One Day in Myanmar (Kachin IDP Camps)

By Gail Aita

This is the second of two posts by Gail about her sojourn in Myanmar (Burma) in early 2017. Click here for the first post.

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After spending four weeks at Myanmar Institute of Theology teaching, my husband Paul and I traveled to Kachin State and then to the Chin Hills. Both were adventures in and of themselves. We were greeted at the airport in Myitkyina by both Ja Ing and Ja Nu, two wonderful Kachin women who came to the American Baptist Women’s Ministries’ Conference in Washington, D.C. in 2016. We were then treated to a very fine dinner out with the women representing the Women’s Development Department of Kachin Baptist Convention.

The day started out with a visit to an IDP camp in Myitkyina, Kachin State. It was heart-breaking and uplifting at the same time: Heart-breaking to see the faces of the men, women, and children who have lost all worldly belongings: yet, uplifting because their spirits are filled with God’s love and His grace. Just look at those faces……and remember to pray for their safety, their health and their welfare.

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We listened to their stories, sang with them and prayed with them.

We visited three IDP (IDP = internally displaced persons) camps that Saturday.

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This was the smallest camp we visited. Their electric bill was 70,000 kyats/month (roughly $50 US at the current exchange rate) and they had to collect 2,000 kyats ($1.50) from each family which was, more often than not, difficult to do.

At the last camp, Waing Maw, which is the largest in the greater Myitkyina area, we were told to sit in the back of the van because we had to cross a bridge with a border check and westerners were not supposed to be going to that camp. While we were there, workers were putting up tents donated by the UN because they had just received 350 new refugees, many of whom were “double displaced persons” because the camps they had been in were also destroyed by the Burmese military in the fighting. There were well over 3,000 people at this camp.

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One of the ministries that I have been involved with at home has been teaching some of the Kachin women in the greater Seattle area how to sew, in particular “pillowcase dresses” and “self-binding baby blankets”. I have had help from a number of other American Baptist women in the area.  For two months prior to our leaving for Myanmar, the Kachin women have come to my home and have made 40+ dresses and 15 baby blankets. I also had some dresses made by women from other churches in the area. I had the privilege of being able to deliver those dresses and blankets to the folks in the camps. It was a gift of love from the Kachin women in Kent to those in the camps, and I was blessed to be the delivery person!

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Saturday was a long day filled with mixed feelings: despair and hope, tears of pain and tears of joy, but always an awareness of God’s love and God’s grace. Please continue to pray for the plight Kachin people and for peace in Myanmar.

Gail Aita serves as coordinator of the Western Section for American Baptist Women’s Ministries.

For earlier posts about the Kachin IDP camps, click here and here.

Prayers for Myanmar (Part 1)

by Sandra Hasenauer

I spent the better part of the month of December 2014 in Myanmar (Burma), visiting with our Kachin Baptist sisters and brothers and witnessing both their incredible ministry and their incredible needs. Although Myanmar has improved over the last five years, with a government making moves towards greater democracy and an improving economy as they have opened their doors to business from other countries, there is still an ongoing struggle for justice and security. Education is still expensive, resulting in many families being unable to send their children to school at all, or children being unable to continue their education past eighth grade (each successive year costs more in tuition and tutoring expenses). Medical care is often bought at a price–the wealthier able to afford better care than the poor. There are still battles being fought between the military and some of the ethnic groups, including the Kachin. The Rohingya have been frequently in the news as victims of violence and trafficking. The path to the next elections in Myanmar is still unclear, filled with potential pitfalls. Our prayers are still needed greatly.

In the midst of all this, I was deeply struck by the vibrancy of the ministries we were able to visit. I spent several days in the northern Kachin State, which is predominantly Christian and, of the Christians, predominantly Baptist. My traveling companions and I were shown tremendous hospitality as we met and visited with the leadership of the Kachin Baptist Women’s Ministry. It was an incredible week.

We visited the Good Samaritan Clinic, a ministry launched in 1995 by the Kachin Baptist women, providing health care to those in the Kachin State regardless of their income. Currently, the clinic is in a small building and has about 10 beds (only about 6 of those private), space for meetings with the doctor, a dental office, and a small pharmacy that largely carries local herbal remedies. The KBC Women’s Ministry leaders, however, described for us their plans for the future: They are engaged in a fundraising campaign to build a six-story, 100 bed, fully modernized hospital for women and children. Please hold this fundraising campaign in your prayers, that the medical needs of women and girls may be more effectively addressed.

The Kachin Baptist Women’s Ministry also runs a Women’s Empowerment Clinic. Students between the ages of 12 and 45 are enrolled for a three-month course, during which they may concentrate on sewing or weaving classes, or a variety of other marketable skills such as cosmetology, embroidery, flower arranging, and so forth. There are between 25-30 students at any time; most live on site at the center, a few day students are from the local area. They also have Bible study and life skills training classes (such as money management). The prayer is that students would return home with their new skills and be able to find jobs to better support their families. As jobs are often few and far between, however, KBW plans on opening a factory to employ students, providing them with a steady income at the same time as the factory could help support the ministry. Please hold the Women’s Empowerment Clinic and plans for the factory in your prayers, that women will continue to be equipped and empowered both economically and spiritually.

A third sign of tremendous hope that we witnessed was the Kachin Baptist Theological College. This theological school, located on the outskirts of the Kachin State capital city of Myityina (pronounced “meeht-chee-na”), is also the midst of a new building project. The principal of the seminary was enthusiastic in his plans for the future as the new classrooms and worship space are completed. We were able to tour both the current building as well as the new construction–we found ourselves wanting to be able to attend classes in the new building too: they’re beautiful! As a later note: KBTC was the site of the Kachin Baptist youth conference in April–it is estimated that there were over 20,000 youth in attendance! Please hold the students, faculty, and staff of the Kachin Baptist Theological College in your prayers, that the new buildings may continue to serve God in the Kachin state for generations to come.

I found myself renewed in my own call to ministry through the deep commitment and faithful hope I witnessed in the Kachin Baptist Church and especially, for me, in the Kachin Baptist Women’s Ministries. This is the first of two posts I’ll be sharing about my experience in Myanmar: I write these blog posts in the prayer that you will also give God thanks for the presence and ministry of the KBC and KBW among their people, their role in bringing peace to a struggling country, and their faithful commitment to God.

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Rev. Sandra DeMott Hasenauer serves as associate executive director of American Baptist Women’s Ministries and is on the ABCUSA Burma Refugees Commission. This is her second trip to Myanmar (Burma), the first being in 1998. She has also visited the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, and enjoys the new life of her home church of Lake Avenue Baptist Church in Rochester, New York, as in the last several years it has welcomed over 150 new friends and members originally from Burma.

Sunday after Christmas: Needing You This Christmas Season

By Jenn Leneus

Madonna and Child, Budapest, (c) 2012 Sandra Hasenauer

¹⁰ I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.¹¹ For as [surely as] the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring forth, so [surely] the Lord God will cause rightness and justice and praise to spring forth before all the nations [through the self-fulfilling power of His word]. For Zion’s sake will I [Isaiah] not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest until her imputed righteousness and vindication go forth as brightness, and her salvation radiates as does a burning torch.² And the nations shall see your righteousness and vindication [your rightness and justice—not your own, but His ascribed to you], and all kings shall behold your salvation and glory; and you shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name.³ You shall also be [so beautiful and prosperous as to be thought of as] a crown of glory and honor in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem [exceedingly beautiful] in the hand of your God. (Isaiah 61:10–62:3, AMP)

Christmas time is a season of celebration and of praise. It is a season of remembrance and appreciation; for even before we were of existence, before we had breath in our bodies, God saw fit to save us from a world of destruction. He provided a way before we even knew we needed direction. Christ left his throne of glory, and became human for our sake. He came for men and women alike; not differentiating between sexes, color, age, or religion, making one of more importance. He came to provide life to the lifeless.

We are called to walk in the image of Christ and to see as he sees. As women, we are beautiful. Not just on the outside, but on the inside. We ought to teach other women their worth and self-value. In this day and time where human trafficking is at an all-time high, but is being kept low-key as if it is not an issue, women all around the world are being degraded and treated as less than human. Are we any better than them? Do they deserve the life that they are given? Of course not! I believe we have certain issues in our environment so that we are able to grow as one in the body. For the body has many members, but each member has a specific task to complete (1^st Corinthians 12:12). If there is an open wound in the body, the heart picks up its pace and pumps more blood to accommodate for the loss. In the same manner, we ought to go out and reach out to our sisters that are suffering, whether it is through missions, outreach, or simply prayer. We are commissioned to go out to the four corners of the earth to introduce Christ to others (Matthew 28:19).

In the spirit of Christmas, let us remember our sisters in prayer. Lift them up before God so that God may hear our cries and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Let’s give them the assurance of being fearfully and wonderfully made. Together we can make a difference. Let us take this time to make a resolution to empower and uplift a woman, a young lady, or a little girl at least once a week. Who are we without each other? We are just one part of a body that needs our other parts in order to be fully functional!

Jennifer Leneus serves as coordinator of Young Adult Women’s Ministries (2014-2017) on the national board of American Baptist Women’s Ministries. A member of Haitian Baptist Church at the Crossroads in Newark, New Jersey, Jenn served as secretary of the Youth Federation Committee for the Haitian Alliance of ABCUSA for three years. Jenn has helped plan several national events for young adult women sponsored by American Baptist Women’s Ministries. She is a graduated practical nursing student and is working towards her Bachelors in Nursing.

 

Hope in Prayer

By Emilie Rodriguez

Prayer vigil at the border, 8-29-14. Photo used by permission, Church World Service.

The breeze comes in through the open car window as we drive across the U.S. border into Tijuana. I look out on streets filled with people going to and from work, school, maybe even wandering around trying to find a place to call home. As I inhaled, memories of my childhood fill my mind, trying to burst free: hitting the piñata at countless birthday parties, cheering as my cousins played soccer with our older aunts and uncles, falling asleep on our way home as we cross the border back to the U.S. We arrive at the Primera Iglesia Bautista de Tijuana, the First Baptist Church of Tijuana. When we enter the building, my eyes widen in surprise. People from all over the United States have come to the vigil: Los Angeles, Pennsylvania, Boston, San Diego—and that’s just the people on this side of the border. Still more were gathering on the other side of the border to join us in prayer.

It gives me hope that so many have come to aid the crisis, come to do something about it and support the efforts. The discussion begins and we conference with our brothers and sisters in San Diego, those who are going to meet up with us later at the park. We go around the room, discussing what has been happening in each of our regions, each person speaking about the children and families that are haunted by the atrocities going on their countries. They’ve seen the faces of these refugees and want to help them overcome their traumatic experiences. The preliminary discussion ends and we head to the Border Field State Park. There, the people in San Ysidro come to join us, facing us across the fence from the U.S. side of the park. There we stand united, linked across two countries, and we all feel hope coursing through each of us. We begin the prayer and as we pray to God, pleading that he helps us fight this humanitarian crisis, my mind finds peace. A sense of calm courses through me, and I know that no matter what happens, God will help.

Emilie Rodriguez is convenor of the national leadership team of AB GIRLS, AB Women’s Ministries. A senior in high school, Emilie served as AB Women’s Ministries’ representative at a prayer vigil hosted by American Baptist Churches USA held at the border on August 29, 2014. To watch a video of the prayer vigil, click here.

AB Women’s Ministries 2014-2015 mission focus is “Crisis at the Border: What Could I Do?” For information, resources, and a link to subscribe to monthly emails on the topic, visit www.abwministries.org.

Crisis at the Border: What Could We Do?

Submitted by Bonnie Sestito

“White House Civil Disobedience” August 28 2014. Used by permission, Church World Service

Beginning in October 2011, the U.S. Government recorded a dramatic rise—commonly referred to in the United States as “the surge”–in the number of unaccompanied and separated children arriving to the United States from these same three countries—El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The total number of apprehensions of unaccompanied and separated children from these countries by U.S. Customs and Border Protection jumped from 4,059 in Fiscal year (FY) 2011 to 10,443 in FY 2012 and then more than doubled again, to 21,537, in FY 2013. At the same time, a tremendous number of children from Mexico have been arriving to the U.S. over a longer period of time, and although the gap is narrowing as of FY 2013, the number of children from Mexico has far outpaced the number of children from any one of the three Central American countries.

“Crisis at the Border: What Could We Do?” is AB Women’s Ministries mission focus for 2014-2015. Why is there a “crisis at the border?” Let us step into the shoes of those that have come to the United States from the Northern Triangle.

“I lived with my mother and two younger siblings. My biological father abandoned my mother when she was pregnant with me. I have a warm relationship with my stepfather, who has lived in the U.S. for eight years. My main reason for coming to the U.S. is to join my stepfather. Threats were made that led me to flee when I did. The head of the gang that controlled my neighborhood wanted me to be his girlfriend and threatened to kidnap me or to kill one of my family members if I didn’t comply. I knew another girl from my community who had become the girlfriend of a gang member and had been forced to have sex with all the gang members. I didn’t want this for myself. Once the gang started harassing me, I didn’t feel safe, so I stopped going to school and stayed at home until my family was able to make arrangements for my travel to the U.S.” (Josefina, El Salvador, Age 16)

“If they really do want to know how hard life is down there, they should go see it. There are kids who don’t make it past five years old because they die of hunger. Their parents can’t work because there are no jobs. Just give us a chance. Let us better ourselves so we can be something better than what we are today.” (Mauricio, Honduras, Age 17)

“I had problems with my grandmother. She always beat me from the time I was little. That’s why I went to live with my boyfriend—and because I was lonely and sad. But after we had been living together for about a month, my boyfriend also beat me. He beat me almost every day. I stayed with him for four months. I left because he tried to kill me by strangling me. I left the same day.” (Lucia, Guatemala, Age 16)

“I like playing soccer outside, but I can’t really play anymore. My friends from my neighborhood all moved because their brothers were killed. The cartel killed them, and the entire family left. So now I don’t have anyone to play soccer with. (Jaun, Mexico, Age 13)*

“What can we do?” This is the question that AB Women’s Ministries is asking of American Baptist women across the United States and in Puerto Rico. Below are some suggestions.

Celebrate: The International Day of the Girl Child promotes girls’ rights and highlights gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys. It is a UN observance that is annually held on October 11. Celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child giving your AB women’s or girls’ group the opportunity to raise public awareness of the different types of discrimination and abuse that many girls around the world suffer from.

Join thousands of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and other faith communities across the country in the 2014 National Observance of Children’s Sabbath, designated for October 17-19. The theme is “Precious in God’s Sight: Answering the Call to Cherish and Protect Every Child.”   Celebrate by holding special worship services, education programs, and advocacy activities to engage people of faith in improving the lives of children and their families. A copy of this year’s resource manual may be downloaded from www.childrensdefense.org.

You can plan ahead for an observance of International Migrants Day on December 18. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition, of which ABCUSA is a part, has resources you could use in worship. International Migrants Day recognizes the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, and provides opportunity for advocacy on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants.

Research: Find out if there is something that you can do for “unaccompanied and separated children,” who may be living in your community.

Advocate: Call your Members of Congress and ask that they reject rollbacks to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. If you don’t know who your Members of Congress are, go to https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members.

Make a Donation: Give to Church World Service (www.cwsglobal.org) to support their response to the crisis with unaccompanied children and families:

• Legal Services and Assistance
• Religious Services and Pastoral Care
• Hospitality at Drop-off Points (food, clothing, diapers, medical care, housing and bus tickets for those being left without any support)
• Humanitarian Assistance in Honduras (assistance to returning migrant children and adolescents unable to be admitted to the U.S. specifically, providing food, psycho-social care, healthcare, and sanitation and hygiene services for some 1,000 children and teenagers in a designated shelter in the city of San Pedro Sula, Honduras)

AB Women’s Ministries has a page on our website devoted to the 14-15 mission focus, “Crisis at the Border: What Could I Do?” You’ll find information and resources listed there, and you’ll have the opportunity to subscribe to our monthly emails on the topic that give more updated information, links, and ideas for action around particular facets of the theme.

Bonnie Sestito is coordinator of Mission with Women and Girls with AB Women’s Ministries.

*Information was obtained from www.unhcrwashington.org, “Children on the Run—Unaccompanied Children Leaving Central America and Mexico and the Need for International Protection: A Study Conducted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Regional Office for the United States and the Caribbean Washington, D.C.” (published March 2014).

A Prayer and a Mile in Their Shoes

Contributed by Tansy Kadoe

How do we walk in the shoes of those with whom we minimally share common life experiences? How many of us have had our villages burned, our livelihood robbed, or our lives threatened? How many of us managed to escape those nightmares to eventually re-settle in a foreign land where everything is different— language, food, culture, attire, life style…?

A good way to take a peek into the lives of the Karen refugee women is to meditate on their prayers. It is like reading David’s psalms and getting a glimpse into his heart.

While studying the book of Nehemiah in the weekly women’s Bible study held at Arizona Karen Baptist Church, the ladies took on a group assignment of writing a prayer in the format of the prayer stated in Nehemiah 9, in remembrance of their plight and God’s mercy. (Words from Scripture in italics.)

“Blessed be Your glorious name! You are the God that granted favor to our ancestors. They were honest, loving, and above all, they sought You. You promised them the Book of Life. You kept Your promise and sent Adoniram and Ann Judson to deliver this precious Book to us. We were the first to embrace the Good News of Your grace. Your Book of Life is a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night for us.

“But we became arrogant and stiff-necked. We sinned by worshiping idols, committing violence, coveting dishonest wealth, and defiling our bodies. Our sins separated us from You; we were given into the hands of the enemies. We faced crushing oppression; constant fear made us flee in desperation; illnesses and starvation compounded the wretchedness. Our hearts shattered as we watched the untimely death of our loved ones and young children.

“We cried out to You for You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Therefore You did not desert us. You heard us from heaven and delivered us to refugee camps, where we were cared for and fed. You then brought us to the Land of Milk and Honey, America. Our children can go to school. We are employed. We worship You in freedom. We eat to the full and are well-nourished; we revel in Your great goodness.

“But Lord, rebellion rises against You, although Your Spirit warns us. We hold a false sense of security in materials. We no longer come before You in truth and spirit. Sufficiency has bred indifference. Some   were led astray to false gods and they abandoned their faith in You. We do not teach our children Your word, making them susceptible to ungodly influences.  As we watch them poorly adjusting to the new environment by making bad decisions, we shed tears.  Depression leads our husbands to drinking, and sometimes to prison. Once again, we are in great distress. Father God, please do not let all this hardship seem trifling in Your eyes.  Our hope is in You alone. We promise to love You and draw near You. Please rescue us for You are a gracious and merciful God.”

What better way to walk in the shoes of refugee women than by joining them in prayers?

Tansy Kadoe is a member of Arizona Karen Baptist Church in Phoenix, Arizona, and she leads the women’s Bible study at her church.

Diaspora Missions

Contributed by Marcia and Duane Binkley

Our work since 2006 has been to connect Baptist churches in the U.S. with refugees from Burma being resettled throughout America by the U.S. government. Knowing the situation of the Karen in Thai refugee camps, we marvel at their ability to adapt to a U.S. lifestyle, language and culture. We have also been pleased to see so many U.S. churches with no prior cross-cultural experience extend Christian hospitality and acceptance to these newest Americans. With 90,000 from Burma already in the U.S., over 250 new churches and congregations have been started. The largest Baptist church-planting program in America today is the U.S. government’s refugee resettlement program!

While learning of refugee resettlement in the U.S., our eyes have been opened to the many other people and language groups living in America. Others in Christian circles are noticing as well and a fledgling movement is being started that some call Diaspora Missions. The idea is that by reaching the international communities living in America, our local churches will grow and the world could be reached without leaving the country.

Virtually every major city in America and many smaller towns and cities are now home to populations speaking languages and belonging to cultures from everywhere on the globe. The U.S. census estimates “over 300” languages are spoken in homes in the U.S.A., and Global Research of the Southern Baptist’s International Mission Board lists 541 “unreached people groups” living in America. However, many of us, and many of the churches we attend, don’t recognize the international nature of America today. When contact is made with people speaking something other than English, we see them as separate. Some churches may invite a non-English speaking group to use “their” building, but often there is a feeling of “us” and “them”. For still others, the response has been to wait until newcomers learn English and have assimilated. Only after they become one of “us” will they be welcomed.

A quick survey of the Bible indicates God wants us to take a different approach. When Moses came down from the mountain with the stone tablets with his face still shining from being in the presence of God, one of the first things he said to the people of Israel was, “And you are to love those who are aliens” (Deut. 10:19). Throughout the Old Testament that command is repeated and we’re told the same rules apply to strangers, foreigners, and aliens that apply to us.

In the New Testament, Jesus’ cross-cultural encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well illustrates his love for those considered different. Then, in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit came, there were at least 15 language groups represented. In Acts 11, Peter was at first criticized for taking the Gospel to non-Jews until he explained his dream. When it was apparent everyone could receive the Holy Spirit, Peter said, “So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think I could oppose God?” (Acts11:17) Peter seems to say when we don’t welcome the stranger, alien and foreigner, we oppose God. Ouch!

Recently, on a plane ride I sat next to an East European who came to the U.S. as a refugee several years ago. He has done well materially and has a high-paying job. After explaining that I was working with refugees from Burma and trying to connect churches with them, he looked hurt and asked, “Why did no church try to connect with us?”

I pass on his question for us to consider. As individual Christians, churches, organizations, and denominations, why aren’t we connecting more with the foreigner, stranger, and alien living near to us? Often, the main thing newcomers want is acceptance and a chance to be the people God made them to be. Our Lord accepts us as we are so, in turn, his church should be the first place newcomers to America should find acceptance. In the words of Peter, “Who are we to oppose God?”

(View a gallery of photos from multicultural church gatherings!)

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Duane and Marcia Binkley are missionaries to the Karen in the U.S. and Thailand, jointly appointed by American Baptist Churches USA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

Sharing Our Space

Two years ago, the Lai Baptist Church—a young and emerging Chin congregation—came to us out of the blue and said, “We need a place to worship.  Can you help us?”

That request started me on a special journey of church leadership and faith that has been totally unexpected and refreshing.  And, of course, challenging!  Many of the members of this refugee congregation have arrived in the United States within the last couple of years, so their command of English and American culture is a challenge.  Still, it is clear that God has been blessing and growing me as I have waded into life with these brothers and sisters in Christ.

Here are three things that I have learned—and re-learned—from this congregation of young men, women, and children:

First, I have learned to listen closely.  Because of language barriers, I discovered that I cannot make assumptions about what church members are trying to tell me, and it is imperative that I keep asking questions to make sure that I understand them.  I work to make sure that my own language is clear, and simple.  I am grateful when we can speak face-to-face, (out of necessity, many of my conversations with the church leaders is by text messages) because I can read their faces and their body language to discern if there is clarity between us.

Second, I have learned to watch carefully.  When I have had the privilege of worshipping with the Lai Baptist Church, my own energy sky-rockets as I watch the members interact with each other, with their worship leaders, and with the Spirit of God flowing through the sanctuary.  Children are everywhere, often cradled at their mother’s chest or sleeping on her back, and the children move back and forth between mothers and fathers sitting on opposite sides of the sanctuary.  The children are clearly at ease in this space and the parents keep a watchful eye on them, while also allowing them room to move about naturally in this community of faith. There is a level of noise and movement that is out of the ordinary in my own experience and I am learning how infectious and exciting the movement can be.

Third, I have learned to worship continuously.  What a profound reminder the Lai Baptist Church has given me as they tell me about their Sunday morning education hours in people’s homes, followed by worship in the Brighton Community Church sanctuary, usually followed by dinner together and evening worship.  To all of these times of worship and learning they add a Friday night prayer service in the sanctuary.  It is clear that the Lai Baptist Church has an appreciation for worship, fellowship, education, and mission that is contagious.

It never occurred to me that the presence of the Lai Baptist Church could be such a gift.  I am grateful for what my congregation can offer them, and blessed by their presence in my life.

This post is contributed by Rev. Lisa Drysdale, pastor of Brighton Community Church in Tonawanda, New York. The Lai Baptist Church began worshiping in the sanctuary of the church in August, 2012. Lai is one of the language groups that are part of the Chin ethnic community of Burma.

God of the Unexpected

Umpiem Camp, Thailand, 2008

Back in February, 2008, I had the opportunity to be part of an American Baptist delegation visiting the refugee camps along the Thailand-Burma border. My trip to Thailand was in both a professional sense, to learn how AB Women’s Ministries could more effectively partner with Baptist women from Burma now living in the United States, and in a personal sense, to learn as much as I could about life in refugee camps and the resettlement process to aid in my volunteer work with the refugees coming to my home church and community.

After a few days in Bangkok and Chiang Mai visiting some of our American Baptist missionaries, the International Rescue Committee, and the Thai-Burma Border Consortium, we visited Mae La camp and then Umpiem camp. At Umpiem, I and two other delegates broke off briefly from the main group so that we could visit the Karen Women’s Organization office (an amazing organization). Afterwards, as we were trying to catch up with the rest of our group, we stopped in one of the camps’ many schools. The school had just let out for the day and a lot of little school boys were still about, goofing around like boys anywhere do. As soon as they saw our cameras, they started asking us to take their pictures and posed in both serious and silly ways; we had a great time with them despite the language barrier. I noticed this group of girls hanging shyly off to the side, watching us, but carefully staying out of the action. I waved to them once or twice to get them to let me take their picture: Finally, they turned towards me and I snapped fast, and then they scooted off in giggles. This picture became one of my favorite of my whole trip. Every time I looked at it in the years following I’d just smile. These girls took my heart that day.

Fast forward five years. We had our national Women’s Day worship celebration immediately preceding the ABCUSA Mission Summit this past June in Overland Park, Kansas. I had used this photo in our program book for Women’s Day. About halfway through the morning’s program, AB Women’s Ministries executive director Virginia Holmstrom caught me as I was going about my responsibilities, and pointed to the picture in the program book.

“You took this picture when you were in Thailand, right?” She asked. I nodded, brows knit quizzically.

Virginia grinned. She pointed to one of the girls in the picture. “She’s here!”

My jaw dropped. “What? She’s here? You’re kidding me! Where? I have to meet her!” I dropped what I was doing and Virginia led me to the young woman.

Sandy Hasenauer, May, Virginia Holmstrom

May* was singing with a Karen choir participating in our Women’s Day worship. Sometime in the intervening five years, May’s family had relocated to the United States. May and I have since had some email exchanges as I learn more about her life now that she’s here. I hope we’ll be able to stay in touch.

I hadn’t expected to be able to visit the Karen Women’s Organization that day–but our path took us right by their office and women were there working. We made a quick change of plans to take advantage of the opportunity. I hadn’t expected to stop by the school and take pictures of bunches of children afterwards. But when the kids were there, we made a quick change of plans to take advantage of the opportunity.

I certainly hadn’t expected anything other than the opportunity to use a great photo that makes me smile when I chose that picture to include in our program book.

But our God is the God of the unexpected. God has a way of criss-crossing our paths throughout our lives with people from whom we can learn, people who touch our hearts in unexpected ways, people with whom we will maintain a lifetime connection even if we never speak to or see one another again. And those unexpected moments when God does give us the opportunity to see each other again? Priceless.

Thank you, May, for letting me take your picture that day those many years ago. Thank you for letting me take your picture again this summer. Thank you, God, for being the God of the Unexpected. I can’t wait to see what you do next.

*Name changed for safety reasons.

(Updated October 2, 2013)

May emailed me after I posted this to give me a little update on her life, and gave me permission to share this with our readers:

I really like living in America. I think my life in America is better than in Umphium* camp. Here we get free education and free food at school. First of all, there’s lots of food and clothing that we can get for free. I also like to meet with American people; they are so nice and patient. They help us a lot. We thank God that he gives us friends that love their neighbor. Now I’m in high school and I’m a senior this year. My family were doing good, but now only my mom works. My dad can’t work anymore. Both of my dad’s hands and legs were paralyzed but he can still walk. He just doesn’t feel like a normal person. But anyway, thanks to God that God is with my dad and now my dad is doing good. My dad babysits two kids and he gets paid; thank God for that.

I’m so glad that I have a chance to meet you. Before I met you, one of my sister’s friends told me that she saw my picture when I was in Umphium camp. She was at a meeting and she saw the picture that you took of me when I was in Umphium. I still remember the day you took the picture and I always wished that I could meet you. Suddenly, God has blessed us and we meet again! And I also hope that one day I’ll have a chance to see my friends from Umphium again, just like I met you again. I really miss my friends that are still in Umphium. I hope that God will bring them to America just like God brought me, and we could meet again.. 🙂

In Jesus name,  Amen.

*There are multiple spellings for names of camps along the Thai-Burma border.

Inside Out and Back Again–by Thanhha Lai

This was a fascinating book, and unexpected. I found myself much more deeply engaged than I thought I would be when I first started reading.

While the book is fiction, it’s based on the author’s own experience of fleeing Vietnam and beginning a new life in the United States. A 2012 Newbery Honor recipient, the book is aimed at young adults but provided this particular adult an engrossing read as well.

The format is as if we’re reading ten-year-old Hà’s own short, free-verse poems documenting her life in Saigon as the Vietnam War drew closer and closer, her family’s flight to a tent city in Guam, and the eventual move to Alabama after the family is connected with sponsors there. She writes about little things like the tree in her backyard in Vietnam, to big issues like starvation on the boats, and dealing with bullies in her new school in Alabama.

Having spent several years now volunteering with members of refugee communities here in my home town and across the country, plus having grown up with a Vietnamese foster sister and brother when my own family was a sponsor family in the 1980s, I found much of this book describing what I knew to be true for new arrivals as they struggled to adjust to our culture, society, language, clothing, and so forth. But it also provided much-needed depth to my understanding as I read about Hà’s struggles with feeling beholden to others for help, to missing little details about home, like that tree, and her own anger at going from being one of the smartest kids in her class back in Vietnam to feeling “stupid” in her new school because she didn’t know the language.

The book was honest, endearing, and revealing. I’d highly recommend this for anyone–but, since it is aimed at young adults, it’s a particularly good way to help kids become more aware of global issues at the same time as they become more aware of what their classmates and friends may have experienced in their own pasts.

Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhha Lai (Scholastic, 2012)