The two stories below, sent from our partner, the Church of the Province of Myanmar (CPM) illustrate both the hardship and hope experienced by many internally displaced people in Myanmar.

Sittwe Conflict Makes Job Hunting Difficult for Displaced Man

In the bustling streets of a small town ravaged by the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha, Khin Maung, a man in his fifties, trudged along with a heavy heart, searching for a family of four he had been tasked to find.

Once, Khin Maung had been a man of means, providing for his own family by doing various house repair jobs and building fences in his local community.  But the cyclone had swept away everything he held dear, including his chronically ill wife who died whilst the family were fleeing the cyclone. He had to eke out a living by taking on odd jobs, clinging to the hope that one day he might rebuild what was lost.

However, the instability caused by fighting in the area had made finding work an arduous task. Yet Khin Maung found solace in support from the Church of the Province of Myanmar (CPM) and in the kindness of strangers.

The local CPM church, including the priest’s family, shared rice and other essentials with Khin Maung and his children when they needed them. This support lasted one week.

And one day, as he walked through the market, someone, recognizing his struggle, offered him a portion of rice. His heart filled with gratitude.

Despite the hardships he continues to face, including not being able to find work, Khin Maung knows he is not alone in this world. The generosity of strangers, including AID supporters, has shown him that even in the darkest of times, there is light to be found.

Elderly Woman Flees her Home to Find Refuge with her Son in Mandalay

In a bustling city in Shan State lived an extraordinary woman named Daw Naw Thin Bel. At 85 years old, her life was rich with experiences, joys, and sorrows. A widow, she had nurtured eight children and welcomed 18 grandchildren into her home.

But in December 2023, Daw Naw Thin Bel faced unprecedented challenges. Gunfire shattered the tranquility of her once peaceful neighbourhood. Over the following weeks, each day dawned with the dread of uncertainty, the heavy clouds of conflict casting a shadow over her world.

By early January 2024, sensing the further danger, Daw Naw Thin Bel urged her two grandchildren to seek refuge elsewhere, away from the peril that loomed over their home. Little did she know that her instinct would prove to be their salvation.

As the clock struck midnight, bombs rained down upon her son’s house, obliterating everything in their path. Daw Naw Thin Bel and her grandchildren, now safe in the shelter of her daughter’s home, could only imagine the horrors that would have befallen them had they stayed.

Yet even as she escaped physical harm, the scars of war left their mark on her soul. Her once vibrant spirit withered under the weight of grief and trauma.

With a heavy heart and a weary soul, Daw Naw Thin Bel decided to flee her daughter’s home. Along the journey, a compassionate motorcyclist delivered her safely to her family in Mandalay.  Her son and his family found accommodation elsewhere.

In Mandalay, where her son is a CPM priest, the church provided her with the basics of life: food, including rice, and cooking oil for one month, thanks to funds donated by AID supporters.

Although now safe, it is taking Daw Naw Bel a long time to show signs of recovery from her ordeal. She can walk slowly for about 5 to10 minutes at a time but suffers from memory loss and incontinence.