The MCCCR was born out of a roundtable meeting held in Bangkok on the 19th of May 2008. At this meeting were leaders of the Church in Myanmar as well as International Donors. There were about 70 who attended this meeting, where time was spent hearing from the leaders from Myanmar, praying together and strategizing a coordinated response to the disaster that will :

(i) be effective in helping the victims
(ii) maximize our resources and avoid duplication
(iii) empower the Church in Myanmar.

Since that meeting, MCCCR has obtained official recognition from the Government of Myanmar to conduct relief work for the cyclone victims. A significant milestone of this recognition was the landing permission granted on 18th June to a US Air Force cargo plane bringing in supplies of food, blankets and other items from USAID for MCCCR.

An office with 3 full-time staff has now been set up for MCCCR’s Operations.

Currently MCCCR is providing immediate response of food & basic supplies through funds received from donors. It is also gathering information to facilitate medium and long term strategy to help the victims.

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE : FUNDS FROM DONORS >> SUPPLIES IN WAREHOUSE >>
DISTRIBUTION BY PARTNERS TO VICTIMS >> REPORTING TO MCCCR >> REPORTING TO DONORS

 

The MCCCR warehouse has been a busy place …with supplies being stocked and repacked for distribution, trucks coming in and out with supplies to be sent to the victims and with various MCCCR Partners (Myanmar churches) coming to get supplies for their distribution.

With permission from the Government of Myanmar, MCCCR has been allowed into the Delta Areas (which were worst hit by the Cyclone), bringing aid for the victims.

Situation in most places, more than a month after the devastation,
still remains desperate. Pictures above are from areas around Laputta.

Every place we have been able to go to …we have been received with open arms and grateful hearts. For this, we thank our International Donors for their financial support which has made this possible.

Over the next few months, we foresee the rebuilding of churches, the provision of food and supplies and the initiation of livelihood projects as a priority.

PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR MCCCR

1. Rebuilding of Community Churches: In other situations this would not be deemed a high priority but in Myanmar the churches need to be rebuilt quickly as they are essential distribution points. It is through the Church that relief and rehabilitation efforts are conducted. It is a positive move as otherwise, the efforts are “actions of strangers”. With the church buildings repaired or rebuilt, it lays the ground for a long-term Christian presence. The Minister for Religious Affairs has given his full support for this project.

2. Feeding Project: Even though food is getting in through World Food Program and other projects, hundreds of thousands remain in dire straits, and will be for the next 6 months or so. MCCCR is committed to providing the victims with food for as long as they need it.

3. Schooling for children: In line with the Government Policy, we are providing children with funds for their school fees and also supplies (books, bags, etc.). Allowing the children to get back to some normality will be helpful in their healing process and in that of their parents as well.

4. Housing materials for rebuilding: It is estimated that more than 500,000 houses had been destroyed. With the onset of the monsoon season, rebuilding becomes even more critical. Exposure to the elements renders the victims even more vulnerable to sickness and diseases.

5. Household supplies: This covers basic supplies for the home such as cooking utensils, blankets, mosquito nets, clothing, etc.

6. Livelihood projects: We are looking at primarily helping the farmers, fishermen and families to start small businesses such as grocery stores, food stalls, etc. This is not just for self-sustenance, it is also to help the men regain a sense of dignity. Many of them have been scarred by the loss of loved ones, and the inability to provide food for the family adds to that pain.

THANK YOU for your support.

Because of you, in the month of June, we were able to : >> Provide food for about 30,000 families >> Get over 1000 children to school (and rebuild 1 school) >> Rebuild 415 houses >> Rebuild 3 churches (and also a monastery, a nunnery) >> Provide 3000 bags of paddy seed (each bag plants 1 acre) ……. at a total cost of about US$590,000

We were also able to do some medical work through medical volunteers from Brazil and Malaysia, and provide Christian literature for thousands of young people and children.

Young boy reading “25 Bible Stories” and a team of Medical doctor from Malaysia treating victims

Many things have been done and this Update will not be able capture all of it, but I hope it does give you a sense of what HE is doing through His Church in Myanmar, through your support as the Global Body of Christ. We value your continued partnership and especially your prayer for the victims. For many of them, the loss of loved ones especially the loss of children (a very high percentage of deaths were of children), the pervasive poverty, and the sense of helplessness and hopelessness is just too overwhelming, draining them of any desire to go on living. Only HE can bring the healing to these broken lives.

Please also continue to pray for the Church in Myanmar that she will be HIS instrument of healing
to these precious lives!

UPCOMING EVENTS :

1. On the 5th of July, we will be having our 2nd MCCCR Roundtable Meeting. This is a meeting where International Donors meet with the MCCCR Committee to be updated, to evaluate progress, and to strategize on future directions.

2. In the 2nd week of July, we will be having a training to deal with the soil Contamination (salinity) problem.

3. In the 3rd week of July, we will be having a Trauma Counseling Seminar, specifically focused on ministering to pastors/leaders and their spouses who had experienced personal loss in this tragedy.

Blessings !

Beram Kumar (beram@asia.com)
& Rev Aung Thet Nyunt
Co-Chairs of MCCCR Roundtable