So, as I promised.. there is more to the last blog that I really would love to share with you.It’s amazing how there are so many things going on in this world that we never hear about. Especially one of the longest running civil wars in history.
A modern day genocide.
Have you heard of the insane, inhumane, abuse of power taking place at this very moment in Burma?
People are being tortured and killed. Over 500,000 have fled for their lives in the jungles of Burma (Genocide Intervention Network, DC), and there are currently over 1.5 million refugees (CNN).
It’s a modern day genocide, initiated by the Myanmar (Burmese) government.
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I can honestly say that I had no clue. That is until I met Joe and Joann Cochran in Thailand. I arrived at the airport in Hong Kong on route to Thailand, still not knowing where I would be staying in Phuket or what I would be doing. I was even prepping to sleep in the airport overnight. I just knew that God had called me to go, that He had a plan and that His peace was comforting me in the unknown. That same day I was put in touch with this couple from Placerville, California.
After spending time back in California, they arrived into Phuket where they were staying at a local airport hotel. Remember James’ wife Bua? Well, she had been traveling with them back from the US, and received a urgent phone call prompting her to fly up north due to a family emergency. This opened up a room for me to stay the night I flew in, and the opportunity to come alongside of this extraordinary couple for the next two weeks.
Little did I that the Cochran’s, also coined as “Grandpa and Grandma” by the locals, would teach me a lot.. Not only about family, parenting, and life in general… but also about this abomination taking place in Burma.
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My jaw literally dropped as I heard the details about the present situation in Burma. This civil war, or genocide (whatever you want to call it) has been taking place since 1948. The Burmese, now "Myanmar" government has committed to killing off several ethnic groups including the Karen and Kachin people. The government army, also known as the SDCP army, is constantly ransacking villages, embedding landmines, lighting them on fire, rapping the women and cutting off their breasts, and killing anyone in sight. Disgusting. Hence, many of these ethnic groups are hiding out in the jungle and if possible attempting to make their way to refugee camps on either side of the Thai-Burmese border.
Burma is a country rich in natural resources and used to be one of the wealthiest nations in southeast Asia. The government has used this to their advantage in order to manipulate other governments; withholding natural resources if a country continued to help and provide for Burmese refugee camps. The Thai government has given in on various occasions leaving refugees without food, water, and necessary supplies.
Many people, after hearing about this modern day genocide, have attempted to cross the Thai-Burmese border to deliver aid to the refugees. This is risky business because the Burmese army are armed and monitor any activity around the camps, taking action as they will.
Joe and Joann made the trip across the river dividing Thailand and Burma. While on route they were told to duck, it was not uncommon to be shot at.
When asked about the people at the refugee camps Joe commented, “You can tell they've been through a lot. The kids have a sober look…but if you start messing with them, they lighten up. They’re not full of joy like kids you’d normally find”. While there, Joe used his engineering background to help clean up the water supply, while Joann helped around the camp and loved on the people.
When asked about the people at the refugee camps Joe commented, “You can tell they've been through a lot. The kids have a sober look…but if you start messing with them, they lighten up. They’re not full of joy like kids you’d normally find”. While there, Joe used his engineering background to help clean up the water supply, while Joann helped around the camp and loved on the people.
“We were going to go again,“ Joe said, “but the Burmese army had been more active in stopping this kind of activity. Now, it is too dangerous”.
James, who I mentioned in the previous blog, dedicated his life to helping these people. On numerous occasions, he smuggled aid to Karen refugees on the other side of the border. In 2006, James had the opportunity to lead four other guys from San Diego, California as they visited refugee camps and documented what was going on in Burma. They risked their lives as they ventured out to gather footage of this atrocity, in hopes to expose it to the world.
While filming in Burma James said, “I made a decision in my heart to continue with my brothers and sisters here. If that means giving my life, then that means giving my life for them”. James later went on to be with Jesus…having served the Karen people wholeheartedly.
What can you do?
I realize that this is not the most cheery news ever, and that sometimes people would rather not know about what's happening in other parts of the world because once we do know, there's a certain level of responsibility. Sometimes we wonder, "what now?" or, "how can I help?
I realize that this is not the most cheery news ever, and that sometimes people would rather not know about what's happening in other parts of the world because once we do know, there's a certain level of responsibility. Sometimes we wonder, "what now?" or, "how can I help?
THE ROAD was just recently released this year and is definitely worth seeing. Oftentimes when we hear about events such as the genocide taking place in Burma, and we want to do something about it. While the borders of Burma are now more dangerous to penetrate than ever before, there are three primary ways you can help…
1) PRAY!
2) Watch the full length feature film--
3) Support the Free Burma Rangers at http://www.freeburmarangers.org/
The Free Burma Rangers help to supply aid to the refugees in Burma.
Please join me and help…
“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless, maintain the rights of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy, deliver them out of the hands of the wicked”.
~Psalm 82:3-4
~Psalm 82:3-4
