Cyclone Devastates Myanmar On May 3, a cyclone ripped through the Irrawaddy delta in Myanmar (formerly Burma) with winds exceeding 120 miles an hour. Myanmar's military government currently estimates that 25,000 people have died, with another 40,000 people still missing. Because many of the homes in Myanmar are constructed of bamboo, hundreds of thousands have been displaced and are in critical need of water, food, shelter, and clothing. Reformed Church World Service is working closely with its partner Church World Service (CWS) to respond to the need. The CWS Asia office is in contact with the Myanmar Council of Churches. Church World Service has issued an initial appeal for $50,000--an amount that will be significantly increased as our partners there identify specific, long-term needs.  Reformed Church World Service has also been in direct contact with the Reformed Evangelical Church of Myanmar (RECM). The Rev. David Salthangvunga, an ecumenical officer of the RECM who is currently in the United States, reports that on May 6 he was finally able to make contact with his colleagues in the Yangon area. The church facilities are new and well constructed, so although the roof sustained minor damage, the church chapel became a gathering place and shelter for many people in the immediate area during the storm. The bamboo homes of most who came for shelter were swept away in the storm. Salthangvunga is particularly concerned about four villages in the Irrawaddy region, the area most directly impacted by the storm. "We have four villages (there) where we have church plants," he says. "We have not yet heard anything from them. But the chances of them suffering much are very high." The RECM is working actively to provide basic life necessities to the people in its community: rice, lentils, water, and candles. How You Can Help Please pray for: - The people of Myanmar as they struggle through this devastating crisis.
- The governmental leaders of Myanmar, as they open their country to outside assistance.
- The Reformed Evangelical Church of Myanmar, that they may live out the good news of the gospel through the grace and love they show in assisting other.
- The safety and security of the people in the villages of the Irrawaddy region.
 Contributions to support relief and recovery efforts (designated Myanmar Cyclone) can be sent to Reformed Church in America, P.O. Box 19381, Newark, NJ 07195-1938 or, in Canada, to Regional Synod of Canada, 1985 Beke Road, R.R. #4, Cambridge, ON N1R 5S5. To donate by credit card, click on the "Make a Donation" button or call the RCA Michigan Regional Center at (800) 968-3943. Posted 05/07/08
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