Kachin News Group

The Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC) is implementing on its own a huge relief mission for cyclone Nargis survivors in the devastated Irrawaddy River Delta in Southern Burma (Myanmar).

The MBC is sending food, drinking water, clothes, mosquito nets and medicine daily to nearly 100,000 survivors who desperately need the supplies, according to MBC office in Rangoon, the former capital of Burma.

The relief material is being delivered directly to the survivors in the Irrawaddy River Delta areas by ferries, boats and cars from Rangoon, MBC sources said.

K.D. Tu Lum, general secretary of MBC told KNG today, "We have collected a list of 10,027 people who died in Baptist churches areas. Currently, we are helping 94,265 cyclone survivors."

The MBC is distributing relief to cyclone affected areas by opening one main relief aid distribution centre in Pathein Township and about 26 relief camps in the cyclone-hit areas, Rev. K.D. Tu Lum said.

Rev. K.D. Tu Lum added, that they had listed 306 villages in the delta areas including Christian church areas affected in the four regional Baptist Conventions under MBC such as Pwo Karen (Kayin) Baptist Convention, Sakaw Karen (Kayin) Baptist Convention, Myanmar Baptist Churches Union (MBCU) and Asho Chin Baptist Convention.

The MBC formed the Relief and Rehabilitation Committee (RRC) soon after Cyclone Nargis lashed the Irrawaddy River Delta on May 2 and 3 and the committee is also cooperating with the relief mission of international relief organizations, MBC leaders said.

The MBC has asked all churches in the region and ethnic conventions in the country to help the survivors of the cyclone on May 16, MBC sources said.

The MBC's general secretary Rev. K.D. Tu Lum urged the people in Burma and international communities to help. "The MBC is implementing relief mission for survivors of the deadliest ever storm in the county. Do help and pray for them."

The Convention has appropriately 1.1 million memberships in over 3,513 churches and operates in 13 language and 5 regional conventions around the country. It is also a member of World Council of Churches (WCC) and Baptist World Alliance.

Since the ruling junta has announced three days of national mourning, national flags are in half mast in front of government and religious offices in Rangoon, eyewitnesses told KNG.

If you want to donate for the survivors of Cyclone Nargis through MBC, contact the following MBC office in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar)
Relief and Rehabilitation Committee (RRC)
Myanmar Baptist Convention (MBC)
Rev. K.D. Tu Lum
General Secretary
143 Min Ye Kyaw Swa Road,
Lanmadaw Township, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma)
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+95-01-223096
+95-01-221469