With most foreign aid blocked in the wake of Cyclone Nargis, a Sydney Anglican on the Thai border has sent his first load of aid into the crisis-hit country.
Jonathon, from Sydney's inner west, arrived in Burma on May 2 - the day the cyclone hit " for a short-term mission teaching English in an area not far from the Burmese border
"On the day the cyclone hit I was actually standing at one of the very few Burmese border crossings" while a few friends renewed their Thai working visas," he recalls.
When Burmese nationals in Jonathon's church announced they would take Thai supplies across the border in teams in the days after the cyclone, his initial frustration gave way to joy as he realised how he could help.
"Ever since we received the initial reports of the disaster, I felt that I had to do something to help - a definite feeling of large responsibility," he says.
Jonathon mustered support from friends back home around Australia, raising $2,200 in the first week, which has been used to purchase relief supplies.
Report from the epicentre
Meanwhile the Archbishop of Myanmar, Stephen Than Myint Oo, has released first-hand reports on the situation in the worst hit area.
Burmese Anglicans formed a relief committee on April 7 and immediately sent out four teams to survey the affected areas.
The team that was sent to the worst affected area has confirmed widespread damage and extensive loss of life. Many villages are only accessible by boat.
"In some places, entire villages have been devastated, with few if any survivors," the Archbishop said.
"In other places, survivors have huddled together in makeshift shelters awaiting aid."
Tax deductible donations to the Archbishop of Sydney’s Emergency Burma Cyclone Appeal can be made at [url=http://www.archbishopsappeals.asn.au]http://www.archbishopsappeals.asn.au[/url] or through 1800 653 903 (toll free).
