Local Effort to Aid Myanmar
posted 11:53 pm Sun May 11, 2008 - Lynchburg,VA
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The devastation in Myanmar may seem far away, but it's home for one Randolph College (web) graduate. As she celebrates her accomplishments here, she's thinking about the suffering back home and thrilled about the local efforts to help. Tens of thousands dead or missing and the images of destruction keep shocking the world.
Nway Nway Oo, RC Graduate - "I feel really sad when I see those images but at least people can see it and understand the situation."
She's been studying art at Randolph College and is staying in the U.S. after graduation. She's thrilled that people here in her new home are lending a hand. People like the folks at Gleaning For The World who are sending water, blankets and survival kits. All with the help of Timberlake United Methodist Church.
Rev. Larry Davies, Timberlake UMC - "We raised alot of money, probably one thousand dollars to help them."
Nway Nway Oo - "We live in capital city Rangoon and the situation over there... people are starting to go outside and the electricity and water are coming back."
Supplies are desperately needed especially in the rural areas as food and clean water are scarce. That resonates with churchgoers at Timberlake United Methodist.
Davies - "I think in this case it does because we were so close when we went to Sri Lanka, they know about it, they were involved in the tsunami."
Like with the tsunami, people around the world are eager to help. But aid is just trickling in because of government restrictions. However, Gleaning has a way in.
Davies - "We know these supplies are going to get there thanks to Ron and Gleaning For The World."
Nway Nway Oo - "Whenever people can help and we really appreciated if a lot of people join in the fundraising and donations."
It's new neighbors here helping old neighbors back home. Myanmar's state television reports a death toll of more than 28,000 people. The number of missing stands at more than 33,000. But international aid groups say the number of dead could eventually top 100,000.
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