Up Dated Cyclone Relief Fund

We are experiencing God's mercy and grace in each day of our lives. God has been pouring out abundance of blessing through our channel of blessing at OBMBC toward the cyclone victims of Myanmar (Burma). Last Sunday, as we continue to count the cyclone relief fund, we have reached 57,000 U.S. dollars mark. Out of it, we have sent out totalling $51,000 to the groups that are doing relief work directly to the victims. The rest of the amount will be sent out before the end of June. We believe that this cyclone relief fund will be increase as time goes by. May God richly bless you for your generous giving.

We Hit the Bench Mark!

We have raised, over all relief funds for the cyclone Nargis victims of Myanmar (Burma), well over our bench mark of $50,000 US dollars. Our gross amount of $51,504 was the last count on last Sunday. It is still growing. Praise the Lord! Today we have sent out total amount of $46,000 to the cyclone victims in Burma. The rest will be sent out along with additional donations that are coming in from the individuals.

Out of those relief funds we spread out into the following designated groups;

Pwo Karen groups who are working on the ground zero locations, received ($15,000) US dollars for helping out the victims in food, shelter, and clothing.

Another group is Sagaw Karen. We sent out also ($15,000) US dollars. This group is working with the leaders of local churches where the victims are taking shelter. They will rebuild bigger church buildings to accommodate more victims, especially foster children for shutter and food.

The third group is working at Labutta, Pyapon, and Bogalay districts where they rebuild the villages and farms. The first thing the victims need on those location is fresh water. Thus, this group will provide Artesian wells for each location that needed. The cost for building one artesian well is about US. $1,000 dollars. So we sent out ($10,000) dollars to this group to build estimate artesian well of ten.

The fourth group is to the leaders of cyclone affected Theological Colleges and Seminaries. We sent out for $6,000 dollars. There are three theological schools that received for $2,000 each to repair and rebuilt the school buildings, library and dormitories.

Thank you to every one of you who give lavishly to help the cyclone victims of Burma. May our Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you. Definitely, God’s love is shine upon to those who give cheerfully. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor.9:7)

Our Secretary’s jaw was drop during Sunday worship service!

Indeed, Ko David S. Lwin, secretary of OBMBC, his jaw was drop when he received the big chunk of check in his hands. Our host church as well as partner in ministry, Oakland First Baptist Church (OFBC) donated ($ 7,420) addition to the previous week donation ($2,650) to the cyclone Nargis victims of Myanmar (Burma) through the OBMBC relief effort fund account for Burma. When Ko David brought check during the service to my hand, I was pulsed for a moment thinking “what is God doing in our midst?” Reflected upon Ko David’s words in email to Pastor Nancy, saying,

“Earlier that day when I was preparing to write the announcement, Pastor Lone made a remark wishing that we reach the total fundraising goal of $ 50,000 by May 31st. I think God must have heard his wish because it didn’t take very long for us to get a big chunk of contribution from you. With your big help, we are well on our way to reach that goal, if not already.”

We are thankful for OFBC’s generosity toward people of Burma. In fact, this is not a first time from OFBC shows kindness and ministering the needs of people of Burma. History of OFBC has shown that this very church sent out two of their missionaries to Burma during 19 century. History repeats itself once again OFBC reaching out the people of Burma.

(Grace Seagrave) (Hill Karen Tribe Girls) (Children Ministry)

When I announced the news to the congregation during the service, every one give applause for the glory of God. May the Lord continue to bless OFBC in their mission and ministry here at Oakland and aboard.

(Gordon Seagrave) (Shan Trib Village)

Relief & Re-Life

Oakland Burmese Mission Baptist Church (OBMBC) of Oakland California has held the Fund Raising Food Fair and Musical Concert for the relief effort of cyclone Nargis victims of Myanmar (Burma) on May 24th 2008. Our location for the event is provided by the Korean Church named "New Life Church" of Fremont. Rev. Dr. Wee and Rev. Kim have assisted the need of facility usage for this event. Our connection to Rev. Wee was established by Rev. Yu from San Jose Korean Presbyterian Church of San Jose. We are deeply appreciated for this gracious act toward Burmese community.



Why we chose Fremont location? The simple reason is to reach out the Burmese community as well as other people who have much concern for the cyclone victims of Burma. The event was turned out to be successful. We have about four to five hundred including children, youth, young and old attendees in our event. We also have four professional Burmese singers; Tun Tun, Nyi Pu Lay, Pho Pan, and Mi Mi Win Pe who helped to raise fund by their talent for the great cause. We have raised approximately well over $11,000 dollars in our food sale, concert tickets sale, cyclone T-shirt sale, and Raffle Tickets sale. Many of our OBMBC members have pulled up this event within two weeks time frame to accomplish the urgent needs in Burma.



We continue to raise the relief fund by other means. We have a Matching Fund ledger account at OBMBC during the month of May. Any donation from individual or organization for the cyclone victims of Burma, the church will match up to $ 10,000. We thank God for the generous donation from the individual, churches in Bay area, companies, and organizations. So far total relief fund raised by OBMBC since early May is well over 30,000 dollars.



Early weeks of May, OBMBC collected special offering on one Sunday Service for cyclone victims of Burma about $ 5,100 and sent out immediately to the victims. All the donation dollars will go directly to the victims through our local churches leaders, ministers, and field workers in Burma. We expect to send the rest of the relief fund on early week of June.





Thank you OBMBCers for your leadership and great effort to accomplish this marvelous task for the great cause. We just want to thank God for all things that are possible before us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Raising Money and Raising People

Some may think that, it is an easy task to sell foods and organize a small fund raising event. However, you may not know what's going on behind the scene.

Yes! we are doing fund raising for the cyclone victims of Burma (Myanmar) on May 24Th Saturday between 3 PM to 8 PM at New Life Church in Fremont. (See the flyer on our Home page)

What I am learning in this fund raising event preparation is that while we are raising Fund for victims of Burma, we, the church members are being raised into next Laval of spiritual maturity. Our lives are being worked on by our compassion, love and faith that we have in Christ Jesus.

Jesus said that if we do something for the least or needy ones, we are doing it for him. "For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." said Jesus regarding the poor and needy. Jesus said, "assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matthews 25:35,36,40). Let us do something for Jesus on this coming weekend.

Basket 5: Trusting in God for the Rest

It is about May: our basket 5 is "Trusting in God." Just like the boy brought his dinner box, five loaves and two fishes to Jesus. It may be not enough to feed five thousands more people with these a little dinner that he had. Yet when he trusted in Jesus and Jesus took care of the rest, could feed over five thousand people. That is our theme of the month, May. We will trust in God for the rest and we will give our best even though it may be small.

Indeed, we received this basket of trusting in God with dedication of our hearts back to God. Especially, we are trusting God with little things that we have such as money, time, talent, and prayer for the cyclone Nargis victims of Burma. We will apply our trusting basket in our fund raising event on this Saturday, May 24Th at New Life Church in Fremont. We will give our time, money, talent and prayer which what we have and can to help relief cyclone victims of Burma. Come let's us do our best and give what we have. Let us trust God with what we give which may be small that He will multiply it abundance.

Happy Mothers' Day!

Happy Mothers' Day! It was a great time of worship as well as honoring our Mothers on last Sunday. Children say why they are thank God for their moms.




Fathers cooked Shan noddles and we all enjoyed so much. Our message was "Family is the shelter in the time of storm." Of cause Mothers are the strong bonds to our families ties.



Guests and family members were filled the dinning hall. We celebrate a twins' birthday at the same time. Thank God for all these happiness and joy on our Mothers' Day.



May God bless our mothers....