13 May 2008

Dear Friends,

Sometimes doing the impossible takes us a few days… but we do it all the time, thanks to you.

Finally, success, after days of frustration.  Benyapa (Puu) and our combined RTF (Rescue Task Force) and WER (World Emergency Relief) team of Thai volunteers have deported the Thai / Burma frontier region.

Thank you for the many prayers, donations and support in so many ways.

Their story is typical of what we do, but the twists and turns are tragic. Upon arrival in Mae Sot, the border town, Thai police and customs officers again reiterated to them the dangers of passing over the border into Burma.  The plan was to deliver the relief supplies that had been purchased in Bangkok.  Americans still cannot enter, however Thai nationals can get a tourist visa and enter into Burma.  Were the Burmese military Junta to catch them doing any relief work they would be arrested.

As it turns out it was not necessary to take such risks.

On our web site photo album page: Link

There are pictures of Puu and the team buying supplies.  At a clinic on the frontier that serves Burmese war wounded we did a small distribution.  That hospital group is working on a plan to carry supplies across into Burma for disaster relief.  That plan is not in place yet.

To get immediate assistance to suffering families in Burma we are working with a student resistance group that has a long history running an under-ground railroad supply line into Burma.  Typical college students:  very creative and bold – and up to thechallenge.

Puu was impressed with them and had me talk with Executive Director of the group (Burmese).  He offered to take Puu and the team into Burma with them, but they would not be able to go as far as the cyclone area – only into the Karen resistance area.  We decided that there was no benefit in doing so to offset the risk.  (Perhaps another operation for another time....)  

Joel (WER), Gary and Andrea (RTF) agreed with Puu that the balance of the project funds be split between shopping for meds and bulk relief supplies in Mae Sot and that the cargo transported from Bangkok be placed in the hands of the student group.

Funds (cash money) was given to them for delivery into Burma for local purchasing to answer specific needs.

Medicines are most important: The group had two ‘runners’ coming to Mae Sot that day to pick up the meds that they had requested, on faith that they be ready, when they arrived.

Once again, we were there – at the right time, at the right place, with money that so many have donated to help those in need.
Tomorrow, in Bangkok we will purchase 1,600 Sodium-dichloro-isocyanurate water purification tablets – enough to treat 640,000 liters of water.

We have all seen the brutality of the Burma regime.  There are no pictures of the students, the runners or their facility.  For their protection we are able to give you only an abbreviated report of how we are getting those supplies through. 

Sometimes doing the impossible takes us a few days…

Your immediate help is needed ands appreciated - by many.

Checks To:
Rescue Task Force
864 N. Second Street #340
El Cajon, CA 92021

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