A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar March 28, followed by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock. The earthquake affected the region as far as Thailand, China and India, with a death toll of 3,649 and 5,018 injured as of April 11.
In a March 31 update, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) reported that the leader of Bible Missionary Church, Mennonite, in Myanmar expressed particular concern for Muslims who are a marginalized minority in Myanmar. Since the quake happened on Friday during Ramadan, many were gathered in mosques which collapsed on them.
“The Muslims of Taungoo are close friends of our BMC in peacebuilding,” the leader writes. “We are willing to assist with food and water for the Mennonites, the surrounding communities and to provide humanitarian aid to our Muslim friends as much as we can.”
Immediately following the earthquake, the leader wrote, “Praise God that my family and the Mennonites in the Yangon and Delta region are safe. However, the exact situation of the Mennonites in central Myanmar is still unknown. Please pray for Myanmar. Your prayers are the only solution to the problem of Myanmar.”
Prayer requests
MWC asks prayer for Myanmar:
- For those grieving and those who have lost everything.
- For God’s peace and intervention amid civil war, and strength for aid workers.
- For the Mennonite communities and others suffering, that they may find hope and resilience.
- For swift relief and access for those providing aid.
- For leaders – especially pastors and leaders in our MWC member churches in the affected region: that God may grant them strength and courage to sit with those most impacted and be the loving arms of Jesus.
- For the global Anabaptist family to respond with solidarity, generosity and faithfulness in prayer.
April 7 update
- According to the Associate Press, long-shot efforts to find survivors from the devastating March 28 earthquake were winding down the week of April 7 as rescue efforts were replaced by increasing relief and recovery activity.
- According to the AP, a situation report issued April 7 by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said more than 17.2 million people are living in affected areas and urgently need food, drinking water, health care, cash assistance and emergency shelter.
- The Myanmar Fire Services Department reports international rescuers from Singapore, Malaysia and India have returned to their countries after their work to find survivors was considered completed. The number of rescue teams operating in the residential areas of Naypyitaw has been steadily decreasing.
- The 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 also injured 5,018 people with 145 still missing, according to Xinhua News.
Mennonite World Conference is a communion of Anabaptist-related churches linked to one another in a worldwide community of faith for fellowship, worship, service, and witness. USMB is a member conference of this global ministry.
