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Your gifts and prayers have made a huge difference in the lives of Christians who lost so much in the recent earthquake
When a powerful earthquake hit Myanmar in late March, it was a massive blow to a country already reeling from a years-long civil war. The earthquake was reported to be the country’s strongest one since 1912 and according to the UN, over 3,800 people lost their lives and more than 5,000 were injured.
For Christians, it was an additional burden on top of the daily struggle of simply following Jesus in the country, ranked No. 13 on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List, the annual list that ranks where faith costs the most.
That’s why, in the days and weeks following the earthquake and thanks to your gifts and prayers, Open Doors partners visited the affected regions along with local volunteers and provided relief materials to distressed families and believers. Our partners spent time listening to the agony and pain shared by earthquake victims, visited destroyed houses and churches and prayed with the affected believers.
Thanks to your support, Min Naing*, an Open Doors partner, arranged solar lamps for believers, which was an immediate need due to power loss in quake- affected areas. These Christians were also provided with groceries.
Hla Shwe*, a widow from a local church, received one of the lamps. “Halleluiah, Praise the Lord!” she says. “We thank God because of you who are helping us in our time of need. May God bless you all!”
Another challenge faced by believers in Myanmar was bathroom facilities. And so, Open Doors’ local partners provided temporary toilets made of bamboo and wood . “We are thankful that God provided for our needs,” another believer shares. “God has not abandoned us in our difficult times.”
Open Doors’ partners were also able to help repair the damaged wall around the house of Daw Sun’s*, a widow and mother to two children. After the quake, she had been living outside her badly damaged house. The repaired wall now provides their home some security from theft—a common issue right now.
Daw Sun and her family, however, continue to sleep outside their house as they feel safer with the ongoing tremors. Moreover, they are still traumatized by the quake.
But even among this difficulty, Daw Sun is very grateful. “We see the hands of God in the midst of natural disaster through Open Doors partners,” she says. “May God bless the givers and the distributors more and more abundantly.”
Daw Sun also pastors a local house church. The believers in her church expressed thankfulness to Open Doors partners for supporting persecuted believers.
Another believer, Mimi*, was surprised to receive help with repairing her damaged house. Her husband, a non-believer, witnessed the love of Christians through the help Open Doors provided. “Thank you very much for the help,” shares Mimi with gratitude.
“Because of your donations, help and prayers, we are also able to reach out to an orphanage, where children affected by the civil war are taking shelter,” shares Pastor Chan, another local church leader. “There are many kids who do not have parents. But we are trying to support them with some rice bags, snacks and toys.”
In all, by the first week of May 2025, Open Doors partners have reached over 800 families with grocery relief—basics like rice, oil, noodles, biscuits, instant coffee mix, dishwashing soap and detergents—along with medicine, safe housing and support for home/building repair.
Multiple aftershocks continued even as the partners visited these areas. “We experienced many aftershocks,” shares Daisy Htun*, a local Open Doors partner. “We had no other option but to stay at a hotel that was slightly damaged. We were scared to sleep inside our hotel rooms, looking at the cracked walls of the hotel. We wondered how much more difficult it must have been for the people when the 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit their homes. All the people that we met appeared so traumatized by what had happened.”
Many believers are still living in fear. Some houses and church buildings are fully destroyed while others are partially damaged.
But many Christians testify that God had miraculously preserved their lives. Some were able to leave their house just before it collapsed. A couple shared that the shop they were in during the quake collapsed right after they exited. In another place, more than 10 children who were rehearsing for an upcoming church event had just left the church when the earthquake hit and destroyed the building.
Pastor Elias*, who helped Open Doors partners with the distribution of groceries, shares about his own experience with the quake: “If the Lord had not held the foundation of our house, it would have collapsed.”
When Open Dors partners visited him, they saw his damaged fence and immediately helped repair it, ensuring the safety of his family against robbery. Pastor Elias was also able to reach out to his neighbors from different faiths with some relief materials, further becoming salt and light to his community.
“While we were visiting the affected areas, rain poured down,” Daisy says. “We were deeply concerned about the safety of the people sleeping outdoors. Tragically, some of the buildings that had already sustained cracks have now collapsed because of the downpour. The precarious state of the remaining buildings raises concern for the people who are living without a proper shelter and safety.” Repair work has been initiated for some churches damaged by the earthquake.
In addition to practical aid, Open Doors partners also conducted a trauma debriefing course for believers affected by the earthquake, giving believers an opportunity to share their experiences and help begin the healing process.
Many believers expressed their helplessness at not being able to afford rent for a place to stay. Open Doors partners helped some of them by providing rent so they could find houses instead of living in makeshift tents.
“It is extremely difficult, but we will continue to journey with the believers,” Daisy says. “Our family in Jesus in Myanmar were happy and feel blessed by the provisions they received. The lives of many believers were affected by the earthquake; when many of their homes were damaged, they struggled to resume their daily normal lives and livelihoods. The food provided was timely; it was helpful as the believers were adjusting and learning to get back on their feet again.”
Thank you so much for your prayers and care for your family in Myanmar. You have changed lives and helped believers who lost everything—because of your support, they know they aren’t alone but have faithful family members in the global Body of Christ!
Here’s how you can continue to pray:
Will you consider giving regularly to the persecuted church?
Open Doors aims to “strengthen what remains and is about to die” (Rev 3:2). Your Monthly Donation can help us provide continuous support to the persecuted church worldwide and enable us to respond immediately to emergency situations.
