Local Church to Help with Myanmar Cyclone Relief
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May 9, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bryan Gratton (724-779-1010 or 724-513-9654; bgratton@discovertogether.com)
Local Church to Help With Myanmar Cyclone Relief
CRANBERRY TWP.—Discovery Christian Church has been assisting in relocating refugees from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) to the Pittsburgh area for the last year. Most of you have heard about the catastrophic cyclone that hit Burma (Myanmar). Next Sunday, May 18, Joshua and Khin Htaik, missionaries from Burma (Myanmar) will be at our 9:30am and 11:00am services here at Discovery. Pastor Joshua can share with us how we might be able to help the people of Burma (Myanmar). Joshua and Khin, being Burmese Nationals, already have their passports and the ability to come and go freely from the country. Access has proven to be difficult, even for the U.N. As of yesterday the U.N. was granted access to bring in relief supplies to the country, but this morning we found out that the military government has confiscated all of those supplies. Many of the relief agencies are facing a similar problem. Joshua and Khin are part of an underground network that is already in place to distribute Bibles and such throughout the country. This underground network will be used to distribute relief items to the necessary areas and people.
Because of that, we at Discovery are opening a separate fund for anyone who wants to give to the rescue efforts. We already have churches in Michigan and Florida contributing to the relief efforts. You can make checks payable to Discovery and write Myanmar relief in the memo line. Discovery Christian Church will be collecting donations from our members and contributing from our missions budget. We are already helping to transport 5 water purification systems back to Burma (Myanmar). We will take Joshua and Khin Htaik to the airport on Monday, May 19th to fly back to their ravaged country, and distribute purchased goods.
If you would like to contribute directly to the relief efforts please make a check payable to Discovery Christian Church with Burma or Myanmar in the memo line. Send check to:
Discovery Christian Church
P.O. Box 1964
Cranberry Township, PA 16066
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Ok have a question why are you helping with the relief when the US has sent food and it's been intercepted by the government? So the US is on hold for sending anything over to that country.
Good question.
CTParent and Karma,
Sorry about the delayed response. I guess I better do a better job of keeping up on these blogs. The reason we used a missionary who is a Burmese citizen to help, instead of going through government channels or even relief agency channels is just the reason you stated. The government was intercepting those deliveries, so we sent money through a Burmese national to buy the necessary goods in Thailand and Burma and use the underground network they have in place to distribute the goods. You can check out the news stories about at
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08139/882834-82.stm
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08139/882833-82.stm
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08131/880752-82.stm
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08131/880758-82.stm
Thank you for your response. It is very sad on what is going on over their. I do not have a problem with people wanting to help out but do see a problem with so many in our country having a tough time not making ends meet here specially with gas and food prices on the rise. People are losing their homes they are living in cars and it's only going to get worse here for our people. We have families living in shelters with nowhere to call home. I just believe in taking care of our own first then after if we are able to then help others. I know of your church and I do know you do right by people I have a friend that is a member of your church and she is a good person and speaks very highly of Discovery. I guess this is just my personal opionion.
If your "Burmese" citizen is dicovered smuggling goods through an underground network, what will the Junta do to him or her?