Myanmar (MNN) — The Christian Reformed World Relief
Committee has found a way to get around politics and get aid into Myanmar days
before other Non-Government Organizations were able to do so.
The ministry was able to purchase emergency supplies and
food locally through its partner for distribution beginning Friday in the delta
region of Burma/Myanmar. They're
providing 10,000 families with emergency food, shelter, medical care, and water
purification kits through July 31, 2008.
This is good news, considering it's been nine days since
Cyclone Nargis struck the country. Over
a million survivors remain homeless, and tens of thousands are still unaccounted
for.
Critical aid in the first few days following a disaster like
this could mean the difference between life and death. However, the brutal
junta regime has been creating obstacle after obstacle and refusing
help.
The first U.S. military aid flight finally landed in Myanmar
on Monday, but relief supplies continued to dribble into the country. The government finally agreed to accept the
supplies, but turned the distribution teams away.
On a different front, there is considerable pressure on
global food programs that have been severely underfunded due to the rising
price of commodities. CRWRC is
requesting financial donations to fund the food component in its coordinated
response.
Although sharing the hope of Christ is part of what the
CRWRC does, it is not their primary objective right now. Staving off a death toll from starvation and
water borne disease is the immediate focus.
Pray for the testimony and wisdom of the team that is handling the
distribution.
