Christmas in Thailand - Heidi
The saddest thing is the atrocities are still going on in different parts of the world. Mainly I am talking about Burma. Erika...it is a strage feeling to be surrounded by kids that cannot go anywhere. That have no "HOME". The home they had, the Burma army destroyed. The Army goes through and burns whole villages while destroying the food so the Karen are left starving. They shoot Karen's at will. if you are in their way...you get shot. Or if they are feeling a little better that day you may get sentenced to 10 years in prison because of no wrong doing. The burmese are doing some serious Ethnic cleansing right under our eyes..and the UN decides to not get involved. Many of my kids have seen family member brutally shot...or returned home to find their village burned and thier grandmother or little brother with it. All seen...all still a vivid picture in their eyes. They no longer have any tears left. They laugh when they are afraid. If I scold one for doing wrong they look at me sheepishly and giggle. It is their fear surfacing.
They are living in Thailand...but most not legally. Cat asked me last week...have you ever done something so illegal that you need to run from authorities when you see them?? I looked at her and said no...not at all. She looked back at me and said "each day our kids answer to role call at school, they are doing something illegal". WOW...that hit hard. Our worlds are so different I cannot begin to grasp the life they live. The fear they live with.
Mowai (is a 19 year old...one of my really good friends) was going to meet his class on a class camping trip last week. They were already there at the spot so he was traveling by himself to get to the spot. He got stopped by a policeman and got into an argument. He didn't have his school ID on him (which he said is useless anyway)....and he was doing no wrong only going to a class outing. This policeman hasseled him...said he'd bring him back to Burma (which is a death sentence). Mowai backed down and had to call his teacher to come and get him....then he was allowed to go.
The other day in Bangkok we drove through what I think was a riot about to start. We were the last car to drive down the road...and after us it was closed by the police. As we drove by a large building that was solidly fenced in...we peered through the gate and saw many people inside, and some escaping. The policeman nearby yelled at the moped taxi drivers to not pick anyone up. Mowai of course understood the Thai and earnestly said to Momo, "don't stop...keep driving!! Don't pick anyone up!!" Five minutes later he leaned over to me and said "I was scared". I looked at him and said "I know...you are sitting so close to me we could practically be glued together from ankle to shoulder" (we had the back seat of the truck cab to ourselves...with plenty of room on each side). I smiled at him and wrapped both arms around him and jokingly said "I'll keep you safe!!"
It is a fear we will never be able to understand. No freedom to move around. No freedom to live in peace...always being on the alert incase a soldier comes. They are not legal in Thailand...so they need to fear the Thai police and the possiblity of being brought back to Burma. They need to fear the Burmese army even more because they are merciless animals and will probably lose their life if they get brought back. Where are they to go?? When the police were going through the town searching for illegal people and bringing them back to Burma a month ago, all the village people would walk up a path past our school and sleep their whole family in the jungle for the night...hoping not to be caught by the authorities. Praying another night would pass and they would still be here. There are many Christian Karen. That is their only way to freedom. Internal freedom with God. Trusting and knowing that they are in His hand while being confined to a small, ever changing space. That each day is handed over to Him and He is sovereign over all outcomes. That is their only true freedom.
I also feel trapped. Not knowing how to help them. Wanting to be of some comfort...yet being worlds apart. How could I possibly be of any comfort in such an uncontrollable situation like this? Love...is love really all we need? Can the love I know of God be enough to offer?
This weekend I read a book about the Burmese situation. It is a new book called "the heart must break" by James Mawdsley. He tries to figure the Burman army out from a political standpoint by getting incarcerated in thier jail 3 or 4 times for doing nothing wrong. He stood in the street and asked for human justice. It has really helped me to get a slight grasp on the situation...and recommend it if anyone needs a book to read.
They are living in Thailand...but most not legally. Cat asked me last week...have you ever done something so illegal that you need to run from authorities when you see them?? I looked at her and said no...not at all. She looked back at me and said "each day our kids answer to role call at school, they are doing something illegal". WOW...that hit hard. Our worlds are so different I cannot begin to grasp the life they live. The fear they live with.
Mowai (is a 19 year old...one of my really good friends) was going to meet his class on a class camping trip last week. They were already there at the spot so he was traveling by himself to get to the spot. He got stopped by a policeman and got into an argument. He didn't have his school ID on him (which he said is useless anyway)....and he was doing no wrong only going to a class outing. This policeman hasseled him...said he'd bring him back to Burma (which is a death sentence). Mowai backed down and had to call his teacher to come and get him....then he was allowed to go.
The other day in Bangkok we drove through what I think was a riot about to start. We were the last car to drive down the road...and after us it was closed by the police. As we drove by a large building that was solidly fenced in...we peered through the gate and saw many people inside, and some escaping. The policeman nearby yelled at the moped taxi drivers to not pick anyone up. Mowai of course understood the Thai and earnestly said to Momo, "don't stop...keep driving!! Don't pick anyone up!!" Five minutes later he leaned over to me and said "I was scared". I looked at him and said "I know...you are sitting so close to me we could practically be glued together from ankle to shoulder" (we had the back seat of the truck cab to ourselves...with plenty of room on each side). I smiled at him and wrapped both arms around him and jokingly said "I'll keep you safe!!"
It is a fear we will never be able to understand. No freedom to move around. No freedom to live in peace...always being on the alert incase a soldier comes. They are not legal in Thailand...so they need to fear the Thai police and the possiblity of being brought back to Burma. They need to fear the Burmese army even more because they are merciless animals and will probably lose their life if they get brought back. Where are they to go?? When the police were going through the town searching for illegal people and bringing them back to Burma a month ago, all the village people would walk up a path past our school and sleep their whole family in the jungle for the night...hoping not to be caught by the authorities. Praying another night would pass and they would still be here. There are many Christian Karen. That is their only way to freedom. Internal freedom with God. Trusting and knowing that they are in His hand while being confined to a small, ever changing space. That each day is handed over to Him and He is sovereign over all outcomes. That is their only true freedom.
I also feel trapped. Not knowing how to help them. Wanting to be of some comfort...yet being worlds apart. How could I possibly be of any comfort in such an uncontrollable situation like this? Love...is love really all we need? Can the love I know of God be enough to offer?
This weekend I read a book about the Burmese situation. It is a new book called "the heart must break" by James Mawdsley. He tries to figure the Burman army out from a political standpoint by getting incarcerated in thier jail 3 or 4 times for doing nothing wrong. He stood in the street and asked for human justice. It has really helped me to get a slight grasp on the situation...and recommend it if anyone needs a book to read.
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