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