“Thank you so much for buying food for us,” cried “Hia”, a Christian grandmother from Myanmar, one of many displaced Christians in Myanmar sustained with Barnabas-funded aid.
Hia, her husband, their daughter and three grandchildren were forced to flee after the military (known as the Tatmadaw) burned down their home and all the other houses in the village.
They endured a dangerous journey through the jungle, hiding from patrolling soldiers whose gunshots they could hear in the distance, until finally arriving at a camp run by our project partners. There they received food provided by the donations of Barnabas Aid supporters.
“Because of God we are still safe and alive,” said Hia. “Thank you and your donors who are helping the people.”
Barnabas provides vital aid for many thousands of ethnic-minority Christians like Hia. They have lost their homes and belongings, and many have lost loved ones because of persecution by the military.
In the first six months of 2023 we distributed food parcels – containing rice, noodles, tinned fish, vegetables and oil – to sustain 820 Christian families (around 4,100 individuals). We also provided sleeping mats, tarpaulins and blankets for 235 families (1,175 individuals).
These are among almost 23,000 displaced Myanmar Christians helped by Barnabas in the last 18 months.
“The requests for help are overwhelming,” said our project partner. More than 5,000 people have recently arrived after fleeing into the jungle to escape military airstrikes on camps for internally displaced people (IDP). Recent attacks also destroyed 680 homes and other buildings, including churches.
“No matter where we run, we can’t escape. They shell the IDP camps both day and night,” said “Zarni”, a 38-year-old Christian mother.
Zarni and her family fled their home two years ago after their village came under attack from the Tatmadaw and she’s been running ever since.
Every time she hears the booms of artillery she relives the terrible moment her two daughters were killed in a bombardment.
Pray that the Lord will draw close to Zarni, Hia and the many others left traumatised by the conflict because of the loss of their loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. Ask that their needs will be met, and that the conflict will cease.
Project reference: 75-763 (Aid for persecuted Myanmar Christians)
