Monsoon rains flood Myanmar
The rainy season has arrived in full force throughout Southeast Asia, bringing monsoon rains that have inundated entire regions of Myanmar, India, and northern Vietnam.
According to BBC World News, rains that began in July have left at least 27 people dead in four western regions of Myanmar that have been declared disaster areas. Entire villages have been buried under landslides, and casualty numbers continue to rise. Continuous rain has washed away bridges and roads and left thousands homeless, according to local officials.
In a village where many Nazarenes live, more than 300 homes were swept away or destroyed and at least 1,000 acres of rice were completely destroyed. A local Nazarene pastor and congregation members rescued a widow who attends the church after her home was swept away.
As rains subside and the water dissipates, local leaders work to establish contact with isolated areas. Reports currently indicate that the majority of Nazarene church members are safe.
Nazarene Disaster Response personnel are facilitating the purchase of rice and cooking oil to be distributed to Nazarene members in crisis.
A church leader from Myanmar sent the following report:
Please pray for Tahan-Kalaymyo, where most of our church members are living. Tahan-Kalaymyo is home to over 400,000. It has 80,000 acres of rice fields, 40,000 acres of peas, 40,000 acres for cooking oil crops. Most cultivation areas were full of flooded water with a strong force of rivers.
The flood destroyed almost all of the district of Kalaymyo areas. Schools are closed, prisons are evacuated, hospitals are flooded, and patients are being moved to safe places.
Many of the bridges have been destroyed. Thousands from the flooding areas are homeless and have moved to the Tahan schools for shelter. Some villages were completely submerged and destroyed in the flood. Many lives have been lost. According to the latest weather forecasts, the heavy rains are expected to continue in the Saggain, Kachin, Chin, Magwe, and Rakhine regions.
Please pray for our local, field, and regional leadership as they look at the needs and assess how the church can best respond to this monumental crisis.
Northern Mariana Islands
On August 2nd, Typhoon Soudelor crossed the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, leaving significant damage in its wake.
According to the Pacific Daily News, Soudelor flooded the island’s power plant, ripped off roofs, and toppled power poles. Hundreds of Saipan residents moved to shelters and many roads are impassable. Nazarenes leaders are assessing damage and working to come along side those in need.
Typhoon Soudelor has regained super typhoon status and is headed towards Taiwan. It is expected to arrive sometime over the weekend.
How to help
Pray. Pray for individuals and families who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Pray for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Pray for church leaders who are working to assess needs and determine how to meet them. Pray for churches as they minister to their neighbors in this time of crisis.
Give. Churches and individuals around the world can support families in need by giving to the Asia Flood Relief fund. Donations will be used to meet immediate needs, such as food, water, and shelter, as well as long-term recovery efforts.
To send donations by mail, use these instructions:
In the U.S., make checks payable to "General Treasurer" and send them to:
Global Treasury Services
Church of the Nazarene
P.O. Box 843116
Kansas City, MO 64184-3116
Be sure to put “Fund 125296" in the Memo area.
In Canada, make checks payable to "Church of the Nazarene Canada" and send them to:
Church of the Nazarene Canada
20 Regan Road, Unit 9
Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3
Be sure to put “Fund 125296" in the Memo area.
For any other country, give through your local church or district, designating your gift to the Asia Flood Relief fund.