Saturday 16 August 2008

Help for Burma after Cyclone Nargis

Mike Freeman, Bible Society’s Volunteer Recruitment Officer, was part of the emergency response team with Samaritan’s Purse helping people caught up in the wake of Cyclone Nargis in Burma. He worked with churches in Burma to distribute aid among thousands of people whose lives, homes and livelihoods were wrecked by the disaster.

More than 80,000 people died – including some 8,000 Christians – and more than 50,000are still missing. But in the three months since the cyclone, the prayers and financial support of Bible Society supporters have had a tremendous impact.

With their help, practical aid, Scripture portions and Bibles have been distributed to people in more than 50 villages and 15 towns worst hit by the storm – including:

- 50,000 Bible tracts in two languages, called Cyclone Nargis to a hopeful future

- Bibles to Christians

- more than 700 bags of rice

- clothing for over 1,000 families

- cooking utensils for 300 families

‘Christians who have lost everything above all want to have hope. So they ask for Scriptures. As well as food and shelter, they long for the hope described in the Bible,’ said Revd Saw Mar Gay Gyi, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Myanmar.

‘I have met people who, despite everything that’s happened, believe God loves them and feel they have been surrounded by the compassion of God’s people.

‘Buddhist families have been moved by our actions – as we give aid to everyone, not just the Christians. One family, when they saw what we were doing, said “this is the love of God”.’

Please continue to pray:www.biblesociety.org.uk/enewsletter

- for Revd Mar Gay Gyi and his team as they work faithfully to demonstrate God’s love in practical ways to communities in desperate need

- for individuals who have received Scripture portions and Bibles, that they would find answers, comfort and hope in the Bible’s life-changing message

You can continue to financially support the distribution of Bibles and aid in Burma. Make a gift today at www.biblesociety.org.uk/burma-myanmar

Source: www.biblesociety.org.uk/enewsletter

2 comments:

seethroughfaith said...

love it that Christians who have lost their Bible are going to get a new one - we take that forgranted here in Europe/the West don't we?

Olive Morgan said...

Yes, indeed, Lorna - and so often we take so much for granted that the Bible is there that we forget how much a comfort it is until we are in trouble.