May 23, 2008 – Friday – Titusville, FL 6:31PM (Eastern U.S. Time) Report submitted by Joe Hurston “Air Mobile Joe”

Been back in the U.S. for about 80 hours and it’s hard to keep Myanmar out of my mind. So many images and thoughts about the terrible suffering going on there. My hope and prayer is that we can get these precious people the help they so desperately need. The situation for many is critical! 

We were so glad to hear from one of our pastors whom we had trained and who journeyed down into the devastated areas with Vortex Voyagers. Here is a direct quote from his report that I recently (5-21-08): “TRAVELLING We loaded all the relief supplies in our big truck and left for Irrawady early morning. It is about 100 miles from Yangon. But we have to take about 6 hours drive as the road is bad. It rained and had a storm on the way, but God is with us and protected us. Afternoon, We arrived Myaung Mya, the main safety area for the victims. There are 30 relief centers and over 50,000 refugees are living there. We bought rice there and distributed with the other relief supplies. It’s our pleasure to see that some volunteers and relief workers are EBI graduate students. We are glad to know their compassion and dedication. We stayed in the poor home as we can not get motel. The next day, early morning we met Dr. Fish and Josiah’s team coming back from Relief Mission Trip from Laputha, located on beside ban of Bengal. They have done a great job in medical care and distributed relief supplies to them. They said that there are still many corpses on the way and the drinking water are contaminated. Thank God that they were able to share a water purifier to the victims, Joe, donated by air mobile mission. 

But the power of batters were gone and there is no place to recharge. They have to travel one hour to the city and wait 6 hours to recharge and come back. We have learned that they need extra battery so that the drinking water will be enough for the villagers. Robert, one of their team leaders went back, taking 22 hopeless victims to Yangon for close care. We are going to build shelters for them in relief center. TWO TEAMS UNITED AND BECOME BIG TEAM We all continue to go Ye Twe Ye Kan Relief centers where 5000 victims are living. As soon as we got there, all the children came to get some food. Our team shared cookies for the kids. Then our medical team gave medical treatment to the serious injured victims. The other team went to bought rice again and distributed to them with blankets, bed nets, and clothes. The Camp leaders chose out the victims who had not got the supplies and sent to us. The Most Effective Way to Help! We, Myanmar National Missionaries and volunteers can go everywhere to help the most needy victims. As you know that all the supplies from abroad must go to authority and they will take care of the relief supplies. That means that all the foreign volunteers are banned and must donated to them. Therefore, helping to the victims through local leaders are the most effective way to do it now. Do you have friends in Myanmar? Please count on them and work together with them by letting them go everywhere of the most devastated area to rescue the dying people.” The love and committment of the Myanmar Christians is overwhelming. We are so blessed to have met and worked with and donated supplies and equipment to these faithful believers. I had to privilege to meet the leader who wrote the communication above. At this time, the only effective way to reach the devastated areas is through the local Myanmar church. Praise God for His Church. During our time in Myanmar, we divided our teams up. In this photo, Joe Prussel works with the local Buddhist monks to bring clean water to thirsty people. 

While writing this report, so many stories flash through my mind. Stories of amazing survival and unspeakable grief and loss by so many. This disaster, though not reported will likely far exceed the death toll of the 2004 tsunami. Again, please pray for the political leaders of Myanmar that they will allow the desperately needed aid to reach those survivors. Also, please remember the Christian leaders who are selflessly laying their lives down to bring help to the people of Myanmar. I’ll close out this report for now. God Bless and thanks again for your love and prayer!! Air Mobile Joe