Thousands orphaned overnight

Upon setting foot in Burma and briefing with our local team there, the stark reality of the disaster hit me square in the face and sinks deeper and deeper. The situation in Burma is growing with every passing day, into a near insurmountable crisis due to the delay of International aid to the area that is in most need in the Irrawaddy Delta.

30-40,000 lives of children under the ages of 5 years old have no hope. Many of them have already died. Thousands of children have become orphans and have no place to go home to, becoming street children begging food for their survival.

Constant monsoon rains and storms are making this situation even worse. Most of the disaster areas cannot be reached by car, only by boat. Boats are very limited and most of them have already sunk. To be able to get into these most needy areas by boat, we need a rubber boat to get in through small rivers with medical teams and aid to travel to all the corners of the river and streams. The water and food prices are 3 times higher than normal. The infrastructure of the country has been completely devastated in these disaster areas.

Yesterday, we had a meeting with 20 volunteer doctors and medical professionals as well as pastors and leaders to set up a clinic out where the people have nothing and start to treat the people there immediately while at the same time giving out aid supplies to the people on the streets. From there, some of the team will be going to the Irrawaddy area with a medical team and food supplies to go to the areas in most need. We see people have no proper roofs on their houses due to the cyclone and they need temporary tents to shelter them from the rain for survival during the raining season.

Mosquitoes are everywhere and every year Burma is affected by malaria and dengue fever. Recently I had got malaria while in Burma and it almost killed me and I understand what it is like to go through such horrible sickness. The worst part is that mosquitoes are breeding where all the dead bodies are still exposed and then come and bite the survivors. I don't know what other kind of diseases will come up from such conditions.

The medical team and all of us that are travelling are carrying dry food. Packet dry noodles are the only thing possible to eat under the conditions where there is total devastation and no clean water. This will be our only food to help us survive daily whilst serving the people.

Financial resources are greatly needed to buy further mosquito nets, plastic sheets, candles, dry food, vaccinations and other medicines for the doctors to treat the people. Also our team needs equipment to communicate. My eldest daughter Karenna and one of my team members will be coming out as soon as possible with photos and pictures and information right from the field and disaster areas. This will be sent out to you and all those who are helping us.

Although many have been generously giving we still have limited finances in comparison to the great need. The international aid agencies are still not allowed to come in. Workers are still not allowed in. Only our team and a few others who are locals are allowed to get in and help our own people. Our team is in a very tough situation as we are not only a part of negotiating and explaining to authorities to allow us to reach these disaster zones but with lack of equipment and other resources, moreover with the travelling conditions in Burma, we have an 80% risk of catching disease due to no electricity and no clean water. However pray for us, for the protection of our team and all the medical volunteers in these horrible conditions.

Thank you for all your hard work to raise funds for this Burma disaster. We are in need of strong reinforcements. If the international resources are delayed or completely cut off then these next 3-4 months half a million of people lives will be risked. Who knows among them may be some of our team. If international aid is not able to get through, then we are totally reliant on ones like yourselves, churches and the kind hearts of individuals to raise the funds for aid for the people of Burma. Please do your best for their sake. Whatever further finance you are able to raise please continue to transfer for reinforcement funds that will be used to buy more aid supplies and enable the medical teams to get into those places where they desperate need emergency help. With God nothing is impossible. We appreciate your fervent prayers. With God we can bring the solution.

May God bless you and your efforts for this crisis.

Sincerely,

Pastor Timothy