Myanmar (MNN) — 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."
