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Christian Today - Report on Myanmar |
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Report from Christian Today
May 26, 2008
Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF)
aircraft are on standby to fly to Burma to speed help to those
affected in the wake of the destructive cyclone.
Cyclone Nargis hit Burma
on Saturday 2 May, bringing devastation to large parts of the country. Current
information suggests that the death toll could be as high as 134,000 people.
Another 2.4 million are believed to be struggling without access to clean
water, food, medicine or shelter.
While MAF does not have an
operation in Burma,
it has a team working hard to gain permissions to access the reclusive country.
Despite the enormity of the need, the government has been reluctant to issue
NGO-type visas.
However, MAF's Asia Regional
Director has recently been granted a visa to enter Burma where, as well as
continuing to pursue permissions to operate, he is surveying with potential
partners the needs on the ground and how MAF could most effectively help, both
through air support and logistical co-ordination.
Aid agencies responded with
caution to the promise from Burma's
military ruler Than Shwe that all aid officials and disaster assessment teams
would be allowed in "regardless of nationalities". MAF said it is
ready to help with the relief effort, if it gets the go-ahead.
MAF's Bangladesh
and Papua operations are on standby to deploy two amphibious Cessna Caravans to
Burma
if needed. The badly affected Irrawaddy Delta region of Burma is geographically much like southern Bangladesh with
a vast network of rivers. Being able to land on land and water, these aircraft
would be a vital tool in such an environment to help many people and
organisations deliver aid to communities which would otherwise be very difficult
to reach.
MAF deployed a similar type of
aircraft to the Aceh province
of Sumatra following the
2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which enabled many isolated communities to receive
essential aid for the first time.
As Disaster Response Manager John
Woodberry affirms, "The need is tremendous and we can help."
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Report from MNN (Mission Network News)
June 2, 2008
Mission Aviation Fellowship's Manager of Disaster Response, John Woodberry, is in Bangkok, Thailand, and says MAF is waiting to help. "We've have a great desire to help after the cyclone hit a month ago now, and we've been working for about that long to get permissions to bring our float plane in from Bangladesh. The float plane did an awesome job when Cyclone Sidr hit Bangladesh this last winter."
Last week, MNN reported Myanmar was allowing groups to access to the region. According to Woodberry, that information is true. "Some agencies that had projects (pre-existing) in Myanmar are having a little better success. People have been contained to the Yangon area, and slowly through partners in the local churches, some of the Christian agencies have been able to help in the Delta."
MAF has expertise in emergency relief. "We can help agencies that are there get in and out quickly. In a 40-minute flight, we can save people a day or two days of travel time. [We can] get in and [quickly] assess by finding out where the urgent needs are and start these projects immediately."
MAF has helped earthquakes, cyclone relief, flood relief and even war zone relief over the years.
Woodberry is simply asking Christians to pray that Myanmar would give MAF permission to help because the situation is urgent. People are dying. "You can pray for the people of the Irrawaddy delta region. Those who have died have died due to hunger, disease and other issues. And I guess you can pray for the people in the Delta region, the southern area of Myanmar, that they could get help by any means possible."
While MAF can't control the situation, Woodberry says the team is standing by. "We just want to help and love people and do the work God has given us to do. God's the one who works in people's lives and hearts, and there [are] battles going on behind the scenes that we can't see. Someday we'll know in heaven. Our job is to be faithful."
Reports indicate up to 130,000 people have either died or are still missing since the cyclone hit May 2.
Call To Action
- Ask God to pave the way for MAF to make a difference.
- Pray that the victims will get the aid they need any way they can.
- Pray that God would allow MAF to get in to help the victims of the cyclone.
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Report on Myanmar - John Woodberry |
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John Woodberry Disaster Response Manager – US Region
June 3, 2008
My heart aches for the suffering people of Myanmar. It has been one month
since Cyclone Nargis hit the coast of Myanmar, killing approximately
120,000 and leaving 2.4 million in need of priority assistance. WFP (World Food
Program) field staff are finding entire communities with every building
destroyed and survivors living without any outside assistance. Food, drinking
water, and shelter remain immediate necessities. Despite efforts from around
the world, as of today, we still do not have permission to help. We started
working immediately after the cyclone hit to get permissions to bring our float
plane in from Bangladesh.
This aircraft was so helpful in the Bangladesh Cyclone Sidr response. Our staff
and plane are on standby. The one helicopter UN flew in to the capital Yangon,
still waits on the tarmac, not yet allowed to fly relief into the remote
Irrawaddy delta area of southern Myanmar. The only flights it was
allowed to do were during the UN Secretary General visit. The pictures and
stories from the delta continue to present a desperate and tragic situation.
Recent news: In a Bangkok report dated 28 May 2008 (IRIN ) - Jemilah Mahmood,
an obstetrician, and member of the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination
(UNDAC) team "Flying over the affected area, I couldn't help but think
this is worse than the 2004 Asian tsunami; so many deaths and displacement over
such a large area. The flood surge was certainly much wider - up to 35km in
some areas compared with 5km or 6km in the tsunami. …..It's here in the rural
and more isolated parts of the delta - much of which remains inaccessible -
that the real challenge lies. International assistance is still just reaching a
small percentage of the affected population and that's not good enough. At this
point, shelter is the primary need. The rains have already started and soon the
monsoon will begin. People are still living in tents, while others are in
makeshift homes or taking refuge in schools…..Added to this are issues of
access to clean drinking water, sanitation, food and healthcare, coupled with
pressure on local communities to get back to their farms and begin replanting.
It is over a week since the government promised to allow in "all"
legitimate foreign aid workers. UN team visas have just been approved, but red
tape is still hampering access to the Irrawaddy
delta. NGOs are still struggling getting visas and this won’t change rapidly.
Staff going into the delta, need to be accompanied by a government official. As
a praise note, some Christian and International agencies with pre-existing
projects in Myanmar
are able to help. Despite all the road blocks and difficulties, they have been
able to work through the local church and other local partners to get some help
in. So much more is needed. The MAF world wide team has been fantastic. Staff,
planes and equipment are standing by, ready and compelled to help. So many have
come together that need to be thanked. Mechanics and engineers came from around
the world to make sure the Bangladesh
float plane was ready to assist. The Caravan float plane and staff in Papua
where on standby to come help. Visas and permission to operate requests where
submitted in Dhaka, Yangon, London, Bangkok, and Washington
DC. Donors where on standby to
help fund our relief efforts. Staff, friends and supporters where praying for
us. We came very close to getting permission with having the Myanmar
Minister of Defense and the Minister of Social Welfare approving our request to
help. The Prime minster ultimately turned down our request. Brad was invaluable
on the ground in Yangon. I have returned to Dhaka, Bangladesh
to wait with our float plane and will return home if nothing happens. We are
waiting to see if the UN helicopter is able to operate as this might signal the
door opening slightly. Brad is on standby to return to Yangon.
I was encouraged by a by an email I received, “That must be deeply frustrating
for you and MAF. And I feel the disappointment for the many victims who could
have been helped through these flights going in with relief supplies. It's in
HIS Hands...and so, keep the engines running. He will open doors when (and from
ways and through people) ...we least expect. Truth – there is a spiritual
battle going on that we won’t see this side of heaven. My God be glorified in
our efforts and attitudes that are surrendered to Him. May we all be found
faithful. God calls us to be light, and be His light, to this dark and
suffering world. Prayer requests: · Please continue to pray for those suffering
in Myanmar and that access
to the Irrawaddy delta will increase. · More
NGOs, including MAF, Government agencies etc. would be allowed to bring
desperately needed aid to the people. Praise: · For the help that is getting in
and the involvement of the local church in helping in every way they can.
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We were there on the spot. You heard it on the
news – disasters around the world. Thank God we
could do something . . .
NICARAGUA – After the Hurricane
Hurricane Felix struck the Northern coast of Nicaragua fiercely in September late last year with gusts up to 160 m/h. Livestock were blown away in the wind, and people were roped together for safety. The total damage was devastating:
Medication, clean water, food, black plastic, candles and torches were urgently needed, but road bridges were smashed and coastal areas completely isolated. “Can MAF come and help?” The cry from Nicaragua was desperate. MAF was swift in response.
A partnership of MAF, the Council of Protestant Churches of Nicaragua, Operation Blessing and Mission Flights International (MFI) soon swung into action, with an MAF plane coming in from Mexico, and MFI sending out its turbine-powered DC3. At the temporary base – the coastal airport of Puerto Cabezas – MAF officials helped handle relief goods. The planes delivered blankets, clothing, beans, rice, flour, corn, plastic sheeting and medical supplies. The military supplied all necessary fuel free of charge. Altogether, 31 flights brought welcome aid to Nicaragua, carrying over 25 tons of urgent supplies for the many grateful victims of hurricane Felix.
UGANDA – Beating the Weather
Northern and Eastern Uganda were continually lashed by a continuous rain, which washed away bridges and cut huge gaps in roads. Air transport was the only way into the heart of the disaster. Four MAF aircraft made 17 flights in one week, speeding help to the half-million people affected. The planes often had to battle the weather, as they crossed the worst-hit of 17 African countries. Fears of infection and a growing risk of malaria followed the devastating floods, and planes delivered food, clean water and purifying tablets.
Dr Taketo from Japan, was working alongside the Comboni Sisters. They scoured shops in Kampala buying 2,000kg of relief items. These were delivered in 2 flights from Kajjansi to Morulem. Survival kits, which included much-needed mosquito nets, were distributed to 1,100 families. Each flight took 24 minutes – if delivered by road, had the journey been possible, the desperate people would have had to wait 5 days.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – Killer Virus
Ebola is a deadly virus that has no known cure. Symptoms include severe stomach pain and internal bleeding. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the outbreak, which resulted in 200 deaths, occurred in a highly forested area with isolated villages. These villages are only connected by rutted dirt roads, and planes became vital for transport.
MAF planes were quick to respond, carrying medical experts and over 3 tons of equipment in an effort to contain the effects. Aircraft also took personal protection suits, soap, bleach and other supplies to an isolated Presbyterian mission centre. Whenever an aircraft landed, pilot and passengers had to be careful not to shake hands with the hundreds of children and adults who greeted them, for fear of catching and spreading the highly contagious virus.
MAF also flew in a complete field laboratory, enabling specialists to give instant verification of Ebola from a drop of blood. This saved the necessity of sending the samples to laboratories in Atlanta or Gabon. As the epidemic waned, MAF began discussion with mission agencies that are eager to establish facilities to help meet the spiritual needs of people whose lives have been devastated.
BANGLADESH – Escalating Predicament
Last year, Bangladesh was repeatedly ravaged, with disastrous results. Flooding, storm and cyclone - all descended with a vengeance, following hard on each-other’s heels.
August
- Most areas affected by floods.
- Diarrhoea and cholera prevalent.
- MAF flies in experts from agencies such as Baptist Global Response to assess priority needs.
September
- Floods highest for 30 years.
- Crops under water.
- MAF makes survey and relief flights to Jamuna River district.
October
- A storm strikes.
- 100 fishermen lost at sea – many ships lost also.
- One fisherman and his wife are saved by roping themselves together for 7 hours.
- MAF flies for 2 days helping with search and rescue.
- MAF’s amphibious Caravan was essential for Friendship’s floating hospital in Gaibandha. Here, wind picked up utility boat and houseboat, slamming them back into the water and effectively sinking them.
- An MAF aircraft delivers medical specialists and materials providing clean water.
November
- Sidr – the deadliest cyclone to hit the region in 10 years. This follows the worst flooding.
- In Patharghata, a cyclone wave up to 25 feet is reported. It washes in, then suddenly pulls back out to sea, dragging with it thousands of people and hundreds of animals and homes.
- Death toll over 3,000.
- 500,000 houses destroyed.
- 2 million acres of farmland contain valuable crops, ready for harvest – all are wiped out.
- Debris and fallen trees make surface travel impossible.
- MAF fields 250 phone calls in one day.
- Survey flight to worst-hit areas for UNDP and UNICEF.
- MAF flying from morning to evening.
- Only other civilian aircraft helping is a commercial helicopter.
- Chad Tilley introduces himself to an army major as pilot of the MAF seaplane. The major responds: ‘No, Captain Chad. The people of this country call the aircraft “Sea Angel”.’
Ø These articles and more can be found in “MAF News – the magazine of Mission Aviation Fellowship.” Issue: March – May 2008.
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