A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, 28 March. The disaster has claimed more than 3,100 lives in Myanmar, with thousands more injured. The tremors were felt as far as Thailand, where at least 18 people lost their lives.
Many survivors are sleeping outdoors, either to avoid aftershocks or because their homes and apartment buildings have been severely damaged. Relief efforts are hampered by destroyed infrastructure—including roads, bridges, and airports—and the challenges of operating in a country embroiled in conflict. In the hardest-hit areas, residents dig through rubble by hand in desperate attempts to find survivors. Hospitals are overwhelmed with injured patients.
Approximately 4.3 million people in Myanmar are living displaced due to the ongoing war, with another 1.4 million having fled the country in search of safety. The devastation caused by the earthquake has only deepened this crisis, forcing families who had already escaped areas of conflict to endure yet another traumatic event.
The Church of the Nazarene is active in Myanmar, and church leaders and lay members are responding to assist earthquake victims. Assessments of need are ongoing, and distributions of food, water, and other essential supplies are underway. International Nazarene Compassionate Ministries staff will travel to Myanmar in the coming days to support the church-led response.
Nazarene church members are also among those impacted.
On the Southeast District, power outages, weak phone signals, and unreliable internet service make it difficult to gather church reports. So far, leaders are aware of six Nazarene families that suffered extensive damage to their homes. Volunteers have distributed essential cooking oil and rice to dozens of families in need this week.
Church members on the Central District are facing shortages of electricity, clean water, food, and phone service. Many are working to clean up broken and damaged belongings, while closed stores make it even harder to access essential supplies.
On the Southern District, a man whose family attends a local Nazarene church was buried when his mine collapsed due to the violent shaking. His son, a student at a local ministry college, is now mourning this loss. District leaders ask for specific prayers for this student and his family as they navigate this difficult time.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Pray
Pray for the people of Myanmar and Thailand who have suffered through this devastating quake. Pray for those who have lost loved ones or don’t know where their loved ones are. Ask God to bless all who are searching for survivors, providing medical care to the injured, or offering comfort to the grieving. Lift up the many Nazarene congregations in the impacted areas. Pray for pastors as they provide spiritual guidance and compassionate care to their communities in the days and weeks to come. To send a prayer or note of encouragement, visit ncm.org/pray.
Give
Churches and individuals worldwide can provide support through the Myanmar Earthquake Response Fund at ncm.org/earthquake.
Donations will be used for immediate needs as well as long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts.
To send donations by mail:
In the United States –
Make checks payable to “General Treasurer” and send them to:
Global Treasury Services
Church of the Nazarene
17001 Prairie Star Pkwy
Lenexa, KS 66220
Be sure to put 140065 in the memo area of your check.
In Canada –
Make checks payable to “Church of the Nazarene Canada” and send them to:
Church of the Nazarene Canada
3657 Ponytrail Drive, Mississauga, ON | L4X 1W5
Be sure to put 140065 in the memo area of your check.
For any other country, give through your local church or district, designating your gift to the Myanmar Earthquake Response Fund.
by Nazarene Compassionate Ministries
