we love burma

asking for big things.

2009-08-22T21:14:00.002-05:00

You said ask and you will receive whatever you need
You said pray and I'll hear from heaven, and I'll heal your land
You said your glory will fill the earth like water the seas
You said lift up your eyes, the harvest is here, the kingdom is near
You said

Ask and I'll give the nations to you
Oh, Lord, that's the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see
Your light as it rises on us

This song, "You Said," was written on our hearts all summer. We have asked for so many big things for the Karen, for Burma, and even for ourselves as we look ahead to the unknowns of our future. We also had so many people praying big things for us from home, and we are so thankful that.
We were able to share this song with the students and invite them to join us in asking for big things from a big God who loves us. We want to invite you to do the same as we return. Please keep praying for Burma, for the Karen people, and for the students at Noh Bo. We ask you'd be praying big things for us, too, as we return to a very stressful two months before our wedding and countless decisions and unknowns.
Thank you for the prayers you have offered up for us already! We pray God will bless you for your faithfulness.

saying goodbyes.

2009-08-22T19:33:00.007-05:00

We made it home this week and wanted to catch you up on our last few weeks with the students. We miss them already and are so thankful for our time there. We hope these pictures give you an idea of the blessings God had for us at Noh Bo.

Noh Bo loves holidays! We got another day off school for the "Ribbon-Tying Ceremony". This is traditional Karen holiday where they tie strings on each others wrists and bless one another. The whole community showed up and filled the place.

This is Stephen in his traditional Karen attire having a string tied on his wrist.

Kelli is waiting with the girls to have a string tied on her wrist.

Hsar Khee Lar, Kelli, and Eh Dee Na are "having style" in the dormitory during a girls night.

Bingo was really popular all summer. It was a great way to include lots of students of all ages and English levels. It also helped us to pick up our Karen numbers, through fifty at least.

One of the highlights of the summer was discovering Christ Stone Records in the little village of Noh Bo. Christ (pronounced Chris) is the music teacher at Noh Bo and also has his own recording studio. Stephen was able to spend some afternoons and Saturdays working with him. It was great for them to get to teach one another, as well as for Stephen to get to see God use his degree.

These are a couple more pictures of Kelli spending time at the girls' dormitory. They are making necklaces and friendship bracelets in the bottom photo.

Near the end of our stay eight computers and internet were donated to Noh Bo. This will be a great opportunity for the kids, so we tried to help them get started. Here Stephen is teaching them about the internet, trying to show them the good websites that can help them and warn them about being careful.

Still more Bingo...

All of the students really love music and many are learning guitar. We found that most of the guitars were missing strings or parts and pretty far out of tune. The last day we were there, Stephen worked hard to put new strings on eight guitars and fix a few broken ones. He also got them all into tune and left a tuner for them to share.

On our last day, the students gave us an incredible farewell ceremony. They prayed for us, sang us a song, and gave us these handmade yarn leis. It was so sad to leave, but we felt so loved.

This is both of us after the ceremony with the Special 2 (grade 12) students. The headmaster, Candlepaw, is also in the front, third from the left.

This is Stephen with Toehla. He was a great help to us all summer and has a great heart. He gave a speech in English (a huge accomplishment!) at our farewell ceremony and wrote the song that the students sang.

After leaving Noh Bo, we went back to Mae Sot for a few days of rest. One morning we took a 4-hour cooking class to learn how to make ethnic foods in the area, including some Karen dishes. We really enjoyed the class and are excited to be able to cook some local foods for our Karen friends in America. Overall, our time at Noh Bo was incredible, and our time of rest was much needed. God has been good to us.

give thanks.

2009-07-25T05:55:00.002-05:00

Thankfully, we've been able to update this with very little stress! We've found faster internet and were able to upload pictures and write stories quite easily. After a few stressful attempts at this, we are really thankful. Enjoy this with us :)

thanksgiving in july!

2009-07-25T05:35:00.005-05:00

July 24 was Thanksgiving Day (or Blessings Day) at Noh Bo Academy. Twelve years ago, the Thai government came to the school and said they needed the land so the school would have to close. The teachers and students fasted and prayed for the school for three days. The Thai government came back and said they didn't need the land anymore, and Noh Bo could continue to meet. Every year, they have competitions and celebrate the anniversary.

The kids are divided into four teams: red, blue, green, and yellow. There are competitions between the teams in football, caneball, volleyball (girls and boys), singing, and reciting. The singing is one girl and one boy from each team who sing a student-written song about the situation twelve years ago. As a team they also sing the school song in Karen and English. For recitations, one boy and one girl from each team recite the 22 school rules by memory (yikes).

We got put on teams, too. Kelli was on red, which made it to the football final (a very big deal). This was the group of cheering girls all sporting our team spirit.

If you can see, the girl in the back row on the far right is Hsar Khee Lar, our Karen teacher. She is so sweet to us and teaches us patiently every day during her free time.

There was a big ceremony on Friday to hear the singing, recitations, and other special events. It was fun, but an incredibly long four hours of not really knowing what was going on. Knowing our numbers and alphabet in Karen didn't get us too far...

We did get to participate a bit. This picture is Stephen getting to hand out prizes at the end. We also were asked to "sing a special song" with the band. This was fine, except that they sing FAST. They start fast and then they get faster. So, we sang "You Said" at incredible speed, and gave them a bout of laughter in the middle.

This is Stephen and I in a coffee shop in Mae Sot. We've come back this weekend to regroup and make tests for the kids...we have to give exams this next week and give them marks for July.

Thanks for the continued prayers. We're headed back to Noh Bo tomorrow for two more wonderful weeks, and then we've got a few days of rest before tackling the America and whatever God has for us. Please keep up the prayers; we're dependent on them.

oh, my.

2009-07-25T05:30:00.002-05:00

We really can't capture their athletic ability in pictures, but we have to at least include a few. This is caneball (or takraw or kball), which is a mix of soccer and volleyball. You use your feet and head similar to soccer, but you play over a net with the three-hit pattern of volleyball. It's absolutely incredible to watch them.
This was the tournament for Thanksgiving Day competitions. As you see the pictures, just keep in mind they all landed on their feet and kept playing like it was completely natural to move like that.

Can you see his foot in this one? It's directly above his head.

welcome to the hut.

2009-07-25T05:00:00.010-05:00

This is our lovely home at Noh Bo! We both live in a volunteers hut on the school campus. There are also two boys dorms and one girls dorm that are similar to ours. For the volunteers, the boys rooms are to the left (so Stephen and one other guy live there). The kitchen and common area are in the middle, and then the girls rooms are to the right (where Kelli lives with one other female volunteer). It's absolutely lovely, made of bamboo and teak wood with a roof made of leaves. It sounds incredible when it rains.

After a days of prodding the kids, they come to visit us now in the evenings. This was one night of painting and games. This particular picture is taken in the common area, where we have meals and such.

Poh Reh is one of the grade 12 students.

Quite a few of the kids are learning guitar and have liked learning English songs from Stephen. This is a view of them playing on the front porch.

Toela has been a big help with translating for us. He has a very kind heart and seems to be very genuinely seeking the Lord.

beautiful kids.

2009-07-11T22:46:00.007-05:00

We are currently in Mae Sot for a weekend of rest and nourishment. The last two weeks in Noh Bo have been great; the students are so smart. We teach during the days. We do Bible together on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings; Kelli teaches sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades. Stephen teaches two fifth grades and social studies to the eleventh and twelfth graders.

In the afternoons, the kids love to play sports. We try to play along, but stick out pretty badly! Stephen played football for an hour and touched the ball twice. We have fared better at volleyball, but definitely have our share of screwups. They figured out we can tell they are talkig about us when they say our names, so they've switched to "thramu" (teacher) and "gulawah" (white person).

We are heading back today for at least another two weeks. We have absolutely no internet in the area, so we are sorry updates are few and far between! Even internet in Mae Sot has been frustrating. Even so, please continue to pray and lift us up. We know this is where God has us, but he is stretching us and showing us our dependence on Him.

Kelli trying jack fruit that the kids brought us.

Here we are on the porch to the volunteer hut, where the kids come to hang out with us in the evenings. The boys brought us mango and durian to try this night. The mango was delicious.

This is the view from the volunteer hut we live in. There is lots of fog in the mornings during rainy season, but you can see the large football field of mud and the girls dormitory across the way.

The boys are faithful to play football for hours each day, no matter the weather. Here they are sliding in the mud while we watch from our clean, dry porch.

Thank you for your faithfulness to pray. Here are some specifics to help:

- energy and patience in the daily stresses of teaching, sports, and relationships

- that our conversations and impact would be eternal

- Kelli's new, two-week-old neice, Emma; she's been in and out of the hospital with unknown health issues. this is especially scary from such a distance, so please be praying

- stress with what awaits us in August as we return to a very stressful two months of finding jobs, a place to settle, and plan a wedding...we are confident this is where God called us to be, but it has left us in a place of utter dependence.

Ta blut doh ma!

(Thank you very much)

more pictures of popphra!

2009-06-27T22:14:00.007-05:00

We got a few more pictures uploaded; sorry they are so small. The internet just can't handle anything bigger. Enjoy!

Stephen and Kelli with John, a Christian English teacher at the Thai school. We taught some of his classes, had lunch with him every day, and were invited to his house for dinner one evening. We ask that you pray for him as he is in such a dark place and a very young Christian.

These are all out of order, but this was one of the older kids at Thoo Mweh Khee singing a special song to us as we left. They called us up to the stage, presented us with Karen bags, and said their goodbyes. We were able to thank them and pray for them. It was such an honor to be so warmly treated after just two weeks.

Kelli teaching her third grade class.

Stephen with his fifth grade class.

We were just minutes drive from the Thai-Burma border. The pastor we worked with had connections along the border and was able to get through the checkpoints easily. This is us just along the border (which is formed by the river); we are standing in Thailand and Burma is directly behind us.

This is link to see where we are along the border. We've spend some weekends in Mae Sod (or Mae Sot) to the north and spent the last two weeks in Popphra (or Phop Phra). About an hour south.

http://maps.google.co.th/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Mae+Sod,+Mae+Sot,+Tak,+Thailand&daddr=phop+phra,+thailand&geocode=&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=16.613822,98.674393&sspn=0.316488,0.422974&ie=UTF8&ll=16.599346,98.690186&spn=0.316512,0.422974&t=h&z=11

This is the group of volunteers that were at Popphra (plus the English teacher, John). It was a hard week, but we really feel like God had us there and we were forced to depend on Him.

Thanks for your prayers! Please continue to pray as we are heading out to Noh Bo in an hour.

a couple pictures from popphra (pope-rah)

2009-06-27T08:58:00.011-05:00

We've just finished two weeks of teaching at Thoo Mweh Khee Migrant School and a Thai school in Popphra, Thailand. We really loved our classes at the migrant school and everyone was so kind. The Thai school was a much harder environment. There was a very strong Buddhist presence that was difficult. We did meet two Christian teachers that we got to know and were able to encourage. We've included just a couple pictures of us teaching. We'll try to get a better internet connection soon so we can get you more...

Kelli with her "third grade" class, ages 9 to 14.

Stephen teaching English words for family to his "fifth grade" class, ages 13 to 19.

As of tomorrow we will be heading to Noh Bo, where we were originally headed. It is now a safe area for us to be in, so we'll be there for the rest of our time in Thailand. We are really looking forward to this and think it will be a better fit for our gifts. We'll have much more time with the kids personally.

Please keep up your prayers--for energy, selflessness, and love for the kids. We've been praying for a supernatural ability to remember names and learn Karen, too.

quick update.

2009-06-17T04:40:00.000-05:00

We wanted to send a quick email to let everyone know that plans have changed. The area we were headed to--Noh Bo--recently underwent some "political changes" so that it was no longer safe for us to be there, nor was it safe for them if foreigners were there. We are now safely working in a migrant school just outside of Popphra (just further south along the border, where political changes aren't taking place...) The situation is similar and we have been working with Karen, but we are still not positive this is where we should be. We really just beg for your prayers--that we would have wisdom, direction, and peace about where we are to be and what we are to be doing. Please also pray for Noh Bo--for safety and God using evil for good. And really just pray for changes in Burma; that's the deeper cry.

Thank you for your prayers; please keep them up. We need them.

half way there...oh,oh, livin on a prayer

2009-06-11T23:33:00.001-05:00

We have arrived to Thailand, and we are in Mae Sot for a couple of days getting acclamated to the culture and time difference before driving to Noh Bo Academy and the village where we will be focusing the heart of our ministry.

God has already been doing amazing things and caring for Kelli and I. God blessed us even in a delayed flight. We were going to get into Bangkok at midnight and were nervous about that, but had a peace about the tickets when we bought them. Our plane leaving Los Angeles had mechanical problems and we then had to wait for a another plane to get there. Our new itinerary had us overnight in Toyko, and American Airlines was good to get us two rooms, dinner, and breakfast. This may look like a frustrating couple of days, but being in Tokyo was a great chace to rest in the middle of the trip and allowed us to arrive in Bangkok at 3 in the afternoon.

We are very excited to see what God has in store for us over the next couple of months. We desperately need your prayers and are so blessed that we have so many family and friends that are so diligent and faithful to pray for us.

Some guidance for your prayers...

As we traveled through Tokyo and Bangkok both of us felt a burden for the people there. Tokyo seemed to be dark in an absence of light, where Bangkok seemed to be dark with an active presence of evil. Please be praying for the local church in these areas as they are up against lots of challenges because of Satan's strongholds. Please pray strength, growth, wisdom, protection, and miracles over them.

As for us, pray we would be running with the full armor of God. Pray for us as we fight the darkness that is here. Pray for our health as we adjust to new foods and water. And please lift us up as we adjust to doing ministry together. Pray that our relationship is a way to glorify God more in this trip rather than a window for Satan to come between us. We need to walk in patience, love, grace, and understanding for each other as well as the people we are ministering to.

Please begin to pray for the people at Noh Bo that we will be serving. Pray for open hearts, good conversation, and miracles with the language barriers (either we get Karen, they get English, or something else we can't dream up ourselves).

Thanks for you prayers and support. We are so, so thankful.
We'll get pictures up soon. We know those are more fun to look at.

what if His people prayed?

2009-06-09T03:19:00.003-05:00

I heard a song today that challenged this question, and it stuck with me as Stephen and I continued to pack and pull things together to leave in the next few days. What if His people prayed? I thought of the love God has given me for Burma and the ways it has changed so much of my life, yet I may commit an hour to prayer for Burma on a good week. When I look at scripture, prayer and conversation with God encompasses every story and situation, from Adam speaking with God in the garden to Jesus’ last words of prayer to the Father from the cross. Further, I have seen the power of prayer in my own life as the single constant connection to Christ. And yet, how much do I pray? How much do we pray as the Church? Surely it isn’t enough.

As Stephen and I go this summer, we are so thankful for those supporting us through prayer. Thank you, from the very deepest part of us. We long to be effective for the glory of Christ, for hope, and for eternal things—and this is only possible through prayer. Thank you for joining with us faithfully. Thank you for being the body of Christ to us, allowing us the privilege to be His hands and His feet.

We are leaving in just hours--early Tuesday morning, June 9. We’ll be gone for ten weeks, returning to Little Rock on August 19. For those joining with us in prayer, here are some specific requests. Please pray for…

- courage and boldness to walk in whatever Christ has for us

- open hearts of everyone we encounter along the way.

- wisdom and discernment in our decisions as we seek His will

- for energy and patience with one another

- general health and safety

- the unknowns of returning without established plans, jobs, etc.

We'll continue with updates whenever we have the chance. Hopefully pictures will join soon!

tickets to the border

2009-05-18T21:24:00.002-05:00

God has opened the doors to a wonderful opportunity this summer, and Stephen and I will be headed to the Thai-Burma border for 10 weeks! We both graduated from college on May 9, and we have been in prayer over our next steps. We feel that this trip is what God has for us over the summer.

We will be working with the organization Partners World, who has placed us in Noh Bo village. We will be able to teach at Noh Bo Academy, as well as lead bible studies, play with the children, and build relationships among the villagers as we live there day in and day out. We will be leaving the States on June 9 and returning August 18.

We are so excited to be able to serve together after dating for over two years long distance. We are thankful to be able to serve the Lord with the same vision. We have already seen God provide and bless this trip as friends and family have supported us financially and spritually so that we are able to go. We are very close to raising all of our funds for the summer, nearly $7000. Thank you to those of you have generously given toward this ministry.

This blog will be a great way for us to keep in touch with family and friends during our trip, letting you know what we are up to, what to pray for, and the ways we can see God working and providing. We want to give him the glory anyway we can. Another way to keep in touch is through our email at servant.to.burma@gmail.com.

a wonderful Christmas!

2009-01-15T17:42:00.004-06:00

We had a great opportunity this Christmas to organize and deliver Christmas gifts to all of the kids and teenagers! Stephen and I started considering the idea earlier this fall, and with the help of our church family and donations from friends, we were able to pull it off. To assign, wrap, and tag gifts for 75 kids is quite an undertaking, but we managed to pull it all together the week before Christmas. We drove up to Tennessee late on Christmas day with my brother-in-law and nephew. We also met up with a couple from our church who also came along to help deliver the presents.
We visited houses all day on the 26th and had a bible study time that afternoon, before driving back that evening. It was a whirlwind trip, but a rare privilege. We were able to bring so much joy to so many kids with the help and support of some dear friends. I've included a couple of pictures that try to capture the wonderful day!

Singing songs before bible study that afternoon

a visit.

2008-10-05T14:33:00.002-05:00

I was able to go back for a visit this past weekend, and God was so good! It was such a wonderful time. They are having ESL classes every Saturday, so I was able to go back and see everyone there and slip right back into teaching, which was wonderful. Stephen and I then went to visit Victoria, the leader of the Nashville community, to talk with her and begin work on my internship with Partners this fall.
We also had such a wonderful privilege of taking some donated toys to a widow and her three little girls. They had just moved into a new apartment and didn't have any toys, so we brought them a laundry basket full of books and stuffed animals. It was such a blessing to give and was easily the highlight of the day. The girls pulled out each toy with oohs and ahhs, just loving it. Stephen and I just soaked it in.
We then had a game night for the teenagers that went wonderfully! We easily became comfortable again, and being in school all day has improved their English so much, so we had a lot of fun.
It is such a privilege to live close enough to go back for visits! I think of friends who were overseas for the summer and aren't able to keep up those relationships. It has been such a blessing. As I speak, one of the American girls at the apartment complex that I met this summer is on her way to visit me in Arkansas and bring three of the Karen teenagers with her! We've got a week of fun ahead of us...
God has been so good. He not only blessed us in this summer with the Karen, but has enabled us to continue those relationships, with Stephen leading a bible study with them every week and helping out at ESL and my trips back for visits as often as I can. God is so good.

a long time coming.

2008-09-05T12:09:00.003-05:00

God is so good.
I really can't start this any other way. Despite the lack of updates, Stephen and I finished out the summer with the Karen and spent as much time with them as possible. It was such a blessing to see how much they had warmed up to us, so that they began to ask for help and in emergencies. Leaving was much harder than I even imagined, but we have the blessing now of living in the same country still, which is rare for summer missions opportunities. We go back to visit once or twice a month to see everyone and keep up with the relationships we've established.
My work with the Karen this summer has also opened up doors for me in school: I am doing an internship with Partners World this fall, a nongovernmental missions organization on the Thai-Burma border. They are wanting to bring their ministry to America, as well, so I am helping organize ministry to the Karen people across America (over 20,000!). I am mapping where they are in America and connecting them to Americans who can help them get settled. Next semester I will also be doing an independent study and final paper on the Karen, including some primary source interviews from the community in Smyrna.
God has been so good, and there is very little else to say. He has blessed us beyond measure.

$20.

2008-07-23T08:31:00.002-05:00

I took Maw Taw to the bank yesterday because he needed to cash some checks he received. Shortly after we got back, Maw Taw came and held out a twenty dollar bill to me. I asked what it was for, and Thomas translated that it was for the oil to go to the bank. I then explained that the bank that was a mile away costs less than $1 to drive to, and he really didn't need to pay me. There was more Karen between them, and then Thomas insisted that I must take it, because it is Karen culture. He said, "Sometimes we do not have and we must only say 'ta blut doh ma' (thank you), but if we have we give."
And now I sit with a twenty dollar bill that has given me a personal example of Luke 21:1-4. I am also reminded of 2 Corinthians 8:2, which reminded me of the Karen when I came across it earlier this summer. It reads, "Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."

thoroughly exhausted.

2008-07-17T00:15:00.002-05:00

Rachel finished up her last day with the Karen, and I'm sure I've exhausted her! We started this morning with two hours of teaching English to the little boys, and then spent four hours with teenagers and adults--playing Uno, Memory, and Scrabble to practice English. We then went out to play for a few hours and then took a man to the pharmacy who needed a ride and translator. We made it home late tonight.
Sadly, I don't have pictures from today. It's so hard to steadily take pictures while were busy all day! Even so, I hope Rachel had a great time and thanks for keeping up with her trip!

a long day.

2008-07-15T23:35:00.005-05:00

Here's the update on the past couple days, for those of you following Rachel's trip! We played for awhile in the afternoon yesterday, but didn't get very many pictures because we were busy organizing games. We also went swimming with the kids last night and couldn't get many pictures, but they loved it.
Today was very long and busy. We taught English to three little boys this morning for nearly two hours, then taught an adult English class for the following two hours. We then went outside to play for four hours. We painted with the kids, played Go Fish, and then soccer. And after a break for dinner, we went back to learn Karen tonight. Stephen and I had our first lesson tonight with Kaw Hser, and Rachel came along to learn the three Karen alphabets.

This is the one picture from playing games yesterday afternoon.

The craziness of painting today.

Rachel and April

not what we expected...

2008-07-13T21:03:00.004-05:00

Today didn't go quite as we had planned, which is a pretty common thing really. We had announced last week that today we would take family pictures outside from 4pm to 7pm...but no one showed up. We played with the kids for awhile before heading home. I then got a call around 7:45 from Thomas, "Kelli, you are supposed to take family picture?" Oh, the miscommunications! We'll have to try again next Sunday. Here are at least some pictures from playing with the kids!

I was working really hard to make her smile.

These next photos with Rachel and I both in them are the kids' attempts to take some pictures...

rachel douglas here to visit!

2008-07-12T23:53:00.004-05:00

A friend of my family, Rachel Douglas, has come into town this weekend to help out with the Karen. It's a great opportunity to enter into a completely different culture and still be stateside!

We started the day with the boring work--we sorted donations for the Karen in a storage unit. Here we are showing off our work and muscles!

We went to play with the kids in the afternoon.

The picture above and below are of Paw Lay Eh, one of Rachel's favorite little girls.

We also had another game night with the older kids after a cookout.

I think I might have worn her out today--we were busy from 9am to 10pm! We'll make it a little more relaxed the next few days.

the helmicks come to visit!

2008-07-12T23:39:00.003-05:00

My sister and brother-in-law, Keri and Steven Helmick, came to visit us and meet the community during July 4th weekend. I've included some pictures--sadly, I don't have any of Keri with the kids because she took most of the pictures.

We brought out painting, but within a few minutes it became an experimental mixing game.

Here Steven is playing takraw with the teenagers. It is similar to hackysack with a hard plastic ball; I had brought one back from Thailand two years ago. They love it and are very good. Steven was the best white person that played...

Here we are all playing takraw at the park before watching fireworks. We took a big group of teenagers to go see the town fireworks and it was quite an adventure! It was great to see their faces, though, as most (if not all) had never seen fireworks like that before.

some highlights.

2008-07-12T23:10:00.006-05:00

The Karen were given some land to plant a garden. Stephen and I were very impressed when we went to see it! It is absolutely huge and doing quite well. You can see the bamboo they used for supports on different plants.

Stephen and I with Steven Babin, an elder in the community and father of eight sons!

Maw Taw and Nay Ree A (father and son) riding a bike.

They really love tree climbing. They always leave their shoes at the bottom of tree.

Please notice Blut Doe Hae's intensity in the back--he's really proud of those muscles. (And he should be for a buff ten year old!)

Pok Wah finishing off Stephen's drink.

Kaw Hser, the oldest of Steven Babin's eight boys, is only 19 but holds a lot of responsibility for the community. He is one of the few drivers and translators, so everyone depends on him. Stephen and I pulled him away for a day and took him to paint pottery and eat at Cracker Barrel! It was quite the experience. Here we are showing off our work.

Stephen and I's plates...mine says "I believe that we can change the world" in Karen and Stephen's has his name in Karen.

We had so much fun making handprints one afternoon.

We also made puppets. I was trying to encourage them to be creative, so I used grass for my puppet's shirt. Since they didn't understand my explanation of creativity, they all made grass shirts...

Stephen and I with some of the kids.

game night!

2008-06-29T23:47:00.003-05:00

On Saturday night, Stephen and I took games over to play with the kids. Jenga was definitely the favorite, but we also tried Pictionary and Spoons.

Seven Star loved the popcorn.

i just can't get enough.

2008-06-29T23:20:00.007-05:00

We took a group of kids to the local "splash pad"--a water playground that is free to the public. They had a lot of fun.

Elizabeth and Smart Paw having snacks after swimming.

Pok Wah and Jack Lia loving on Stephen.

prayer request.

2008-06-23T12:51:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share some prayer requests with you that have been heavy on my heart recently. First, be praying for the spiritual needs in the community. Stephen and I have been leading a youth group on Thursdays and various worship nights. Be praying for these and other opportunities for spiritual conversation. On this note, we are need of Bibles. They have been asking for English bibles, and we are in search of the best deal. If you would like to be a part of this financially, let me know.
Second, we are looking into additional options for working. Most are working in a plant, chopping vegetables. The shifts are long and the conditions aren't great, but they are getting paid above minimum wage. We want to find some places to sell the goods they make--skirts, bags, baskets. They are also excellent farmers. We just need to find a way to use these gifts.
Lastly, pray for the finances of one of the elders, Steven Babin. I have mentioned him in the pictures below. He's an incredible man and has a wonderful wife and family of eight boys. Because of their large family, he had to incur a large portion of debt to come over from Burma; the government wouldn't pay for everyone to come. He made the hard decision to take on a large debt rather than leave some of his children behind--something we all would have done, but has left him in a hard position. He know has monthly payments he has to be making. Be praying for God to provide this money.
Thank you for your prayers--we have seem them answered before our eyes.

painting.

2008-06-22T17:53:00.002-05:00

we spent one afternoon painting...they loved it!

...and a little bit of chicken while you paint?

beautiful people.

2008-06-22T17:27:00.005-05:00

Ehkerler (one of my favorites) and I. He's awfully ornery, but I still can't get enough.

Stephen fixing the chain on a broken bike with many admirers of his work.

From left to right: Mu Poe, Day Dey, Sara Wah, me, Nay Ree A, and Taw Ner So. I teach English to Mu Poe, Day Dey, and Taw Ner So two days a week.

The adorable Nay Ree A. When I first came, he didn't speak English at all. He's picking up a few phrases now that he repeats all the time--"buh bye", "let me see", and "bubble". He loves to be held and just this week started giving me a kiss on the cheek before he leaves my side.

community picnic.

2008-06-12T02:00:00.007-05:00

Last Friday a group of volunteers transported nearly the whole community (150+) to a nearby picnic area for an afternoon of swimming, fishing, volleyball, soccer, and baseball.

Stephen's entire carload of kids fell asleep on the 20 minute drive to even get there.

A group of women and children eating fruit. To the far left is Sherie Cartwright; she and her husband, Tom, are the key players in helping out the Karen (and absolutely amazing).

Aw Soe, the oldest man in the community, and Thomas; we're not sure why Thomas was wearing a ski mask...

Steven Babin is one of the elders in the community. He does have eight boys, but only three of these are his.

Please note the dishtowel around Ehkerler's waist after swimming...

My new friend, Nay Ree A. He didn't show much interest before, but suddenly grabbed my hand at the picnic and we became friends. He just started saying some English words this week, too.

more playing.

2008-06-12T01:34:00.005-05:00

They are like monkeys; and they know it because they climb up high in the trees and vines and say, "Monkey! Monkey!" I've seen them get about ten feet off the ground.

Isn't this incredible team work? These are two brothers, Seven Star and Ehkerler.

They took me to another secret play spot: a construction spot through the trees.

Sometimes they're just troublemakers.

A truckload of furniture and gifts arrived and most of the community was out for the occasion. The kids loved to carry whatever they could.

Stephen is practicing guitar with Per Kaw Doh. We are starting a youth bible study on Thursday nights; they will be leading worship together, with some songs in Karen and some in English.

the inner circle.

2008-06-04T22:35:00.006-05:00

I officially made it to the inner circle today! In addition to finally remembering my name, I was taken into a secret fort the little kids had made in the woods. It was incredible. They had taken a couple broken chairs, a car seat, and some wood pieces to make it, complete with carpet (cleaner carpet than I've seen in most Karen homes). True to their culture, I even had to take my shoes off before I could go in!

Kay Oo.

2008-06-04T22:07:00.002-05:00

This week I started teaching basic English to a group of adults two days a week. The first day I had them write their names on a worksheet and turn it back in so I could see and try to remember their names. One man couldn't write his name because he didn't know what it was in the English language; he only knew how to say it or spell it in Karen. The entire group tried to help him, but they didn't know either. Finally, I had him go ahead and turn in his paper. I simply wrote his name phonetically at the top so I could remember. He saw what I had written and got so excited! He took the paper and wrote down his name on his hand; he kept pointing to it with a huge smile and then back at himself, saying, "Kayoo!" Shortly after that we talked about their name, address, and social security number. He proudly wrote on his worksheet, "first name: Kay; last name: Oo." I probably gave him the only English name he'll ever know!

what fun.

2008-06-03T22:11:00.007-05:00

The past few weeks I have been sorting through a storage unit full of donations. I picked out the usable things and organized them, filling my car to the brim. After ESL yesterday, we let the community sort through everything and take whatever they needed or wanted. They have such a communal sense about them that they really only take what they can use and are more than willing to share when people are in need among them. It was really fun to see them so excited about the treasures, and then to see so many of them wearing the new clothes today!

On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I go the community for a few hours in the afternoon to play with the kids, both to expose them to English and just have some fun. We blew bubbles today!

Notice the ingenuity: this pirate eye patch is made from a punched-out sunglass lens and a rubber band. Isn't that amazing?

To say the least, we're loving this.

meet thomas.

2008-06-02T23:51:00.003-05:00

I want to introduce you to Thomas, knowing that I could never adequately present him to you. Thomas is 61 and one of the three head elders in the community. He is one of the few adults that speak English well, so we met him pretty quickly. Stephen and I have since discovered that he's one of the most amazing men in the community.
Thomas is the father-in-law of Naw Gay, whom I teach English three days a week. This has been such a blessing, both to help Naw Gay and to get to know Thomas' heart. Naw Gay became paralyzed in January due to the unexplained contraction of her spine. She came to America in April without her husband, but with her in-laws. Thomas and his wife, Precious Wah, took such beautiful care of Naw Gay over the first two months before her husband, Htoo Htoo Wah, arrived just last week. Thomas cared for Naw Gay as though she was his daughter and it was a blessing to witness such kindness.
There are many more sides of Thomas. I have had the privilege of hearing many of his stories while I am at their house. Thomas' village was attacked by the military in the late 1970s, and he was on the run in the jungle for nearly a decade. During this time he saw the military kill many of his brothers and sisters and watched horrific scenes. He then made it to the Mae La refugee camp and lived there for nearly twenty years before coming to America late last year.
Thomas is also an incredible artist. Things don't tend to go as planned in this community, and Stephen and I ended up in a meeting of the elders a couple weeks ago. We were all discussing the cyclone damage and where it was and whose family was in those areas. With everyone talking, Thomas just picks up a piece of paper and begins to draw Burma--perfectly. It was incredibly accurate. He then continues and draws the entire world, sketching out the countries. We all watched in amazement.
One last story about Thomas--just last Sunday we had stopped by and were invited in for the community dinner. As Stephen and I followed Thomas to the apartment, he suddenly stops and says, "I wear my wife shoes. I lose mine. I wear Precious, my wife shoe!" We look down to see these heeled, leather clogs with fur around the edges! He is wearing them in the picture above, as well as standing on his tiptoes.
As you think of Thomas, pray for him and his leadership in the rest of the community. Pray especially that they will be able to return to a free Burma very soon. At least twice each week he tells me how much he wants to go back to his land and be free; I tell him that I am praying for it.

a prayer request.

2008-05-21T13:55:00.002-05:00

Before I head off to teach ESL this afternoon, I wanted to write a quick prayer request. Please be praying for creative ways to help and get involved in the community. It is hard to know what to do with a large group and particularly how to build relationships with the kids beyond playing soccer everyday. Soccer is fun, but my body is aching with muscle pains and shin splints, and it doesn't promote conversation or deeper relationships. Please be praying for Stephen and I's creativity in connecting with the community each day.

Also, I'll include a few justifications I've been meaning to write about. First, I wanted to explain why we call it Burma rather than Myanmar, which you would see on most maps and in news. Myanmar is the new name given by the military regime in 1989. Officially, the United States and most of Europe has not recognized Myanmar in defiance to the illegitimate rule. By simply calling the country Burma, it can show your opinions of the military and respect those that have been abused by them. Secondly, I thought I should just mention that I'm guessing the spelling of most names written in stories and below pictures. I'm simply writing them phonetically.

Thanks for your prayers!

wonderful news!

2008-05-16T13:47:00.002-05:00

God has provided two more opportunities to teach English! There is a group of three little boys that I will be teaching through the summer to help them in school this fall. Mu Poe will be going into third grade, and Day Day and Ta Ne So will be starting kindergarten. I will start meeting with them in June and hopefully meet three times a week.
Next week I am also starting a class two mornings a week for the adults that want to learn basic English. This group will start quite simple--with hellos and how are yous.
Please continue to be in prayer for all we're doing! God has been so faithful.

...

2008-05-15T22:57:00.006-05:00

jumping rope with Ba Na Mu and Tha Ku after school

Po Quah with his artwork

all ages come out to play, even Au Sau, the oldest man in the community

the kids eat watermelon, some for the first time
(they weren't sure how at first)

. ...but they loved it.

this is the ESL group singing after we finish the English lessons

the heart behind it.

2008-05-14T23:20:00.005-05:00

It's probably best to begin this with an explanation of the state of Burma. A military coup occurred in Burma in 1962, followed by decades of military control marked by oppression and violence. Burma is now under the military regime, the State Peace and Development Council, which continues to put the country under political, economic, and physical suffering. The regime is also responsible for genocide against the ethnic minority groups, seeking to eliminate them. Burma is also one of the worst countries for human rights and has the highest number of forced child soldiers in the world. Still worse, Burma was hit by a horrible cyclone in just weeks ago, with nearly 100,000 feared dead. Currently, the government is refusing international aid and denying visa applications of foreign aid workers.

It's also important to explain how we fell in love with Burma. In the summer of 2006, I had the privilege of traveling to Thailand to do mission work. One day I was able to visit Mae La, a Burmese refugee camp along the Thai-Burma (Myanmar) border. The day I spent in the camp I met Luke, an elderly man who could no longer see to read his Bible, but told me that he prayed for America five times daily. I was struck, realizing that I rarely prayed for my own country and hadn’t even heard of his country.

When I got back from Thailand, I simply couldn’t forget

Burma

. Five others felt the same way, and we formed a Burma Advocacy Group and began raising awareness and funds. In February 2007 we hosted A Voice for Burma, a semiformal dinner and art auction through which we raised $10,000 to send to a Christian organization working in Burma. This past fall I switched my major to political science in hopes of working for Burma in a political realm someday, and I also led a prayer group for Burma each Wednesday night. Over time, I have realized how much of my heart I left in Burma, while Stephen realized he was becoming more interested each day.

As for this summer, we began praying in November for God to open up doors for us to work with Burma. We contacted many ministries and contacts along the border, but every opportunity was shut in our faces. Until Stephen noticed an email from a church he visited, but didn't attend, in Tennessee, asking for help with Burmese refugees. We contacted the church and discovered a community of nearly 150 Karen refugees, a particular ethnicity from Burma. They had come from Mae La, the refugee camp I had visited, and are living in Smyrna, Tennessee. We now find ourselves in middle Tennessee, engrossed in teaching English and playing soccer.

I spend much of my time teaching English. One of the girls in the community, Naw Gay, became paralyzed without explanation in January and then moved to the United States in April. I am teaching English to her, and any other community members that crowd near the door, three days a week. Stephen and I both teach ESL (English as a Second Language) an evening or two a week. We also play with the kids each day in the afternoon and evening, playing soccer and jump rope. It's been amazing to get to know them all. Since there are only a few who are able to drive, I will also help with driving them to doctor appointments and such. The church we are working with will also plan outings and special events for the kids throughout the summer.

Thus you have this blog--an attempt to share our stories from this summer and hopefully beyond that. Please be praying for the ministry here in Smyrna and in Burma itself; these lovely people long to return to a free Burma someday.