This story is heartbreaking and not only because Myanmar (aka Burma) has neglected some of the Christian communities after a devastating earthquake, but it would bother me if they neglected any segment of the population that needed help.
Mission Network News is reporting about how the government in Burma has neglected these communities. "John" from the wonderful ministry of Vision Beyond Borders relayed the following information:
Out of more than 40 affected villages, close to 20 are Christian villages, reports "John" with Vision Beyond Borders. These 20 have received little assistance, if any, despite their extreme conditions.
Recently, John traveled to a few Christian villages suffering from the natural disaster. He discovered that they had received no government attention whatsoever.
"[The government has] set up some tents just to look nice, but when you really go up there, you don't see any help or any organizations to help there--to meet the needs of the people," explains John. "There are a few ethnic groups called ‘Akha' [and] ‘Lahu.' Mainly those ethnic groups are Christians, and there is no help going there at all."
Interestingly, the government has done a great deal to help Buddhists in the quake aftermath. Buddhists have historically taken priority over Christians in a regime which John says is against Christianity.
"In Burma, it is indeed kind of persecution. It is not just the first time. Even last time, when we had the Nargis Cyclone in the Delta region, [the government] never handed out help to those Christian families and villages in the Delta region. They only sent out first to the Buddhist villages and towns," remembers John. "So, the same case is happening here."
You may learn more at Mission Network News. Please pray for the Christians in Burma and ask the Lord to provide all of their needs, even if the government is not helping them.
