar on July 16 have resulted in flooding and landslides that have killed at least 117 people and affected more than 1.6 million—driving many from their homes and destroying crops on nearly a million acres of farmland. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, typically experiences flooding due to seasonal monsoon rains from May through August. Rains during 2015 have been unusually severe, a condition that was exacerbated when Cyclone Komen struck the region on July 30. Myanmar's government has advised people to evacuate low-lying areas; many displaced Burmese have sought refuge in public shelters, churches and Buddhist monasteries.
LHM—Myanmar Director Mar Lay contacted one of the ministry center's radio listeners who is a resident of the hard-hit Magway Region. The listener described the urgent needs of the people in the disaster zone, and the ministry center's staff and volunteers traveled to Magway City, where they purchased rice, cooking oil, soap and other necessities.
"We distributed these supplies to 400 families in two Buddhist villages," says Mar Lay. "We also provided school supplies to 300 primary school students."
Grateful monks at the monastery in one village served the LHM responders lunch before the team distributed the supplies they brought.
"We were all so hungry—and very happy to have something to eat!" says Mar Lay. Their strength renewed, the team eagerly went to work sharing supplies—"and God's love!" Mar Lay adds—with the villagers.
On August 14, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod awarded Lutheran Hour Ministries a partnership grant in the amount of $10,000 to support LHM—Myanmar's emergency outreach in the Magway Region. The funds are expected to help the ministry expand its capacity to provide rice and other necessities to flood survivors.
According to Mar Lay, efforts to respond to flood survivors' needs are likely to extend over a period of several months. Please pray for those affected by the flooding and those who are working to bring much-needed assistance. For more information about LHM's ministry in Myanmar, visit myanmarlhm.wordpress.com.