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Friends of Burma, Inc. Newsletter Spring 2023

Dear friends, Spring is here once again, and we thank the Lord for His faithfulness and His provision. In this time of the year, everything around us become more alive and vibrant, pointing us to the creator who is in control of every season.  The war in Ukraine continued and many people in Burma continued to suffer due to conflict inside the country.  Many around the world are also suffering under various circumstances.  We pray that these trying times will be over soon and hope will come again to those who are in the midst of the suffering season. We look around and see many things that are unsettling and worrisome, but we encourage ourselves in the Lord and carry on with the strength of our Creator.  2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us that “For we live by faith, not by sight”.  We thank you for partnering with us to bring hope and healing to the people of Burma.  Your generous gifts and prayers are greatly appreciated.  One of our board members wrote why she supports Friends of Burma: My na
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Friends of Burma Annual Report 2022

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Friends of Burma, Inc.   548 Home Ave. Ft. Wayne, IN 46807 Tel. 260-745-3658, Email: president@friendsofburma.org Website:  friendsofburma.org , Blog:  http://blog.friendsofburma.org E-Newsletters:  http://news.friendsofburma.org Recently I was reading ProPublica, a news station, on my computer. They were talking about how to evaluate a nonprofit before you donate. Although we are a small charity, we are proud of careful handling of the money our donors send us. Here are some of the ways to evaluate us. Look at our 990 form filed online . Check our IRS status.  We are a 501(C)(3) charity and all donations are tax deductable. Program spending:  Check our website to see how your donations are being spent. Professional fund raising.  FOB spends no money on professional fund raising. Executive Salaries.  All work in the U. S. is done by volunteers who receive no compensation.  They also spend their own money to attend our Annual Meeting.  We do have a paid Financial Secretary in Burma
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Friends of Burma, Inc. Newsletter Fall 2022

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Fund Raising for Matthew 25 Clinic On June 11,2022, our FOB Co-founder, Diana Sowards ran a 100-meter race for the age group of 80-84 in Evansville, Indiana, Senior Games and got a medal. She started training for the race in December 2021 at the YMCA. She is an amazing woman. There was a fund raising project for a large generator for the Matthew 25 Love clinic in Pathein. Due to an outpouring of love and affection, $9,970 was raised.  It went toward the $15,000 needed for this clinic - which functions as a hospital - making it possible to have power during surgery. Matthew 25 was facing a hard time because power shortage due to the country's situation.  The fund was quickly transferred to Pathein. Please be sure to read the feedback from the clinic in the next page to see what a blessing.  Diana just wishes she could run a race for other great needs for IDP children who are living in the jungle on the borders of India and Thailand.  Thank you very much Diana for such an inspiratio
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Friends of Burma Annual Report 2021

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Friends of Burma, Inc.   548 Home Ave. Ft. Wayne, IN 46807 Tel. 260-745-3658, Email: president@friendsofburma.org Website:  http://friendsofburma.org , Blog:  http://blog.friendsofburma.org E-Newsletters:  http://news.friendsofburma.org This has been a terrible year for Myanmar. The country has been plunged into a civil war, unseen since 1948, because of the takeover in February of the democratically elected government by the military.  Therefore, when Friends of Burma would ordinarily be sending donations primarily for education, instead we have sent thousands of dollars for humanitarian efforts, both for medical  and for shelter and food. We have sent over $50,000 to keep the two hospitals we support open when most of the other 34 hospitals in Yangon are closed.  We have sent $21,745 for medical supplies, including oxygen tanks and oxygen concentrators and food.  We have sent $33,825 to help IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons who have been forced to flee from the Burmese Army.) We ga
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$50 Christmas Gifts Program

Dear Friend and Donor to the needy people in Burma, In our Fall newsletter we forgot to remind people of our previous project, the giving of $50 Christmas gifts.  As you know, the political situation and Covid-19 in Burma have put previously borderline needy people into dire straits.  The volunteers distributing these gifts benefit greatly from participating in this program and the recipients have expressed their great relief and gratitude.  These are responses from previous years:  2020 ,  2019 . If any of you want to participate in this we invite you to send checks for $50 or Paypal, or Zelle for this purpose. Donate here . In Christ’s Service, Neil Sowards
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Friends of Burma, Inc. Newsletter Fall 2021

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Proverbs 28:28 (NIV) – “When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; …” The situation in Burma is the worst we have seen since 1985. When people write to us about the sky above Yangon filling with the smoke of the crematoriums, we bow our heads in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Burma.  Not only are they in fear of the corona virus, but they are also in fear of the junta and its supporters who took power on Feb. 1, 2021.  As of this writing, more than 900 innocent civilians have been cruelly murdered, but also 6,000 plus people have been arrested and incarcerated in prisons.  Please be aware of what is happening in Burma.  Share with your churches and your friends.  Please support Friends of Burma as we endeavor to meet the dire needs of the IDP's, the refugees, the sick, the wounded, and the children who are suffering.  Please pray for Burma!  Neil and Diana Sowards, Founders, Friends of Burma (FOB) KBC Hospital Faithfully Serving Amid Unprecedented Challenges Thes
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Friends of Burma, Inc. Newsletter Spring 2021

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 "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25 We can’t thank you enough for all you have supported in this time of need in Myanmar. Because of your kindness and concern, lives are being transformed daily through the power of Jesus Christ. These are a paraphrase of words from our friend, Rev. Donovan Coley who is the leader of the Rescue Mission here in Ft. Wayne. He is much more eloquent than we are. Military Coup and Ongoing Protests On February 1, 2021, Myanmar’s military overthrew the democratically elected parliament and took over running the government. Perhaps they were surprised by the landslide victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD). Perhaps they have also been surprised at the overwhelming resistance to this action. Since then, the citizens have taken to the streets and the airwaves to defy the military. There have been shootings and all of it is documented by the younger generation in spite of obstacles pu
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