Southeast Asia Earthquake

In light of our great purpose of long-term discipleship in the 10/40 Window, we are intentionally being more aware of crises in the 10/40 Window and aim to respond to those in strategic areas. We see being there to care for people in time of great need as a wonderful opportunity to share the love of Jesus. Crisis response is also highly beneficial for access to restricted areas as well as creating options for our people to gain experience.

On March 28, a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar, resulting in a staggering number of confirmed deaths and injuries so far. The devastation is most severe in Mandalay, where hospitals are overwhelmed, and infrastructure damage is extensive. A significant aftershock (6.4 magnitude) has further complicated relief efforts. In Bangkok, Thailand, over 600 miles away, a 30-story skyscraper under construction collapsed, killing at least seven and leaving dozens missing.

This crisis comes at a time when Myanmar is already reeling from a civil war that has raged since 2021, when the military seized power from the elected government, brutally crushing protests and sparking an unprecedented armed uprising.

According to the AP:
"Before the quake struck, the United Nations estimated that hundreds of thousands of civilians had been displaced by internal fighting, and there are now more than 3 million internally displaced people in Myanmar overall, with some 18.6 million people in need of humanitarian aid."

This seems to be a great opportunity to put our faith into "shoe leather" and bring the love and compassion of Jesus to those affected. We don't know how all the details will work out, but our first team of 4 people is headed for the region. It seems there is some openness from those who control the area for people to come help, but we still anticipate many significant challenges to get to the most devastated places. Please join us in praying for the right connections and open doors.

If doors open for us to help, we hope to offer opportunities for more volunteers to get involved.

The funding goal for initial response efforts is $30,000, although we expect that number to increase as plans materialize.