Myanmar Delta Photos

These pictures are from the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar where cyclone Nargis hit. This was our first place to travel after we flew into Yangon (capitol of Burma). The country is absolutely beautiful in every way. I felt like I was in a movie. I kept having to ask God if we were really watching people tend their fields with water buffalo and row through the luscious rice paddies.

 

this was taken from our van-thrashing rice on the side of the dirt road. This is a young girl. Many women were out in the fields.

 

 

 

 A little boy was playing naked outside of his grass home. Naked children, not a rare occurance.

 This was taken from a huge bridge as we neared LaButta (village we stayed in the south). Thank you God for sunsets so perfect.

Some of the children that survived Nargis were taken in by monasteries. They are trained in the Buddhist religion. In the mornings, we would see them going from business to business asking for food offerings.  We were told that in some areas they could not eat after lunch. They fast everyday after 11.

 

This was taken in the first village that we visited. As you can see that there are many coconut trees in the background that saved the lives of many people as they climbed them during the storm.

 

I love the natural sunblock that the Burmese wear on their faces. This seems to be a cultural specific thing…we haven’t seen anyone else in Asia do it. We put it on our faces and went as Burmese people for halloween. We were in the delta on the 31st.

 

 This is a coastal shot. All of the stumps you see were structural bamboo shoots that were holding up the grass hut homes.  Each hut houses ten or so people.  Over 100 homes were destroyed on this coast and this area was not hit directly with the storm.

I am going to adopt a little Burmese babe! There is going to be an election in 2010 and I just know that God is going to open adoption from Burma. Pray!

 

 

i love her

 

 

 The people of the villages followed us everywhere. People stared at us like we were aliens, and to them we were. Many of the people had never seen white skin before. We really scared the little ones. Some of the kids would cry and run into their homes. Few people are even educated enough to have ever heard the name Jesus

 

 My teammate Zach was a big hit with the children. He was a magic, living toy. I loved watching him come alive with the children. He has a heart of gold. Sometimes I would just look over at him and just feel the passion that he felt for these parent-less children.

One thing I did learn in Myanmar is that the people don’t hug. But, if you hug any one of the kids, just one time, they keep coming to you wanting to be held.

 

we are still raising funds for the church in Labutta:

Send checks to:
Adventures in Missions
PO Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
 Write checks out to “Adventures in Missions” and in the ‘for’ line write “World Race Ministry – Myanmar”.
If you prefer, you may click here to donate online through AIM’s secure website.  Please indicate “World Race Ministry – Myanmar” in the box.