God-centered resources from the ministry of John Piper

Many of you are probably familiar with the devastating cyclone that hit Myanmar roughly a year ago. Tens of thousands were killed or displaced by this disaster. Many governments and Christian NGO’s responded with aid.

A lesser-known crisis is currently bringing hardship to the Burmese in a remote region of this country. Beginning in July 2008, a famine was caused by a phenomenon known as “mautam.”

Every 50 years flowering bamboo trees produce a fruit that nourishes the rat population, causing it to explode in numbers. These rats have been decimating farmlands, destroying crops such as rice and maize, the staple foods of the region. Now potentially 200,000 people face starvation. PBS has done an excellent documentary describing the situation while the Burmese government is doing little to help its own people.

Our friends at Food for the Hungry are currently working to provide relief assistance for the families in this region. God has given them great connections with local churches, but they are still working to raise more than $300,000 for this project.

The director of the program writes from the field,

[The victims] are struggling with God's good and sufficient help to do what they can to contribute to their own survival…These funds will go to the remote areas that are stranded in isolation. The volunteers look forward to the joy of delivering assistance where no others go. They will also take with them nutritional quick start gardening manuals with methods to rescue families under stress, and blessings from those who faithfully pray for them.

Desiring God is contributing to this relief effort and would like to encourage you to consider joining us. Food for the Hungry has a site you can visit in order to participate. Please pray for the Burmese, the country of Myanmar, and the workers in the field.