A Letter from Fr. Bernie Taylor, M.S.
(U Mya Thein, M.S.)

Greetings and best wishes (now serving in his homeland, Burma),

I heard that a village, Thameihtaw, where I have some relatives, disappeared completely. Only three houses left standing in the village of my aunt (Kundaing, in Phyapon). I usually get a treat of seed-food everytime I visit them. Now they don't have drinking water and lost all the seedlings prepared for the planting season.

Jerome's place in Einme got hit also and according to his brother, there is some kind of damage in practically all the houses. Some shanties of course are completely gone.

Our Archbishop and the Yangon Archbishop went to the area near Laputta. According to their report, they say that there are about 100,000 people dead in that area alone. They estimated about 300,000 people in all probably have died.

Now with the lack of basic necessities many more will die. Some are still sitting in the rain even after their survival. Far-flung areas are the ones to be taken care of. We sent practically all the money we could gather and sent it down to the area with one of the priests from the area who is working here in our diocese.

Fr. Thomas, our treasurer, says we will not be able to survive this month, but that is not true. Our Lady will not let us starve. I was able to get some money from some of my friends. I will be going down next month and will visit the area. It will be then that the help will be needed more.

Now there are lots of volunteers who are helping. But soon the rehabilitation will have to start and even the bodies of the people who died and the animals are still floating around. The rains have set in and more trouble will be coming. But we continue to hope for the best and any kind of help will be appreciated.

We were sending relief goods but that is not practical because people just sell them and try to buy some rice and water. So instead we are just giving some money to those we can reach. The shocking pictures below show the tragic devastation and death the cyclone caused. Please pray for all the victims, living and dead.

We'll give you more news when I receive it.

Peace,
Fr. Bernie Taylor, M.S.

P.S. Our Sisters and friends in mission are safe. Still without water and electricity, Sr. Daniel managed to email just once (she used a generator at the Jesuit’s school) and it has been silence ever since. We pray for their continued well-being.

May they rest in peace.
Amen.