All but two states out of 14 were affected in Myanmar because of Cyclone Komen, according to BBC News. Donations were made from communities, schools, individuals, business owners, different organizations and churches. Leaders of the Chin Community of Indiana (CCI), and 36 pastors from Chin churches called an emergency meeting on Aug. 3, 2015 at the Chin Center and formed the Chin Emergency Relief Committee (CERC). Kjack William, president of CCI, and chairman of CERC, states that he feels very grateful for all the donations they have received so far. William wants the people in Burma to know that people internally are doing their best to aid them.

“What I want to say to my people that are victims of the flood, the trouble that they are facing right now is very painful,” William wrote in an email to the Journal. “Your patriots whom are living across  all over the world share our sorrowness. We will try with all our will and try to send help. Churches are also praying for them all. I want them to regard that God will make a way for them.

Community

The objective of the CERC is to collect donations for the victims of the flood and landslides in Burma. $73,143.00 has been received as of Sept 14., according to report from Mrs.Nguncer Bualteng, treasurer of CERC. The donation will be collected until the end of October 2015. William is very thankful for all the donations that everyone has donated. They received more donations than they thought they would and they still have more coming in from some churches. There were organizing events that held a fundraising, including donations during Mizo Conference and Falam New Year Festival.

Churches

Most churches collected donations through one tenths and offerings during church services. Rev. Ci Kap, pastor of Falam Baptist Church of Indiana (FBCI), says that his church made donations through CCI and Chin Baptist Association of North America (CBA,NA). He says that their church has donated around $12,000 as of Sept. 13, $4,000 was through CCI and 800 was through CBA,NA. Simliar to FBCI, Indiana Chin Baptist Church (ICBC), also donated through CCI and one by themselves. ICBC has already sent $100,000, collected from one tenths, as a church by themselves earlier and they have rasied $36,850 as of Sept. 14, according to ICBC Pastor Rev. Lal Cung Awi. He says that the money will most likely be used for emergency immediate needs such as food, medicine, and shelter.

Perry Township

Perry Meridian High School (PMHS) raised a total  of $2,813.60 as of Sept. 14.

Junior Zing Meng stated that their school used one strategy and that was class competition. They collected and donated during lunch time from Monday Aug. 10 to Thursday Aug. 14. The winning class was able to wear athletic shorts or sweatpants on the following Friday. Meng believes that the majority of the school participated because of dedication to their school. She feels that PMHS did very well, she wasn’t expecting students to be raising over almost $3,000, especially when they are giving away and coming up with ways to help people in another continent that they have never met.

“I’m really proud of how caring and sympathetic our school is,” Meng said.

SHS raised $802.36 as of Sept. 14. When Junior Van Hnem saw the flood on the news, she wanted to find a way to help. She went to her English teacher Ms. Sara Kohne and they came up with an idea to collect donations during iPass class. The  iPass class who donated the most money would get donuts. Hnem had a goal of raising over $2,000, but she didn’t reached her goal. Even though she didn’t reached her goal, she wasn’t disappointed. She says was glad that it was better than nothing.

The treasurer from Perry Township schools will write a check to PTEC for the amount of money raised by each school in Perry Township. The township will total all the money raised by all schools and write a check for the total dollar amount to CCI. They will then send the money around November, according to William. As a total, CC has received $73143.00 as of Sept. 14.