Many readers of this TWB site will know of the thousands of Karen refugees on the Thai-Burmese border; some will have visited one or more of the camps and several of you will have taught in the Bible School that is located in one of those camps.
I was in contact today with one of the teachers from the camp who gave this update:
“Since the [Nargis] cyclone victims have come to us asking for food and things like that… We [in the camp] are taking care of around 90 people at the moment, some people from the cyclone, some from the IDP [Internally Displaced People] areas.”
“I thought we would pick up only cyclone victims but I have found out that IDP families are also in desperate need. Through the help of some friends we could come up with regular rice supplies for them before the Thailand Burma Border Consortium and the camp leaders can come up with their immediate needs. The problem they are facing is with the rising prices so it is difficult for them to come up with food and things like that for the Nargis victims and the IDP’s new arrivals.”
“They came to us, they narrated their stories and they cried. Sometimes the whole family cried. I did not know what to do with that.”
Please remember the displaced people who are still in the camps, especially the recent arrivals and those seeking to minister to them in their trauma.
The leader of the Bible School often writes asking when teachers might visit them, teach their classes and give encouragement to people in the camps.
Do let me know if you are able to visit and teach for a short period. Times are flexible in those parts.
Dr Geoff Pound
Image: I took this picture from the car on the road which runs parallel to rows of makeshift homes (behind security fences) which go on for mile after mile.