Burma in Crisis

Not that crisis is new to the people of Burma ("Myanmar"), but the recent cyclone is a true tragedy on many levels. Many of you have asked about my sister Meredith, who works on the border between Thailand and Burma in a refugee camp. She is on staff at the Mae Tao Clinic. While her area was spared the brunt of the cyclone damage (it was a tropical storm by the time it reached her area), they are in a good location to offer much-needed assistance to folks in the Irrawaddy Delta, when and if the ruling military junta will allow help to come in. Her clinic has many supplies, but they always can use financial help to continue their work. If refugees from the storm (and refugees from the brutal regime's violent ruling tactics) can make it to Mae Sot, they will receive top-quality health care and living assistance. See the link on my blog for info about the Mae Tao Clinic.

Meredith has emailed me some truly horrific images, the likes of which the US media either doesn't have or is choosing not to run. I won't put them on the blog, because I know a lot of y'all have young children, and these pictures are just too graphic for little eyes. Frankly, they're too graphic for my eyes. Suffice it to say, the junta's decision to delay aid to the people speaks volumes about their ability to "govern" and their self-serving motives. Hopefully, the world community is taking note and will put more pressure on the countries that prop up this vile regime (China especially), to bring about change. Unfortunately, that is exactly why the Burmese government is refusing aid--they do not want the revolutionary change that has historically occured after natural disasters of this magnitude (Indonesia, Turkey, Sri Lanka). But you do have to wonder: how do they sleep at night?

Keep praying.