Rev. Dr. Saw Doh Say is the principal of the Karen (Kahr-en’) Seminary in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). In March, he visited the areas of his country that were affected by Cyclone Nargis, which devastated Myanmar’s “rice belt” in the southern Irrawaddy delta on May 2 and 3, 2008. Rev. Say was able to share his experience with International Ministries recently, which is provided as an interview.
IM: Thank you for taking the time out to be with us Rev. Say. Please tell us a little about your recent trip to areas recovering from last year’s cyclone.
Say: I left my seminary on March 8, the day after graduation, and took two staff members and fourteen students to Nargis-affected areas. We traveled to eight different villages that had been completely leveled by the cyclone.
IM: And what did you do there?
Say: We started out calling it a “Gospel Trip” but, by the end, it would be better to call it a “Pilgrimage to the Nargis-affected areas” in the sense that, we were more affected by the experience than I think the people were to whom we planned to minister. By being with them, by trying to help reduce the trauma they still lived under, we had a chance to see Jesus Christ face-to-face.
IM: How?
Say: We know Jesus as a fountain of living water but that is not the case there. In those villages, Jesus is disguised among the victims. He is thirsty because there is no water to drink. The situation there is still very bad. He is homeless because their houses have not been rebuilt yet. He is suffering because they are still coping with grief, hopelessness and loneliness. I have promised to visit them again.
IM: When will you be able to do that?
Say: I am planning to go in December if I am able to raise funds for my group. If not, I will go alone at my own expense. For me, visiting and ministering to these people is more precious than preaching a hundred sermons in church.
Cyclone Nargis affected more than 2¼ million people. American Baptists responded in 2008 by giving $122,000 in aid through the One Great Hour of Sharing. But relief work in the area is still underway, and desperately needed, more than a year later.
IM: Thank you for taking the time out to be with us Rev. Say. Please tell us a little about your recent trip to areas recovering from last year’s cyclone.
Say: I left my seminary on March 8, the day after graduation, and took two staff members and fourteen students to Nargis-affected areas. We traveled to eight different villages that had been completely leveled by the cyclone.
IM: And what did you do there?
Say: We started out calling it a “Gospel Trip” but, by the end, it would be better to call it a “Pilgrimage to the Nargis-affected areas” in the sense that, we were more affected by the experience than I think the people were to whom we planned to minister. By being with them, by trying to help reduce the trauma they still lived under, we had a chance to see Jesus Christ face-to-face.
IM: How?
Say: We know Jesus as a fountain of living water but that is not the case there. In those villages, Jesus is disguised among the victims. He is thirsty because there is no water to drink. The situation there is still very bad. He is homeless because their houses have not been rebuilt yet. He is suffering because they are still coping with grief, hopelessness and loneliness. I have promised to visit them again.
IM: When will you be able to do that?
Say: I am planning to go in December if I am able to raise funds for my group. If not, I will go alone at my own expense. For me, visiting and ministering to these people is more precious than preaching a hundred sermons in church.
Cyclone Nargis affected more than 2¼ million people. American Baptists responded in 2008 by giving $122,000 in aid through the One Great Hour of Sharing. But relief work in the area is still underway, and desperately needed, more than a year later.