Rev. Simon Htwe gathered the Bible school students and our American Baptist group in the assembly hall—a simple open area with rows of plastic chairs, an electric key board, a stage with podium and a microphone. Rev. Simon put our group on the stage looking out to the students.
After some songs sung by the students, he welcomed us and offered remarks about the suffering of the Karen people through various regimes. He spoke of the start of the Bible school and where the students came from. Currently, there are Karen, Karenni, Lahu, Mon, Ahka, Chin and even a couple of Thai students enrolled in the school. Rev. Simon and his wife and three daughters feel called to their ministry in the Bible School, he said, and have no intention of leaving.
After Rev. Simon finished his hour-long remarks, Roy spoke, expressing our sympathy for the Karen struggles and affirming ABCUSA support, as well as its historical relationship with Karen Christians.
Carol, from North Shore Baptist in Chicago, presented gifts of books to the Bible school, and Mark, from Tabernacle Baptist Church in Utica, spoke about Karen refugees in his church and an early missionary sent from his church to Burma. From International Ministries, Angela brought greetings. Rick, Ken and I brought greetings from National Ministries, and Ken presented our monetary gift to Rev. Simon. I said a few words about using the gift to benefit the children, and I encouraged the young women to stay strong. Ed, from Boston, added another monetary gift to benefit the school.
After all the exchanges and remarks, a few students shared memorable gifts, including a printed Karen calendar, with us. We felt the Spirit among us. The meeting ended with a few more songs and the Karen anthem. Warm hand shakes, pictures and smiles marked our departure from the school.
We still had two hours before 6 o'clock when visitors must leave the camp. Duane took us for a short walk to the orphanage--a place where 20 boys and 20 girls are taken care of. A young man in charge greeted us and answered questions. We saw a teenage boy with a guitar, and we asked him to play while the children sang for us. Their voices were so strong, which truly showed their love of music. We gave them gifts, and as we left, Sandy (from Rochester), Roy and some of us picked up a Frisbee and played with the kids.
We followed a dirt path to a house (all houses in the camp are made with bamboo, banana leaves and straw) occupied by a group of handicap residents. Each one of them had lost either a limb or eyesight by stepping on a land mine as they escaped from their villages. Their futures are forever dark... their lives have been robbed.... We were not only shocked and disheartened, but also speechless!
We spent a few more minutes strolling around the camp until a sudden, loud sound signaled it was time to leave. We walked back to the vans with sadness and overwhelming emotions. As we drove from the camp, conversations were subdued. Quietly, I tried to comprehend how to digest all the things I had experienced in one day.
The van was hitting the small rocks and waves of dust stirred in the air. I watched the rows of bamboo huts, lined evenly and unevenly along the hill and on the edges of slopes … the hot sun began to sink … I saw a cross standing out on top of a church amidst the bamboo homes … and these words came to me: Have mercy on us, O God … have mercy on us.
After some songs sung by the students, he welcomed us and offered remarks about the suffering of the Karen people through various regimes. He spoke of the start of the Bible school and where the students came from. Currently, there are Karen, Karenni, Lahu, Mon, Ahka, Chin and even a couple of Thai students enrolled in the school. Rev. Simon and his wife and three daughters feel called to their ministry in the Bible School, he said, and have no intention of leaving.
After Rev. Simon finished his hour-long remarks, Roy spoke, expressing our sympathy for the Karen struggles and affirming ABCUSA support, as well as its historical relationship with Karen Christians.
Carol, from North Shore Baptist in Chicago, presented gifts of books to the Bible school, and Mark, from Tabernacle Baptist Church in Utica, spoke about Karen refugees in his church and an early missionary sent from his church to Burma. From International Ministries, Angela brought greetings. Rick, Ken and I brought greetings from National Ministries, and Ken presented our monetary gift to Rev. Simon. I said a few words about using the gift to benefit the children, and I encouraged the young women to stay strong. Ed, from Boston, added another monetary gift to benefit the school.
After all the exchanges and remarks, a few students shared memorable gifts, including a printed Karen calendar, with us. We felt the Spirit among us. The meeting ended with a few more songs and the Karen anthem. Warm hand shakes, pictures and smiles marked our departure from the school.
We still had two hours before 6 o'clock when visitors must leave the camp. Duane took us for a short walk to the orphanage--a place where 20 boys and 20 girls are taken care of. A young man in charge greeted us and answered questions. We saw a teenage boy with a guitar, and we asked him to play while the children sang for us. Their voices were so strong, which truly showed their love of music. We gave them gifts, and as we left, Sandy (from Rochester), Roy and some of us picked up a Frisbee and played with the kids.
We followed a dirt path to a house (all houses in the camp are made with bamboo, banana leaves and straw) occupied by a group of handicap residents. Each one of them had lost either a limb or eyesight by stepping on a land mine as they escaped from their villages. Their futures are forever dark... their lives have been robbed.... We were not only shocked and disheartened, but also speechless!
We spent a few more minutes strolling around the camp until a sudden, loud sound signaled it was time to leave. We walked back to the vans with sadness and overwhelming emotions. As we drove from the camp, conversations were subdued. Quietly, I tried to comprehend how to digest all the things I had experienced in one day.
The van was hitting the small rocks and waves of dust stirred in the air. I watched the rows of bamboo huts, lined evenly and unevenly along the hill and on the edges of slopes … the hot sun began to sink … I saw a cross standing out on top of a church amidst the bamboo homes … and these words came to me: Have mercy on us, O God … have mercy on us.
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