Dear Friends and Readers,

Thank you so much for your kind emails and calls to us about the situation in Burma (also called Myanmar), which was severely hit by Cyclone Nargis three weeks ago.

As many of you know, my wife, DMW partner and love of my life Tinzar, is Burmese, and her parents and many family members live in Rangoon, the country's commercial center in the south of Burma (the area hit by the storm).

For the first two weeks after the storm, we were unable to contact her parents and family, but last week we reached a relative by cell phone (phone lines and electricity are still out in most of the city) and learned that her parents and family are fine (the roof of their home, while damaged, is being repaired). As to the extent of the damage and relief efforts, we still don't know much more than what we hear on the news here and are very concerned about the situation there.

Many of you have asked how you can help, and we have referred you to the Unicef relief fund, which is administered by the United Nations and is working with the Burmese government to get aid and relief workers into the most effected areas.

We have also learned of a non-profit fund that has several people on the ground and is providing direct relief to people in the effected areas. The fund has been set up by the family of U Thant, who served as Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971. If you are interested in and able to donate to the fund, please go to http://www.uthantinstitute.org/emcrf-please-donate/. There is more information at the site about the institute and their relief efforts.

Your kind thoughts and support for the relief efforts in Burma mean a lot to us. Thank you.

Best regards,