Missionaries reach out to flood victims in Myanmar

Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries are reaching out to about 3,000 flood victims in Myanmar (Burma). Their village was completely flooded after heavier-than-usual monsoon rains fell for 20 days straight.

By July 30, the water had risen to 30 feet and completely engulfed an area of Rakhine state in western Myanmar. About 3,000 people live in 25 different villages in this area.

People in 20 villages were affected by the flooding, which left them homeless, washed away their crops and swept away much of their livestock.

"In the early morning, when I got up from my bed I saw the great flood. It was like nothing I had ever seen in my whole life," said one man.

In the town of Ann, about half of the city's 1,100 homes were flooded. At least 200 of those houses are completely destroyed. Crops and livestock were also washed away.

A river in this area also overflowed its banks and is becoming polluted by the flood water and all the debris. The local people depend on the lake for food and no one knows yet if the floods caused permanent damage to this body of water.

No death toll is yet available.

GFA teams immediately sprang into action to help the people. They set up an emergency shelter in a church building to house 60 people. They distributed food and clean drinking water to about 200 people. The missionaries also conducted a worship service for the victims and offered prayer and counseling for their weary souls.

The victims are not able to go back to their homes yet as the flood waters remain high. The floods have also cut the villages off from the outside world, as travel into and out of the area is impossible because of high water.

The standing, stagnant water is also causing health concerns for both the villagers and the workers alike.

GFA workers in this area has requested prayers for the health of the villagers and for the healing of those injured during the storms.