Updated Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Baptists to assist Myanmar

From contributed reports

Baptist World Aid (BWAid), the relief and development arm of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), has pledged $50,000 to assist with emergency relief efforts in Myanmar.

Myanmar, formerly named Burma, experienced a devastating cyclone that hit the Southeast Asian country on Saturday, May 3, killing an estimated 22,000 people, generating fears that the death toll will rise even further as tens of thousand more are missing. Large areas of the country are heavily flooded.

In addition to the $50,000 pledge, BWAid is coordinating relief efforts with Baptists around the world. "We will be working with and through the very capable Myanmar Baptist Convention ... and we are in contact with BWAid partners in the US, Europe, and Asia," said Paul Montacute, Director of BWAid.

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) has sent $5,000 in an initial response to the deadly cyclone. One of CBF's field personnel serving in nearby Thailand is scheduled to travel to Myanmar next week to assess the situation and meet with local Baptist partners.

Among the immediate needs of those affected by the cyclone and the flooding are for clean drinking water, nonperishable food, blankets and medical kits.

The Myanmar Baptist Convention, a member body of the BWA, is the single largest Baptist group in Asia with a membership of more than 1.1 million baptized believers. Baptist witness is largely among minority and marginalized ethnic groups such as the Karen, Chin, and Kachin.

Donations to the Myanmar relief effort may be made to the BWAid Emergency Response Fund at www.bwanet.org/bwaid or sent to: Emergency Response Fund, Baptist World Aid, 405 North Washington Street, Falls Church, VA 22046.