In northern Thailand and southern Burma there is a an ethnic people group called the Karen (pronounced Corinne). The Karen people have lived in this region for generations, and approximately 4 million live in it today. However, the Burmese government does not like the Karen people. The reasons are very complex and political in nature, but for the purposes of this blog I'll keep it simple and list just a couple. First, the Karen sided with the British when Burma was a colony of Great Britain. They did this because the British were willing to recognize the Karen people as it's own ethnic group. Secondly, the Burmese simply do not like the Karen, because they are different - plain and simple. And since they are not true "Burmese" they are not wanted. (Think about how the Native Americans were treated by our ancestors.)
So for decades, the Burmese army has been waging war within it's own borders against the Karen. Karen villages are sacked and destroyed - men, women and children are slaughtered. Lots of times the army will kidnap Karen children turning them into child soldiers.
It's ethnic cleansing.
Take a look at this photo - the picture on the left shows a small Karen village. The photo on the right was taken just a few years later. The village is gone.
You also need look no further than the massive refugee camps that sit along the Thai/Burmese border to know what I say is the truth. These camps have populated the border region since the 70's! And they are home to hundreds of thousands of Karen. Inside these camps are fully functional governments, schools, vendors and so forth. Yet, these people have NO citizenship - none! They have escaped the death and destruction of Burma, only to live in "no man's land" here in the camps.
Inside one of these camps is a children's home. This home is a refuge for kids who have been lucky enough to escape the terror in Burma. However, they either had to leave their families behind, or their families were killed. So they have no one to care for them. This is why our partners in Thailand created this home, so that kids and teenagers would have a safe place to live, food to eat, and educational opportunities.
And this is why Ericka and I support the home through the Sound of Hope, because these kids deserve a better life. Their past has been littered with discrimination, death and destruction. We want their future to be paved with opportunity and hope. Help us make this possible!
While in Thailand Ericka and I will bring you the stories of the kids who live in this home - we'll show you pictures, and videos. Also, we're excited to just simply hang out and spend time with the kids, to encourage them, to remind them that they are NOT forgotten, to tell them of the generous people we know who are giving to make their lives better. We want to give them HOPE!
In my next post I'll tell you about another great project we'll be serving in Thailand. It too has ties to the genocide that is taking place in this region of the world.
* For another great read on the subject, check out this blog I wrote back in 2007 after I visited the refugee camp for the first time.
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