Update on helping cyclone victims in Myanmar

I received this email from Partners International today: 

Just a few days ago, the Burmese people experienced the worst disaster in their country’s recorded history. Some estimate that as many as 100,000 may be lost and more than a million displaced. Our partners report that the price of food has soared and clean water is scarce. They fear that raw materials will increase in price as well, making home reconstruction beyond the reach of many families.

To make matters worse, the first two shipments of aid to arrive in the country via the United Nations have been confiscated by the government.

It is hard to comprehend this type of suffering and inhumanity. Yet, I know that God is sovereign and His purposes are not derailed by the acts of man.  I am also reminded of the privilege it is to work alongside our indigenous ministry partners who are already there, meeting the needs of their neighbors in Christ’s name.

Partners International is sending funds to help our affiliate ministry partner, Christian Nationals Evangelism Commission (CNEC), distribute relief.  In addition, we will also send our crisis relief specialist, Eng Hoe, to Yangon to help coordinate our relief efforts. Eng Hoe has been on site for nearly every major international disaster in the last decade and has trained hundreds of our partner ministry staff in crisis response, including the many who responded to the 2004 Tsunami. Partners International is doing all it can to help, and these early efforts are just the beginning. Our indigenous ministry partners have been working in Myanmar for years; it is their homeland, so we are committed to help with long term solutions, not just short-term relief.

Rev. Paul Chang, Partners International/CNEC associate, arrived in Myanmar on May 7 and is assessing the needs. Rev. Chang visited a slum area of Insein and reported that 443 homes in the area have been destroyed. “The military has refused to allow entry into the worst areas, and they seem indifferent to the suffering of the people,” said Rev. James Lai, CNEC Director, as related by Rev. Chang, “It is either that there is not much they can do or they just refuse to do more. The locals believe that it is their way of trying to control the people; that is, to have the people pleading to them for help. Even if one wants to go into these areas, the only possible way is to charter a boat or helicopter.”

Rev. Chang also reported that young couples with babies and the elderly have taken shelter in a school; however, the authorities have given them six days to vacate. The local relief team is working to help resettle these people by setting up tents and alternative housing. Rev. Chang met with the village leader there who pled with him to help them rebuild their huts.

If you have not already made a gift, would you give a gift today to help bring relief to the Burmese people?

We also request your prayers for the Burmese people who are mourning the loss of loved ones and for those who are physically hurting. Pray too for the government to open its doors to outside help so that the people do not suffer needlessly.

Thank you for your prayers and concern.

Under His Wings,
Jon Lewis
President and CEO

Partners International
1117 E. Westview Court
Spokane, WA 99218 USA
(800) 966-5515
http://www.partnersintl.org/welcome/index.php
http://harvestofhope.org/welcome/index.php

BANGLADESH: PASTOR’S 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER GANG-RAPED

The following story is from Compass Direct News:

“DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 8 (Compass Direct News) – Muslim villagers in Mymensingh district eager to rid the area of the Christian work of a local pastor have gang-raped his 13-year-old daughter, the girl’s father said.

Pastor Motilal Das of United Bethany Church said that at around 3 a.m. on Friday (May 2) the villagers sexually assaulted his daughter, Elina Das, and left her unconscious in front of his house in an attempt to drive him and his Christian ministry out of Laksmipur village in Fulbaria sub-district, 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital.

Local residents have long been angry with him for his ministry and evangelism, he said, and he has received death threats.

 ’I did not pay attention to any of the threats or hindrances – I continued evangelical and pastoral activities with prayer,’ Das told Compass. ‘They targeted me to evict from this area to stop the Christian activities. When nothing stopped me, then they wanted to leave me scarred for life, so that I would be upset and not be able to show my face to the society for shame, and therefore I would leave the village.’ “

 

For the rest of the story, click here.  Please pray for Elina Das, that God would give her the grace to forgive her attackers, that they would all be brought to justice and even that they would come to know Christ.  Please pray that God’s Spirit would comfort and protect the Das family, and that, seeing God’s presence in their lives, many would come to know and glorify God. 

 
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Isaias Afewerki, Eritrea

Isaias Afewerki has been President of Eritrea since 1993.  He was born February 2, 1946, in Asmara, Eritrea’s capital. 

BBC News reports that presidential elections were supposed to take place in 1997 but never did.  Eritrea’s news sources are all government-owned; only the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, Sunni Islam, Catholicism, and the Evangelical Lutheran church are officially recognized.  Other religious groups are required to register with the government but those “that have met all of the registration requirements have still not received official recognition” (Wikipedia).  Refugees from Eritrea report torture they endured because of their Christian faith, and Patriarch Abune Antonios is under house arrest, though he heads the government-recognized Eritrean Orthodox Church. 

Please pray for Isaias Afewerki, that God would change him and his officials, that justice would be done in Eritrea for people of all faiths, that Christians would be able to share their faith and worship openly, and that the whole country would come to know and glorify God through Christ. 

For more information on Afewerki and Eritrea, visit the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaias_Afewerki  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1070813.stm  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrea  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7015033.stm (details torture and imprisonment of Christians)

Sources: Wikipedia, BBC News

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1Tim. 2:1-2, ESV). 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 43-45, ESV)

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Pray for Evangelist Ambaye

Evangelist Ambaye was arrested for sharing his faith, and has been imprisoned in Eritrea since May 2005.  Please pray that God would comfort and strengthen him while in prison, that He would continue giving him opportunities to tell guards and other prisoners about Christ, and that all people in Eritrea would come to know and glorify Him. 

To learn more about Ambaye, visit Prisoner Alert at http://www.prisoneralert.com/pprofiles/vp_prisoner_184_profile.html.  You can write a letter to Ambaye by following that link or you can see ‘Writing to Prisoners’ in the Blogroll at the bottom of this blog. 

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Prayer request for May 12

This is the prayer request for Monday, May 12 from Partners International’s prayer calendar:  “Praise God for open doors for Inter-Senegal Mission to reach out to talibes, or Muslim street children.  Pray that this much-needed ministry will head in the direction God desires.” 

To view the calendar online, visit http://www.partnersintl.org/getinvolved/prayer.php, or, to receive one in the mail, sign up with Partners International at https://secure.partnersintl.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=194&srcid=201&tab=1

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Churches Facing Administrative Charges in Kazakhstan - Forum 18 News

I received the following in an email update from Voice of the Martyrs:

“On April 21, the government in Kazakhstan brought charges against the Salem Church in the capital city of Atyrau, in Atyrau province, for holding “illegal” meetings under Article 374, part 1, of the Administrative Code, which punishes unregistered church activity. According to Forum 18 News, “The charges are a response to a group of Russian-speaking church members meeting regularly in a private home instead of the church’s registered address. The church’s leader, however, stated that the Administrative Code allows such groups to meet in a member’s private home, so long as important religious ceremonies-such as baptisms and weddings-are not conducted.” Meanwhile, local authorities have asked the New Life Church, also in Atyrau city, to re-register since their old registration did not indicate a legal address. Forum 18 reports, “Since the church does not currently have a building, re-registering will be difficult as Kazakhstan’s amended Religion Law demands that a church indicate a legal address. Church members fear they will be subject to penalty because authorities will now consider their church activity ‘illegal.’” Pray for wisdom for these churches and their leaders as they face pressure and opposition from authorities. Pray that the Word of God will continue to spread throughout Kazakhstan. Psalm 5:11-12“

To sign up for the email updates from Voice of the Martyrs, visit their website at http://persecution.com/. 

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“Anti-Conversion” Law Implemented in Gujarat State, India

I recently received this email update from Voice of the Martyrs: 

“On April 1, an anti-conversion law passed in 2003, in Gujarat State, India, came into effect, increasing Christians’ concerns that it will encourage false accusations by Hindu extremists. According to VOM sources, “The law is supposed to curb religious conversions made by ‘force,’ ‘fraud’ or ‘allurement.’ However, Christians and human rights groups believe that the law actually obstructs all conversions, as Hindu extremists invoke it to harass Christian workers with arrests and imprisonments, which are often accompanied with violence against the accused.” The law dictates that any person who intends to convert must notify the government or they will be declared an offender and prosecuted under criminal laws. It also stipulates that those convicted of “forcible conversion” could be jailed for up to three years. Anti-conversion laws are now enforced in five Indian states-Gujarat, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh-and have been passed, but are yet to be implemented in Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Ask God to strengthen Christian workers in Gujarat as they face more opposition in serving the Lord. Pray the faithfulness of Indian Christians will be a light that draws many to the love of Christ. Matthew 5:14-16“

To receive the updates, visit Voice of the Martyrs’website, http://persecution.com/  and click on “Sign Up Today” under “Why Should I Sign Up?”. 

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Helping cyclone victims in Myanmar

I received the following in an email from Partners International:

A devastating cyclone struck the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (Burma) on Saturday. Cyclone Nargis hit the Irrawaddy River Delta, a major rice-growing region, and the nation’s largest city, Yangon, on May 3. Nearly 24 million people, close to half of Myanmar’s population, live in the areas declared official disaster zones. Early news reports estimate that 22,500 people are dead and more than 41,000 are missing. At least one million people are now homeless. No evacuation warning was given, and the people had no chance to escape the 120-mph winds, torrential rain, and rapid flooding.

Cyclone Nargis is the deadliest disaster in Myanmar’s recorded history and the worst in the world since the 2004 Tsunami.

The governing military junta is reluctant to allow foreign aid workers in, but survivors need help today, not next week. Praise God, our ministry partners are already on the scene. They are distributing bags of rice in two areas of Yangon. But more help is desperately needed.

We have already sent an initial disbursement of funds to help with immediate relief and we hope to send more right away.  

Will you consider giving a gift today to bring immediate relief to the Burmese people?

We also ask for your prayers. Pray that God would meet the physical needs of the survivors and comfort those who lost loved ones. Pray too for opportunities for our frontline workers to share Christ’s love with those affected.

Under His Wings,
Jon Lewis
President and CEO

Partners International
1117 E. Westview Court
Spokane, WA 99218 USA
(800) 966-5515
http://www.partnersintl.org/welcome/index.php
http://harvestofhope.org/welcome/index.php

Leaders of Myanmar

Senior General Than Shwe is Myanmar’s Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (since 1992).  He was born February 2, 1933 in Kyaukse, Mandalay, British India. 

Vice-Senior General Maung Aye is the Vice Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (since 1994).  He was born December 25, 1937 in Konbalu, in Sagaing Division, Myanmar. 

General Thein Sein is the Myanmar’s Prime Minister (since 2007).  He was born April 20, 1945. 

Lieutenant-General Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo is Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council; he is also Chairman of Myanmar Trade Council.  He was born May 27, 1950. 

89% of the country’s 46 million are Buddhist; 4% are Christian, and 4% are Muslim.  Christian Solidarity Worldwide calls the Myanmar government “guilty of every possible human rights violation”.  The Karen, Karenni, Shan, Mon, Chin, Arakan, Rohingya, and Kachin ethnic groups have all been targetted by the government for violence; there are over 1 million internally displaced people and an estimated 70,000 child soldiers.  The Myanmar government even created a document called “Program to Destroy the Christian Religion in Burma”, which was later leaked to the press.  Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists alike suffer religious persecution in Myanmar; among other offenses, Christian churches have been burnt down, and Bibles in the Chin language are prohibited. 

Please pray for Than Shwe, Maung Aye, Thein Sein, and Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo, that justice would be done for all in Myanmar.  Pray that the goverment would stop its persecution of Christians, so that they may worship Christ openly, and for Muslims and Buddhists, so that they may be free to learn about Christ.  Pray for the victims of human rights abuses, that God would comfort them and that they would come to trust in Him through Christ.  Also, pray for those suffering as a result of the recent cyclone, that God would provide and protect them, and that they would come to know and glorify Him. 

For more information about Myanmar’s leaders, visit the following sites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Than_Shwe                                                                                         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maung_Aye                                                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thein_Sein              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiha_Thura_Tin_Aung_Myint_Oo

For more on Myanmar, visit:       http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/06/myanmar.cyclone/index.html        http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=1711                                                                      http://irrawaddy.org/                                                                                  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar  http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107808.html  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bm.html http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/april/9.20.html  http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/country.asp?s=id&urn=Burma

Sources: Wikipedia, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Christianity Today, Christian Solidarity Worldwide

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1Tim. 2:1-2, ESV). 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 43-45, ESV)

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Mailing List

We are going to start sending out email updates with excerpts of new stories and information we’ve added, along with links to the blog.  If you would like to join the mailing list, please let us know by commenting on this or any other post.  You won’t have to give your email address in the comment box, because that is required to post a comment anyway, and this way, only we will be able to see your email address.