Death Toll Swells in Myanmar
With the humanitarian tragedy in Myanmar (Burma) worsening by the hour following Saturday's devastating Cyclone Nargis, some officials, including Shari Villerosa, the top U.S. diplomat in the country, fear the death toll may exceed 100,000. At least one million people have been left homeless. Massive destruction, destroyed transportation and communications infrastructure, and initial intransigence from the ruling regime have hampered initial relief responses. However, yesterday the UN and India were able to dispatch relief supplies by air.
Church aid organizations are urgently putting relief operations in place. Tomorrow Marvin Parvez, Acting Asia/Pacific Regional Coordinator for Church World Service, will arrive in Myanmar to coordinate CWS' response. CWS and other Action by Churches Together (ACT) members, including Christian Aid of the UK, Norwegian Church Aid, Danchurchaid and others, have active local partner networks in the country. Parvez noted that "in global disaster response work, local partners know best where assistance is needed and always have more effective response networks."
CWS' initial appeal of $50,000 was surpassed in one day (including a $6000 grant from Week of Compassion/Disciples), and the appeal will soon be expanded significantly to address the enormous scope of relief aid that is needed for survivors. Parvez said "CWS' initial response is focused on food and then shelter. Water purification tablets, plastic sheeting, basic medical kits, bed nets and other basic relief items are urgently needed."
Week of Compassion has now provided two emergency grants - one for $6000 to the initial CWS appeal and one for $5000 to the Southern Asia Office of Global Ministries - to support the response of the Myanmar Council of Churches. WOC is anticipating a very large appeal from CWS/ACT within the next week and will rely greatly upon designated gifts from our congregations, members and friends to help ensure a strong response from Disciples.
Online gifts may be made by clicking on the link below or sent to WOC, attn: Elaine Cleveland, P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN. 46206. WOC will continue to provide information on the unfolding situation in Myanmar as well as the developing responses of our church partners on the ground.
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And from Global Ministries:
Myanmar Struck by Tropical Cyclone Nargis
Thousands of people have been killed or are missing in Burma as Tropical Cyclone Nargis pushed ashore over the weekend. The General Secretary of the Myanmar Council of Churches, Global Ministries partner, reports communication abilities throughout Burma have been compromised. Immediate relief operations are underway through Church World Service with a comprehensive assessment on-going. Global Ministries Southern Asia Office and the CWS Asia Regional Office are in direct contact with the Myanmar Council of Churches. An immediate grant of $5,000 from the UCC One Great Hour of Sharing/International Emergency fund is being wired. Week of Compassion has sent an initial grant of $6000 from the Response Fund to support the CWS appeal and will be providing additional funds as soon as the appeal is revised.
To read about what you can do to respond to this tragedy, click here: Respond to Myanmar Tragedy
To learn more about Global Ministries involvement in Myanmar, click here: Myanmar
