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Area residents caught in Myanmar devastation
D.J. and Katherine Condon went to Myanmar to teach.
PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- For a Bay area couple the catastrophe in Myanmar is to close to home.
Pinellas County residents Kiaralinda and Todd Ramquist's neighbors are trapped in the middle of the devastation that has taken the lives of thousands.
The Ramquist's neighbors, D.J. and Katherine Condon, left Safety Harbor two years ago to teach at the international school in Myanmar.
D.J. is a principal and Katherine is a teacher.
The Condons keep in contact with their friends back home via e-mail, even though they were being watched by Myanmar's military government.
The Condons are using e-mail to get the message out that they need help.
"We're living with no electricity and limited water, praying that the water we do get is pure," the Condons said in an e-mail message.
The e-mails have sparked donations for the couple.
"Through two days we've raised $5,000, which we'll deposit tomorrow," Todd said.
The Ramquists know how bleak the situation is in Myanmar. They traveled to the country in October.
Todd and Kiaralinda Ramquist communicate with the Condons through e-mail.
"Our trip was a very difficult trip there," Todd said. "Just because it's more than just being poor. When this happens, we imagine how bad it was when we were there. It was a really difficult living situation. It would be like, take away their water and food."
The Condons are asking people to donate to International Development Enterprises, a non-profit organization that sends relief to people in developing countries.
The group already has 125 workers in Myanmar. Donations will go toward water storage containers, water treatment supplies and shelters.
Katherine plans to leave for Hong Kong as soon as she can. D.J. Plans on staying in Myanmar for at least two more weeks.
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