Story From The Field

Disaster Relief - Myanmar

Deborah Quigley, Hawaii Regional Director, Reports:

Update: AAI aids Cyclone Nargis victims in Myanmar
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:23:26

I'm so glad to be back - it was an exhausting experience - being on a research trip - your heart and mind are constantly open to the next 'stranger' you meet (and if they speak English) - perhaps that next person is the contact you've been looking for or knows who to connect you with. Then on the 6th day I finally began to feel like our goals were reachable.

On July 15, Dr.David Ratnavale, internationally reknown trauma and disaster-relief psychiatrist and AAI member Deborah Quigley arrived in Yangon. On their flight from Bangkok, they 'happened' to 'bump into' a team from Air Mobile Ministries who were returning to Myanmar with 24 more Vortex Voyager units - a 20lb water purification machine specifically invented for disaster relief. (They brought in 28 units within one week of Cyclone Nargis hitting the Myanmar delta on May 2, dispersing them into numerous devastated villages.)

On July 16 at breakfast they met a group from the Myanmar Compassion Project (MCP) who were returning with aid for 7 of the orphanages around Yangon that they help support.

Within 24 hours of arriving, unbeknownst to Dr.David and Deborah, they met the key players in AAI's future work in Myanmar.

That same day, the medical team from Hawaii's Aloha Medical Mission,

which included AAI's Dr.Daniel Susott, returned from 5 days of work in the delta. A grand 'thankyou' banquet was provided for the team, and for us, by the revered Sayadaw ("chief monk") Sitagu who, with all of the monks, saved thousands of lives after the cyclone by welcoming all refugees into the delta monasteries for safety. Airline Ambassadors presented a gift of $1,350 to the Sayadaw to contribute towards the thousands of mosquito nets, plastic and metal roofing sheets, rice, beans, cooking supplies, etc. his Buddhist Center provided for the survivors. Special thanks to James Schmachtenberger, of the Body Mind College in San Diego, who raised thousands of dollars at their 'Benefit for Burma' event!

From July 17-19 our AAI team joined our new friends from MCP to spend time with the kids at the orphanages and then 1 day serving a very impoverished community with a free medical clinic day. Drs. Susott and Ratnavale saw a number of malnourished children - all severly lacking everyday vitamins and minerals. (something that our AAI teams can certainly provide!)

July 20 was our magical connection day to find the unknown recipient of the Vortex Voyager that AAI purchased the previous day. At church, Deborah met Pastor Mung who is the local contact, trainer, and parts supplier for the units.  Back at the hotel that evening, Teacher Mang appeared! Teacher Mang has been working with a village across and down the river from Yangon whose residents do not have a source of clean water. The next day he went to the village to ask for permission from the township officer for a 'westerner' to return with him.  On Tuesday, we boated across the river to Pan Bin Chaung Village where we presented the Vortex Voyager to the delighted villagers!

So, this is all in a few days of a small Airline Ambassador team in Myanmar, converting compassion into action.

And I thank you for this priviledge.

Deborah

Deborah, we look forward to the upcoming missions you have planned over the next two years.  The itinerary is fantastic and we are excited and ready to join you and continue the work you began!   Thank you!