One year has passed since the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Myanmar on March 28, 2025, destroying homes, damaging infrastructure, and causing heartbreak across the country. One of World Renew’s local partners navigated the challenges of aftershocks, blocked roads, and unstable structures to share hope and compassion with survivors through the delivery of food items, hygiene kits, tarpaulins for shelter, and other emergency necessities. Despite the fear, loss, and deep uncertainty that survivors faced, many give praise to God for his protection, the resilience of their communities, and the support made possible through the gifts of generous-hearted people.

Ja Seng Bu, 38, a designer and mother of two, shares that five members of her household of seven were at home when the first tremor was felt. Her husband urged everyone outside. When they re‑entered the house to assess the damage, a second tremor hit. “I grabbed my father‑in‑law and ran,” she recalls. “I praise God that we were all safe.” Part of their home later collapsed, but thankfully, no one was hurt.

However, Ja Seng Bu says her children were traumatized and would flinch at every sound. For a month following the earthquake, Ja Seng Bu and her husband could not work, and their family slept outside on the ground, too afraid to return indoors. Although it was a period of great uncertainty and anxiety about the future, Ja Seng Bu remembers that “God prepared for our daily life,” and she expresses deep gratitude for the essential items World Renew’s partner delivered to her community. “Every donation is priceless,” she says. “Thank you for showing the love of the Lord, Jesus.”

When the earthquake struck, Zum Lu Taung, 55, a deacon, was attending a condolence service—a time already heavy with the pain of loss. “The sound came first,” she recalls. “Cars were bouncing, houses were swaying.” Zum Lu Taung says that she held on tightly to two elderly women and together they cried out for God’s mercy. On her journey home, she was heartbroken to see damaged and collapsed houses. She found her three children terrified and her own home damaged, but her heart ached most for those who had lost everything. In the days that followed, she admits, “I felt hopeless.” But when World Renew’s partner began distributing emergency items, she expressed deep gratitude for the supplies given with love, care, and kindness. “Your compassion is truly appreciated,” she says. “We pray God’s blessings upon you.”

Following the earthquake, Pastor Tial, her husband, their three children, and two guests who had been staying with the family were forced to set up temporary shelter in a tent on the roadside. The ground floor of the family’s apartment building had collapsed, rendering the structure uninhabitable. Pastor Tial says when the first tremor began, she was preparing lunch—a lunch she did not get to eat. “The whole day, I was hungry and thirsty,” she recalls. And for the next three days, “both water and food were extremely scarce.” But there was another challenge. “The toilet situation was the hardest,” Pastor Tial says. Hundreds of displaced families in the area needed access to toilets. The monks living in a nearby monastery generously allowed families to use the facilities. “There are only two toilets in the monastery. The monks told us to use them before they wake up, so we wake up at around 3 a.m. to drink water and use the toilet,” shares Pastor Tial.

Life was challenging and further complicated by the fact that Pastor Tial’s husband was recovering from a stroke. Uncertainty loomed large—there were no answers about repairs to their apartment building, relocation, or how long they would live under tarps vulnerable to rain and wind. But when aid arrived—rice, stoves, and water buckets—hearts were filled with gratitude. “We extend heartfelt thanks,” Pastor Tial says. “Your generosity truly benefits us.”

Reverend Zaw Lu Char was stranded abroad when the earthquake struck. With flights canceled and communications down, he spent days traveling back to hard-hit Mandalay. Upon his arrival, he found the church building with cracked walls, frightened church members, and grieving neighbors. He says, when World Renew’s partner came to offer food donations, the people in the church community felt blessed and worked to share the food, fostering a deeper sense of community. “I am always grateful for the grace we’ve received,” Reverend Zaw Lu Char shares. “Your humanitarian effort and kindness are truly appreciated. Thank you so much.”

Before the earthquake, Daw Aye Pwint, 62, was already carrying the weight of worry about a son who had been conscripted and was missing for a month. She was preparing to take her medicine when the earthquake shook her wooden house violently. Already in poor health, and with her other children struggling for work, she had no means to repair the resulting damage. She took shelter with relatives. The support she got from World Renew’s partner brought her much-needed relief and eased the burden of worry. “It means so much during this difficult time,” she says. “Thank you. May you continue to be a blessing.”

One year later, the experiences of Ja Seng Bu, Zum Lu Taung, Pastor Tial, Reverend Zaw Lu Char, and Daw Aye Pwint reflect the wider story of resilience across Myanmar. Though loss and uncertainty marked their days, the support offered through World Renew’s partner reminded families that they were not alone.