Cyclone Nargis: Our response #16

OM International

The team has been praying for some time about the need for another vehicle, as the weekly trips to the Delta area have been very difficult on the present truck. The plan had been to buy another truck, but God provided a boat instead. This is a great solution for the relief work, as the team is no longer able to travel to the Delta area by truck because the road conditions have been made worse by the rainy season. The boat can easily carry 1,000 sacks of rice, making it possible to transport both the team and supplies for the weekly relief work. In addition, as an example of God’s perfect timing, the boat arrived at the very time that many villagers needed to leave urgently. As God had provided, the team was able to meet this need.

During this week, the team were able to distribute 20 bags of rice, two bags of onions, and 80 bottles of oil to one village, and provide two wells to another village.

Nearer to home, the team were able to distribute 15 bags of rice, books and stationary for 100 students, 2000 tablets paracetamol, 12 boxes rehydration salts, 20 desks and 20 benches for school. The villagers were thrilled:

“It was impossible for us to have more desks and benches for the school because we needed to carry them all the way and we cannot go there by car. Thank you very much for your concern for the children.”

Over the next two weeks, the team distributed 15 bags of rice, donated paracetamol and rehydration salts to a local church, and built a bridge for the pond. The bridge allows villagers a more sanitary access to pond water, which is used for washing and is boiled for cooking and drinking.

The team also provided zinc, wood and nails to enable the rebuilding of the local authority office, provided cement, sand and marble for the building of toilets for the school; and provided cement, sand, and marble to make concrete to rebuild the school.

Bags of rice continue to be given out to needy people in needy areas: twelve bags of rice, to feed 132 families in one village; enough rice to feed 130 children in another centre, and in yet another, enough to feed 15 people.

Many people have not received support from organisations nor from the local authorities. Though they are poor and cannot afford the materials for a new home, they are so grateful for the team’s help and eager to do the work to build their homes.

In one township, staff and volunteers distributed tickets for rice to more than 240 houses, to be collected the following day. Many of the people were preparing to cook a meal, but had no rice to cook. This quarter was reportedly the most affected place in the area by the cyclone. Most people work as daily labourers and only make enough money to buy their food, and could never afford to rebuild their homes. 

The team has already rebuilt fifteen houses: three for Muslim families, two for Hindu families, and the rest for Buddhist families. Among them, seven houses are for widows. 

One woman was married and expecting a child, but her house was destroyed during the cyclone. Her husband told her he would go to find work so he could rebuild the house, but after he left, she never heard from him again. Ten days ago, she gave birth to her daughter. Because of your help, she and her little girl have a home to live in.

Credit: OM International
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