{"id":68841,"date":"2016-01-20T08:16:14","date_gmt":"2016-01-20T08:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.freeburmarangers.org\/?p=61526"},"modified":"2016-01-20T08:16:14","modified_gmt":"2016-01-20T08:16:14","slug":"land-of-green-mountains-and-generous-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.freeburmarangers.org\/my\/2016\/01\/20\/land-of-green-mountains-and-generous-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Land of Green Mountains and Generous People"},"content":{"rendered":"

Land of Green Mountains and Generous People<\/h1>\n
20 January 2016<\/address>\n
Karen and Karenni States, Burma<\/address>\n

Mission to Northern Papun (Muthraw) District, Karen State, Burma<\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Karen, Karenni, Arakan, and Kachin teams lead a Good Life Club on Christmas.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Following the Free Burma Rangers (FBR) training the students travel with the instructors on a mission to bring help, hope, and love to the people\u00a0in\u00a0Burma. After graduation all 27 teams travel together and hold one large Good Life Club program and clinic at the village\u00a0of\u00a0Tha Dah Der. Upon finishing the program, the teams divided into three groups and went on missions\u00a0in\u00a0three different areas\u00a0of\u00a0Karen State. One group headed west to Hsaw Hti Township\u00a0of\u00a0Kler Lu Htoo District. The second headed south to Dwe Lo Township\u00a0of\u00a0Muthraw District.\u00a0\u00a0The last group went north into Luthaw Township\u00a0of\u00a0Muthraw District and also into southern Karenni State. This report is from this last group while\u00a0in\u00a0Luthaw Township.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Arakan GLC leader teaches songs to kids.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Luthaw Township Mission Excerpt:<\/h3>\n

At\u00a04:00am\u00a0the rangers assemble and get ready to head out on the mission. For most\u00a0of\u00a0these rangers, it this will be their first mission providing help, hope, and love to the people\u00a0of\u00a0Burma. We head out across the rice fields and then over\u00a0mountains\u00a0and through the jungle. At first light our team is crossing a road controlled by the Burma Army. Karen soldiers check the road for mines and provide security\u00a0in\u00a0the chance that the Burma Army would be patrolling down the road while we are crossing. Even though there is an official ceasefire that was recently signed, there is little trust that the Burma Army would not shoot at villagers crossing the road. As recently as November 2015, the Burma Army had shot at villagers trying to cross this same road. The Burma Army shot and killed two people, one in February and one in March 2015, while close to Burma Army roads in this area. That is why the Karen soldiers still take the same precautions in securing the road crossing as they have\u00a0done for years.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Karen medics treat a patient.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few days later the rangers are conducting their first Good Life Club program together. They sing, put on skits, teach about hygiene, and play games with the kids. These rangers really put their whole heart into giving these kids their best. During one\u00a0of\u00a0the dramas, we hear the concussion from a large explosion on the other side\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0mountain. Many\u00a0of\u00a0the kids and rangers look over their shoulder to where the sound came from before turning back around and enjoying the rest\u00a0of\u00a0the drama. Later the local security informs us that the explosion was set by the Burma Army to intimidate the villagers. The Burma Army is continuing to build a new road past where the Karen National Union (KNU) has said they are allowed to. However with the new ceasefire the Karen cannot fight them or destroy their bulldozers for fear\u00a0of\u00a0being accused\u00a0of\u00a0violating the ceasefire agreement. So the Burma Army continues to build more and bigger roads and send additional arms and ammunition to their camps overlooking Karen agricultural areas.<\/p>\n

Several days after this, the FBR teams have arrived at another village to participate\u00a0in\u00a0their Christmas program. The villagers generously open their homes to us and invite us to join\u00a0in\u00a0their Christmas feast and games. The rangers have a lot\u00a0of\u00a0fun joining\u00a0in\u00a0with the villagers\u00a0in\u00a0their tournaments and races. Our group consists\u00a0of\u00a0Karen, Karenni, Arakan, and Kachin rangers, so it is always interesting for the villagers to interact with people from all over Burma. It also gives hope to the Karen villagers and makes them feel they are not alone\u00a0in\u00a0the struggle for freedom and justice\u00a0in\u00a0Burma. The rangers have another GLC program for the kids and the medics simultaneously set up a clinic to treat anyone who is sick.\u00a0In\u00a0the evening the village church holds a Christmas prayer service, followed by a concert that lasts deep into the night.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Karen, Karenni, Arakan, and Kachin teams lead GLC.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Karen live\u00a0in\u00a0a beautiful\u00a0land\u00a0of\u00a0green\u00a0mountains. They are warm and generous people who open their homes to one another. They are humble and very capable people. Their villages are simple and usually without electricity or running water. However the Karen have so much joy that they love to share with others. However, if you ask a villager about the recent ceasefire signed between the Burma Army and the KNU, the most common answer seems to be that they do not trust the Burma Army. Since the ceasefire process began, the Burma Army has used the opportunity to rebuild and fortify their camps and send more arms and rations to their camps. They have made no effort to withdraw troops from positions blocking agriculture areas or to create confidence among the villagers. The leaders and villagers worry that if the Burma Army decides to attack again, now that they are much better armed and fortified, it would be even more difficult to stop them. Villagers have tried to farm some\u00a0of\u00a0the areas closer to Burma Army camps but, they have to take turns providing security while others farm to be able to alert each other if they need to run and hide should the Burma Army come.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Karen medic pulls a villager’s tooth.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even through all the worry over the new ceasefire and the lack\u00a0of\u00a0confidence local people have that the Burma Army will keep its word, the Karen remain steadfast. The leaders here work to create a better life for their citizens by establishing schools and clinics, and by building roads and providing infrastructure. The Karen keep going on with their lives, full\u00a0of\u00a0cheer and generosity towards others – no matter what the future holds.\u00a0\u00a0For the Christian Karen,\u00a0they will say that their strength comes\u00a0from\u00a0God and that is\u00a0ultimately\u00a0where their trust is.<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and May God Bless You,<\/p>\n

FBR Teams<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Karenni GLC leader sings songs with kids.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n