Dear Friends,

I wanted to post a quick update about how the Disaster Relief Fund is bringing relief to survivors of Myanmar’s Cyclone Nargis who are still suffering in the aftermath many months later.

Nargis not only destroyed houses and crops, but it also destroyed rice fields that were flooded with salt water. Many people have migrated from the delta area to the outskirts of Myanmar’s former capital in order to survive by any means possible. One of our national missionaries, Peter Cung, has been sharing the gospel among the makeshift huts where displaced people are living, and he has found receptive hearts, winning quite a few to the Lord.

Peter recently distributed 100- and 50-pound bags of rice, provided by Heaven’s Family, to many new believers. Below are photos of a few. Although their living conditions are almost unimaginable to us (and especially now as the rainy season begins), they are rejoicing for the food that the Lord has supplied. We are also helping to fund the building of as many houses as we can for members of our spiritual family through gifts to the Disaster Relief Fund. Thanks so much for making this ministry possible.

I did not recognize this woman and her little child standing behind a 100-pound bag of rice, and I asked Peter about her. I learned that we had previously provided the $120 house that she is living in and featured it in our May magazine. You may recognize her from the next photo that we published in May, taken on a sunnier day:

Peter said that the rice he gave to them would provide for them for two months.

This is U Kyi Win. He is a new believer. His wife and son, who also survived Cyclone Nargis, remained in the delta region while he came to Yangon to try to earn money to feed them. But he hasn’t found any work. He was extremely happy for the gift of rice.

This is U Aung Kyaw. He is also a new believer. As a Buddhist, he did not live a very exemplary life and divorced his wife, abandoning her and their son. But since becoming a believer, his life has been changed. From what he earns in Yangon, he sends most to his ex-wife and son to support them.

Daw Sing Soe is 85 years old and is also a new Christian from a Buddhist background. She lives alone, earning very little by cleaning homes and washing clothing. She was very happy to receive a gift of 50 pounds of rice at her tiny home.

Moe Moe is a new believer, married, and with a son. Two months ago her husband left her to go look for work elsewhere. She has not heard from him since. They are barely surviving, and were very thankful for 50 pounds of rice.

Over a year ago, Ni La’s husband also abandoned her and her daughter. But after converting from Buddhism to Jesus, Peter said Ni La has great peace. She was thrilled to receive 50 pounds of rice. Like everyone in these photos, she is sitting in front of her house.

Now Seh and her husband Min Lu, along with their daughter, live in the little tent/shack behind them. They are also new believers and were overjoyed to receive enough rice to last for a month.

On behalf of these and others like them, thanks for caring.

In Christ,

David Servant

Heaven’s Family Director