I had been planning for some time to write a newsletter. But, as you probably know me well, by now I could always find just one more thing to do before getting started on it, so it gets delayed and delayed. No I have to send you at least a short update as life has just turned upside down.
Many of you may have seen or heard by now, possibly through International Ministries, that Northern parts of Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand and Eastern Burma all got hit by the tail of a typhoon last week which has caused heavy flooding in all four countries. Vietnam is reporting over 240 dead, over half of that number from a landslide that took out one village. Accurate information on Burma and Laos is not so easy to get, but we are seeing reports of severe damage in Burma with at least 160 dead and counting. Even the capital of Burma, NayPyiTaw, was flooded badly.
Our home province of Chiang Rai was also severely damaged. The flood came into the city and damaged most of the downtown. Almost all the communities near the river were hit hard. Upstream, in the hills, many villages near the river have seen complete destruction. Our home, near the river, was also flooded. But thanking the Lord that it is just a lot of mud that we have to deal with and no significant damage. We got most everything up in time before we rushed out at 10 pm on Wednesday night – just as the water rushed in. At least a dozen other missionary families were flooded out. Some lost absolutely everything.
The flood of the century, I would say. In the nearly 40 years I have been here, I have never seen this level of flooding.
International Ministries has put out an appeal, if you would like to donate. Some of the local ministries I am related to here will be managing those relief funds.
The Thai people have been amazing. Volunteers from the entire country have poured in. It is a time of working together and helping each other.
We are monitoring the news from our neighboring countries, trying to find ways we can help as we know that the needs there will be greater than ours.
Blessings,
Scott and Tan