Massive Damage in Myanmar Caused by Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake

April 1, 2025

In response to the massive magnitude 7.7 earthquake of Friday, March 28, Gospel for Myanmar’s field partners have dispatched a large team to Mandalay to provide emergency shelters, blankets and mosquito nets, solar panels and emergency supplies and food items. The team has set up a sort of temporary base there and is working tirelessly to minister to the needs of the suffering people who live so close to the epicenter of this quake. According to GFM’s field coordinator, the death toll is now over 4,000 precious souls and is expected to rise to over 10,000 as relief crews can sift through the rubble.

The field coordinator has sent us a specific and detailed proposal for funding relief efforts for the next 30 days. After our Board has had a chance to review, pray and discuss that plan, we will in turn share it with you should the Lord lead you to help financially.

Please continue to pray earnestly for the precious people of Myanmar. We see this as an opportune time for them to come to know the love and salvation of Jesus, as they see His love being poured out through His Church in practical ways.

Thank you very much for your love and prayers. We will send another update soon, Lord willing.

March 29, 2025

We spoke today with the field director of Gospel for Myanmar. It was after 1:00 a.m. in the morning there and he was in a van with a team slowly traveling North to the city of Mandalay. This city is very close to the epicenter of the earthquake, which meant that they were not able to take the normal highway routes due to the buckled and demolished roads in many places. When they finally get to Mandalay, they will work with local missionaries and officials to help assess the situation and figure out the best way to give aid to the suffering masses. As you may already know, the death toll has risen sharply to over 1,600 precious souls.

The leadership team in Myanmar has met and established the following comprehensive national response plan:

1. Conduct rescue missions for the affected victims.
2. Provide immediate assistance to bereaved families.
3. Supply rice and water to those impacted by the earthquake.
4. Establish temporary shelters for individuals who have lost their homes.
5. Offer immediate and ongoing spiritual guidance along with grief and trauma counseling, and other supportive services.

Our field partners have shared with us that they estimate the cost of immediate assistance to be somewhere in excess of $150,000. They are committed to providing this out of their resources as much as they are able, and they have not asked us even once for money. However, if I put myself in their place, it would be a great blessing to have the Body of Christ help to supply my needs at such a time. Please know that we will send every penny that comes in directly to the workers on the ground in Myanmar. Gifts for earthquake relief will be used directly for that purpose without being skimmed or scammed by others.

If you would like to help financially, please click the link above and give as the Lord leads.

And more importantly, please keep praying for the precious people of Myanmar and Thailand to find Jesus through this horrible tragedy.

Thank you very much for your love, prayers and support.

Earlier today (Friday, March 28, 2025), a magnitude 7.7 earthquake centered in the middle of Myanmar struck causing massive damage and death to the country as well as to the neighboring country of Thailand. At the time of this writing, BBC News is reporting that an estimate of 144 people in Myanmar have perished, and another 732 are injured. With communication being spotty or nonexistent in many affected areas, this number is sadly expected to rise exponentialy. Local hospitals in Mandalay are stuffed with the injured and deceased. The earthquake, which occurred at 12:50 pm Myanmar local time, was met with panic and fear as school children and workers were terrified by the strength of the tremor.

In the neighboring country of Thailand, many buildings that were under construction collapsed, including a large building with a crane on top. Three people are reported dead and an additional 81 workers are trapped in the rubble. Again, the death toll is expected to rise sharply once the rubble can be sifted through.

By God’s grace, Gospel for Myanmar field partners are safe for the most part. Three churches have been badly damaged and one pastor is still unconscious after being injured in the quake. The national missionaries there are even now planning their response to this tragedy and will very soon reach out with spiritual and practical aid to the precious people of Myanmar.

Would you please take a moment and pray for those affected in Myanmar and Thailand?

Please pray for God’s grace and comfort to be poured out on these countries at this time. Please also pray that God would pour out His Holy Spirit and that GFM supported workers, and all of His children living in these countries would boldly share the life-changing Gospel with the suffering masses. By far, the greatest need that the people have is salvation. This region of Asia has a Buddhist population of nearly 100,000,000 precious souls created in God’s image, but who are sadly ignorant of His love for them. As Hebrews 13:3 encourages us, please pray for the people there as if you and your family were caught in the midst of this tragedy.

We will attempt to keep you updated about specific ways to pray and to help financially as the Lord leads and as further details become available from our field partners.

Thank you for standing in the gap and praying for Myanmar and Thailand at this desperate time.