Our Myanmar Project

 Our ongoing project in Myanmar is almost complete. Some paint and cosmetic work and this school building will be open for students in June.

Ukraine and Myramar

 Never should the evil in  Ukraine and Myanmar  cloak the beauty of the people and their country.

Myanmar weather

 

By Thomas Mackintosh

A powerful cyclone is hitting the coastlines of Bangladesh and Myanmar after intensifying into the equivalent of a category-five storm. Cyclone Mocha is bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 195kph (120mph), which could see dangerous flooding on land around the Bay of Bengal.Storm surges of up to four metres could swamp villages in low lying areas

There are fears it may hit the world's largest refugee camp, Cox's Bazar, where nearly one million people live.Forecasters warned Cyclone Mocha could be the most powerful storm seen in Bangladesh in nearly two decades.

Around 500,000 people have been evacuated to safer areas.Many shelters set up in schools and monasteries in Cox's Bazar are now reportedly full and overcrowded. Police in the area spent much of Saturday warning people to take cover and avoid the beach area. The government also issued an official landslide warning linked to a the predicted very rainfall forecast for Sunday,

The Bangladeshi meteorological department office said the maximum sustained wind speed within around 75km (45 miles) of the centre of the cyclone was around 195 kilometres (120 miles) per hour with gusts and squalls of 215 kilometres per hour.A telecom tower in the city of Sittwe, in Myanmar, was knocked down by the high winds as the cyclone approached. Videos shared on social media also showed roofs being blown off houses and billboards flying off buildings in Yangon amid teeming rain. In Bangladesh too, gale force winds started to blow, accompanied by heavy rains. Dr MM Malik, a meteorologist at the government storm warning centre in Dhaka, told the BBC that the cyclone has not yet hit the coastline and is expected to do so at 15:00 (09:00 GMT). He said its diameter is 520km, which means it will take some time to cross. Particular concerns have been expressed for the many Rohingya refugees living in makeshift homes in the the camps of Cox's Bazaar and people on the western coast of Myanmar.

"For a cyclone to hit an area where there is already such deep humanitarian need is a nightmare scenario, impacting hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people whose coping capacity has been severely eroded by successive crises," UN Humanitarian Coordinator A.I. Ramanathan Balakrishnan said.

Latest from Kherson, Ukraine

 

Russian occupation administrations leaving settlements of Kherson region - General Staff

The Russian occupation authorities, together with their families, documentation and office equipment, are leaving the settlements of the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson region: Skadovsk, Mykhaylivka, Petrivka, Shevchenko, Shyroke, Ulyanivka and Chervone, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.

"In the town of Skadovsk, the curtailment of the activities of the district and town administrations has been noted. So, on the night of May 6-7, the occupiers loaded documentation, office equipment and other property of state institutions into motor transport, and on the morning of May 7, together with their families, a significant part of the Russian occupation administration left the town," the General Staff said in a Facebook message on Monday.

According to the General Staff, currently a similar situation is observed in such settlements of the region as Mykhaylivka, Petrivka, Shevchenko, Shyroke, Ulyanivka and Chervone.

"Taking into account the many kilometers of traffic jams that have recently formed at the entrance to Crimea and in the area of the Kerch Bridge, the invaders plan to carry out the export of documentation and looted property from state institutions of the temporarily seized Kherson region by sea, using a dry cargo ship, through the port of Berdyansk," the message says.

 

 

Myanmar Ministry Report

 MINISTRY UPDATE FOR JANUARY - MARCH 2023

Dear Friends and Partners for Our Ministry,

Present Situation of our Country:

Civil war has been going on for almost two years, and it is going on severely across the country. A number of civilians have been arrested and killed, some of them were burned alive unto dead. The military coup uses helicopters and jet fighters to bomb civilians and the people's defense force. Many innocent people, children, elderly people, women have been killed. More than 82000 civilians’ houses were burned down and robbed. This situation is like a daily event. Many people fled to jungles, some fled to India and Thailand. Many died on the way by bullets or disease or starvation or accident. 18 church buildings were burned, and 8 pastors have been killed by the military coup, and some are tortured and put to jail without any reason. Prices have gone up, many companies have been closed, many are jobless. Due to the civil war many people are not able to work in the field and farm. Many people crossed the border and went to India and Thailand, but they were arrested by Thai police and Indian police. There are many pitiful people in the jungles and other places without food. This kind of situation had never happened in Myanmar history.

Having Bible Conferences and Crusades under bullets and bomb explosions:In the midst of a raging war, we are attempting to find opportunity to do preaching and teaching the gospel.

 Salvation Campaign in the forest: Because of a severe war, 11 villages’ people left and fled to the jungle, they have been in there for two years. They eat whatever they can find, we sent food and other items seven time, but what we sent was just a little. Some people died of malaria, diarrhea and lack of nourishment. Seven missionaries are with those people and conduct salvation campaigns now and then. Recently, they had five days of salvation crusade, and 45 people professed that they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal saviour and Lord.

Christian workers’ Conference: These groups could not have Christian workers training since 1918 due to COVID- 19 and War. They could not meet each other, and they were longing for a training or a conference. We chose a village for a three days conference. I also flew to one airport and from there, I was taken by motorbike through  a  jungle  road, avoiding a military coup.

The 64 Christian workers: pastors, evangelists, missionaries, Sunday school teachers, children evangelists also tried to arrive at that village through different angles. When we met there, we were overjoyed. I preached 8 hours a day for three days. I did a new church building opening ceremony too joyfully. After three days, each one of us tried to get to our destiny in our own ways. I emphasized the Spirit Filled life for personal life and ministry. I taught the book of Acts. During the conference, we did hear the sound of gun-shooting and bomb explosions which were just 16 miles away from us. 

Prayer Items and needs: Funds are needed for refugees who are in the forest and jungles. Their main need is food, medicines and temporary huts.

Bible Funds are needed for Falam Chin Bible printing. The printer said that $ 11.00 can print one Bible including shipping. We want to print 5000 copies as soon as possible. So far, we have no Bible funds yet. Church building funds are also needed. By the power of the Word of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord planted churches through us here in the country. However, when it comes to the church building, our resources are limited, and we do need financial help. We now have two churches which need building for meeting. We have people, but we do not have a meeting place.

Together we can accomplish much.

Ukraine - after a long journey delivery of necessitous supplies

 After a long and hazardous journey delivery of necessitous supplies to  Kherson, Ukraine

Myanmar May, 2023

Hope NI has been involved in Myanmar (formerly Burma) since 2003. During that time the oppresive rule of the Military Junta led to the breakdown of Burmese society and many children where abandoned with no hope of a future or even life itself.  We opened our first Children's Home which was a rented building just outside Yangon City. Eventually we were able to purchase land for a purpose built house for up to 50 children. The building was completed in 2009 and is now home to over 25 children from ages 4 to 18. Myanmar is a tropical county however there is no immunization program available and so Hope NI assists with programmes to ensure the children, and their carers, receive the necessary medical care and attention they require. All of the children have the opportunity to receive education to the highest local standards with many of them continuing into higher education with the aim of becoming nurses, engineers, doctors and ministers. Some are also learning to play the violin, piano and guitar. Each year the children visit the coast for a weeks holiday and childrens camp. This is an exciting and enriching experience for the children, as most of them have never seen the sea before this adventure.