Rohingya camp fires - another update

 Greetings all, 

Lean-to's popping up on the scorched earth

When Rachel, the Country Director, and Phil went out on Wednesday to encourage the shelter staff in their hard work, we saw up close and personal the devastation wrought by the inferno! As mentioned earlier, our shelter team had already distributed some emergency shelter kits and the team was continuing the process. People immediately set up their small lean-to's so that they could begin to have a little bit of shelter from the elements. Hot season seems to be in full swing now, so the shade was really needed!

Here are the numbers, from International Organization of Migration (IOM), regarding how many households are affected (around 17,000 households from one fire!): 

Refugees returned immediately from where they had fled during the fire and reclaimed their spots on the sites of their burned down shelters. All were sifting through the ashes of their lives to see if they could find anything of value. Signs of resilience were quite evident. Some were clearing away rubble and cleaning up their little piece of land.  Some Rohingya had already set up tables to begin again their business of selling small items in order to support their families.  LPG gas bottles were being handed out so families could cook again. 

Google Earth view of the scorched earth where Medair
SHE team is working

In addition to the shelter kits other organizations responsible for the affected camps were distributing solar lights, water, and food. These few items really helped people to begin to reestablish themselves on the site of their home. 

One of the factors that enabled this immediate response is that sectors working in the refugee camp (whether they are shelter, health, nutrition, or food security) have prepositioned emergency supplies. Prepositioning emergency supplies is mandated due to the known vulnerability of this location in the case of monsoon flooding or cyclones. Thanks to this prepositioning, the day after the fire these supplies were being distributed to those in need because the supplies were already in the camps!

Transporting the kits to 8E - SE Asia style!

Medair is also going to be distributing Home Isolation Kits to households in 8E most likely tomorrow. As mentioned in the first update, we are also in the midst of a surge of COVID19 here in Bangladesh. As Rohingya have lost everything, including essential buckets, containers and other hygiene related supplies their vulnerabilty to COVID19 is increased. The kits will give them some basic cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer and some face masks. 

Here are a couple of links to stories put out by Medair. One has a video in it of one of our SHE staff and Rachel: 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/medair_bangladesh-medair-responds-to-deadly-fire-activity-6781122778608214016-kXjh

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/medair_bangladesh-activity-6780896194735415296-QwVv

If you are interested in supporting these efforts in some way there are also links in these two articles to donate. But you can always go on medair.org to make donations. Right now there is a link on the home page with more information on the fire (where you can also donate). 

Praise for:

1. 

   The kits being loaded into the distribution point out
   of which we took the prepositioned emergency 
   shelter kits

   Preparedness (a big part of humanitarian aid work) which allowed needed supplies to get to those needing them in short order
2. The hard work of many teams (including the Medair SHE team in particular) responding to the need even during this weekend. 
3. Successful surgery on Christine's mom's brain tumor.

Prayers for: 

1. CiC's (Camp-in-Charge) to give us the permission to start our kit distribution tomorrow - it looks like we have it, but these things can change quickly
2. resilience and comfort for those who have lost so much
3. the next steps to get the Rohingya into more permanent housing - rain is forecasted for Tuesday!
4. the reestablishment of paperwork for those whose paperwork went up in smoke
5. Christine's mom - thanks for all the prayers and expressions of solidarity with the Lindell family!

Update on Christine's mom (Faith Lindell)

I want to give you an update on my mom following her surgery on Wednesday. Her brain surgery showed that she had a glioblastoma - one of the most aggressive types of brain cancer. She came through the surgery quite well and spent an overnight in the ICU. Yesterday she was recovering well enough to be moved into a regular room and has been up, standing a couple of times. The tumor was located on/close to the speech part of her brain, which is how we first realized something was going on. Mom had all of a sudden started having difficulty finding words. The surgeon informed my sister that he thinks he was able to get 80-90% of the tumor, which is actually more than he was expecting given the type of tumor. We are not sure what the next steps will be - typically for this type of surgery there is radiation and chemotherapy which follows.

One of the risks of this surgery, given the location, was damage to speech. Mom has been able to say some words and already has a speech therapist who has come to work with her. So we are hopeful that with time and a decrease in the swelling, that her speech will improve.

We are grateful that the surgery went as well as it did and grateful that the surgeon was able to take out as much of the tumor as he could. We understand this is an aggressive type of cancer so at this point, we are most grateful to still have some more time with mom. 

Thank you for all your prayers and well wishes. And we'd like to ask for your ongoing prayers.

We appreciate it alot.

Christine

Updates on refugee camp fire and prayer request for Christine's mom

Personal loss, sadness and tragedy - today we mourn the loss of so much here in the Kutapalong refugee camp. This day comes to a close with results from rapid assessments on damage caused by the massive fire that swept through the camp yesterday. As we hear of the loss of life, belongings and homes of thousands of refugees here in Kutapalong refugee camp, we also are saddened by the discovery last week of a brain tumor in Christine's mom.

Annika, mom (Faith) and Nathan

Faith Lindell (Christine's mom) experienced a very sudden onset of not being able to come up with words when she was talking. A CT scan last week revealed a brain tumor. Siblings and grandkids have rallied around her and dad during this difficult time. We are grateful for so many family members living close to her in Minnesota. It is difficult to be so far away. Mom will be undergoing surgery on Wednesday morning (central time USA) in St Paul, Minnesota. We ask for your prayers.

In addition we ask that you continue to join us in praying for the ongoing emergency here in KTP.

This morning our shelter team headed out early to camp 8E to begin their emergency response to the loss of homes from the fire yesterday. 12 hours later they finished up for the day and have sent some photos.  The team did their initial assessment of the damage and then began distribution of emergency kits. They managed to do an initial distribution of 228 kits. The team will be back in the field again tomorrow and will continue with the kit distribution. They will likely be working on emergency response for some time to come.  

In the areas of the camps where the fire swept through nothing has been left untouched

Shelter team setting up for distributions

'The tiny beginnings of a new home' for 228 families today

Shelter kits include the following items:

Rope 6mm: 1bundle
Tarp: 1 pcs
Floor Mat: 2pcs
Mosquito Net: 1pcs
Blanket: 2pcs
Jute Bag: 3pcs
Face Mask: 3pcs
Muli Bamboo: 3pcs

Initial rapid assessments show 8 adults and 3 children died in the fire that swept through yesterday. Approximately 10,000 homes were destroyed and 100s of other facilities (health posts, hospital, distribution sites, schools, etc). We will continue to hear more details in the coming days.

 

The Fire

Fire service making its way to the scene

 You cannot imagine how gratifying it was to receive emails of concern and solidarity from Minnesota, Canada, South Africa, Madagascar, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado and Indiana - the first one from South Africa within 10 minutes of sending out the email! And we know that many others joined in prayer. We join you in believing that the prayers of God's people change things in the heavenly realm as they overturn realities on earth! Thank you for your prayers for the Rohingya (as you will see, we still need them)! As we were receiving these expressions of solidarity from you, we were also receiving news that the fires were being brought under control. 

The news is not good. This is what we know:

1. There was a response from the Bangladeshi fire servce, thankfully!
2. As we were writing the email, we were receiving news of deaths of adults and children. Those numbers will only become clear today, and in the days to come. There was loss of life.
3. I was messaged the image of an incinerated child which must be making its way around social media.
4. We heard news that the new fence put up was deterring people from safeguarding their meager possessions. 
5. At least these facilities, who cared for the Rohingya, have been lost to the fire: an IOM (International Organization for Migration) Primary Health Care facility, MSF (Médecins sans Frontière) clinic, a PHD health post in Camp 17, Turkish hospital, Camp 8E and Camp 10 LP gas distribution posts (for LP gas that is given to the Rohingya for cooking purposes).
6. We understand that LP gas canisters have some sort of venting system that would keep them from exploding (this is to be confirmed). At one point the logistics cluster was putting out an urgent message to remove oxygen tanks from health facilities in the path of the fire. We pray that was able to happen. 
7. A rapid assessment team was able to make it into Camp 8E by 8:30 pm. Here is their assessment:
8. 

1. The fire spread beyond the camps into surrounding areas. We know of two Medair Bangladeshi nutrition employees who lost their homes which were just outside the camp limits. 

   

   A map of the mega-camp with an estimated population

2. It remains to be see if all fires are yet under control. 
3. There was a massive migration of people from affected areas in the camps to unaffected areas (they could not move outside the camp because of the fence, I presume). The rebuilding process will be immense.
4. There has been a call to reassure refugees that documents attesting to their refugee status, and giving them access to services, will be reissued as many may have been lost to the fire. This is part of the loss for them. 
5. All our Medair shelter staff were able to get out of camp 8E safely.
6. All our Medair nutrition staff are safe and accounted for. 
7. The Medair Mobile Medical Team (MMT - part of our health team) is standing by for deployment (with many other teams which were being mobilized last evening), and the Medair ambulance is ready to serve as well.
8. The Medair SHE team will be leaving Cox's Bazar within 1.5 hours to go to camp 8E where they are the emergency shelter focal point. 

There is much more we simply don't know at this point. 

This morning we join our voices in lament with our Hebrew

A view of the devastation

ancestors in the faith and with the Rohingya who must also be expressing such sentiment: "1 ¶  How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2  How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3  Consider and answer me, O LORD my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death…." (Psalm 13). May the God of all comfort be the consolation of this people, the Rohingya in the camps, who are declared non-people in their homeland and who suffer as refugees in this land, and across the world. May this God answer their wailing and their prayer, "How long?"

Pray for: 

• the consolation of a people for whom this suffering is simply stacked on top of a mound of other adversity and torment.
• for the Medair shelter and MMT teams to bring material, emotional and spiritual comfort as they deploy to these areas.
• the COVID-19 surge happening in Bangladesh (the vaccination campaign in the camps is due to start on the 27th of this month).
• those who lost family members, belongings, and the little documentation they were able to bring from Myanmar.
• all those responding to this crisis - they they will alleviate suffering and bring comfort.
• organizations who have lost facilities.
• that our upside-down God can bring good out of this bleak situation!
• for humanitarian aid workers and other Bangladeshi who have lost their homes to the fire, or been affected in other ways. 

We leave you with Psalm 90:

1 ¶  Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3  You turn us back to dust, and say, "Turn back, you mortals."

4  For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night.

5  You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning;

6  in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

7 ¶  For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed.

8  You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

9  For all our days pass away under your wrath; our years come to an end like a sigh.

10  The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

11  Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

12 ¶  So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

13  Turn, O LORD! How long? Have compassion on your servants!

14  Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

15  Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us, and as many years as we have seen evil.

16  Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.

17  Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!

Bangladesh as a model for the US?

Christine ran across this article recently: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/10/opinion/biden-child-poverty-bangladesh.html

As someone who has worked to address child malnutrition her whole career this really affirms the importance of investing in children for Christine. She loves the ending quote from Kristof, the writer - 'Bangladesh reminds us that investing in marginalised children isn’t just about compassion, but about helping a nation soar'

I have no doubt that the Biden Rescue Plan would be contentious for more than a few readers of this blog. We agree with the writer of this article that childhood poverty in the US is a blemish on the face of US economic strength. And wouldn't it be amazing to cut childhood poverty in half in the US? This really should be a priority for the church as well, not leaving such initiative to government! 

The bridge built over the last year not far from our base

But the real reason we are bringing up this article is because of its mention of Bangladesh as a model for development. We are constantly amazed at the progress in Bangladesh (though our understanding of Bangladesh as a whole is pretty limited). This is where Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) was first invented, reducing mortality from diarrheal disease not only in Bangladesh, but quite literally, around the world for millions of people. The factor most directly connected to improving child malnutrition rates is education levels of girls/young women and Bangladesh has seen that improvement through their commitment to getting girls educated and gainfully employed as adults. 

We have been amazed as, over the last year, a formidable bridge was built over a stream that we cross when we go walking for recreation in the rice paddies not far from our base. Concrete footings were sunk into the bed of the stream. And it seems that this work was all done by hand using all local labor. Now people in this area have better access to markets for their products. And roads, big and small, are constantly being improved. Bangladesh has really made amazing progress, as Kristof points out. 

Our focus here is really the Rohingya. But Medair Bangladesh employs around 160 Bangladeshi staff for our work with the Rohingya. We rub shoulders with them every day. We pray together for the Rohingya (though we come from 4 different faith traditions). And Christine & I enjoy getting to know our Bangladeshi colleagues, and their country, better. 

 End of year party - female staff got matching blue saris to celebrate

It is possible for all of us to get jaded to the realities around us, and accept them as immutable. However, few things are, in fact, unchangeable. Bangladesh is showing us that. We pray that Bangladesh will continue to lead the way for change which happens all around the world! 

Praise for: 

• Small wins in getting permissions to continue our work in the camps (we have approval for all the Nutrition facilities)
• Phil's enjoyment of the challenges of the PC position and being able to contribute to the program as PC.

 Prayer for: 

• More small (and big!) wins in terms of approvals for our work 
• the SHE team has, thus far, only gotten permission to move ahead with 200 households (and only verbal permission) - please pray that hearts would be moved so these families living in housing that needs upgrading before the monsoon and cyclone seasons, can have access to this assistance. 
• The thousands of Rohingya refugees who have been moved to Basan Char island from the camps - the UN is doing an assessment this week - pray that this improves the situation for those moved there.
• A disabled boat off the coast of India full of Rohingya refugees that has not been rescued for 3 weeks! The situation of people on board has to be dire at this point. There is currently wrangling around where the refugees will be taken which is also hampering the rescue. 
• Like many other places in the world, we seem to be having a bit of a surge in COVID-19 cases here in BGD. You prayers for the sparing of the refugees, and the country as a whole, are greatly appreciated!