Fear or Courage

Ken, Anna, Levi and Noah Bunney joined with our family last week and together we spent a week at Baan Puk Dek Nakrean. It was a wonderful week. We were able to teach English for three days to the children in the surrounding villages (actually it was more like a 3 day fun club for those familiar with the Walker Fun Clubs!). The leaders of the villages expressed many thanks to Connect for our involvement in the education of their children. Anna lead the way in establishing a more substantial vegetable garden and the students followed her enthusiasm (and Anna was spurred on by theirs). We played games and taught bible in the evenings. When we were not teaching we had time to sit and get to know the individual students at BPDN. We watched as our beautiful white children joined in the games of the beautiful brown children and vice versa – it didn’t take long for the white and brown limbs, the blue and brown eyes and the blonde and black hair to blend into one fantastic group of children laughing, teasing and loving each other. We were reminded again how significant this work is. For many of us, of late, our thoughts are on our finances...or perhaps more accurately...the impending lack of them! The world is certainly in turbulent times. Just recently we watched the movie, Amazing Grace, for the second time. In the movie William Wilberforce’s wife encourages him to continue in his fight to abolish the slave trade. She reminds him that because the war is over, people are less fearful and are rediscovering their compassion. This is a true enough statement, sadly. Fear quickly changes our focus to ourselves. We find ourselves saying ‘when this is over...when things are back to normal...when we are back on our feet...then we can think about others again.’ The problem however is that injustice doesn’t wait...hunger doesn’t stop...violence isn’t put on hold...and the hope to keep attending school doesn’t wane. So, it will take courage, real courage, to seek justice when everyone else is seeking to protect themselves. It will take courage, real courage, not to lose our compassion when fear is crouching close by. For those of us who live as Christ followers, boldly proclaiming that we trust in God...these are great times! This is when we get to test our faith. Courage or fear...fear or courage...

I like swimming

This weekend, as with every time we go to visit BPDN, we taught English. The children are learning words such as running, walking, writing, drawing, swimming and so on. This time we asked them to do an activity with a difference. We asked them to write and tell their sponsors if they liked swimming or writing or drawing. They thought this was a great idea and set to work. While the concept that somewhere in the world someone cares for them specifically is,understandably, too much for them to fully take on, we do catch a sparkle in their eyes when we share bits of information about you all. Zach, Jordan, Casey and Kenz went from student to student helping spell your names. Zach helped little Doon draw some pictures and Doon and Zach smiled at each other often (they don't speak the same language), delighting in each others work. It was also fantastic to watch the students write your names. Currently I know most of our sponsors personally and as I saw the students write your names, I was able to imagine you 'seeing' your letter. It certainly felt like you were close by. It reminded me that you are truly seeking justice with us. So....letters are coming and I am sure they will light up your day.

In order to send out these letters I need your home/Po Box addresses. Can you make a point (if you are sponsoring a student) to send me an email with your address on it please. connect3e@hotmail.com

Below is a sneak preview of the letters to come.

a message from the students

Rather than me writing another blog....I thought you could hear from two of our older students at Baan Puk Dek Nakrean. One girl wrote to her sponsor and the other made a Mother's Day card for me (Ruth)....but both are indicative of how the students feel towards those who serve them. So whether you pray, give, volunteer or tell their story of injustice....these messages are for you...enjoy.

My name is Prada Jarrood. I very hppy have a time to writing to my sponcer but I not know you clear. Thank you so much, if you don't spencer me I cannot study more. I thank God, about you help me. Every day I pray for my sponcer for you and God give me a good day, and also God give you a good day also.I realy thank God and thanks you so much to help me. with love and miss Prapa

I would like to said I love teacher so much, love teacher like motherly, I thanks "God" about we have good teachers and love us, I would like to say thanks teacher about you care us to study and a place, also for foods, thanks so much and your love, you give to us, I never forget, and I'm realy love our teacher.

These students have written what they wanted to say in their own language and had Samson translate - then have re-written the english into their card. Fantastic hey?

Fish and a Fridge

It was my intention to have updated photos of Baan Puk Dek Nakrean following our trip out to the village this past weekend – but I bought the wrong SD card for my camera (4 gig – when it can only handle 2 gig …some might say I was being too greedy) but it is sorted now and next time I will overload you with new photos!

This past week saw the significant purchase of a car for Connect in Thailand. The car cost just under $5000 AUD and will allow our family (Harrisons) to visit BPDN more regularly and with better time efficiency. Previously the trip was taking up to 10 hours (via trains, motorbikes and buses)- now it will take 6. We can use the time saved teaching English, training Samson in leadership and playing with the children. It also means our family can be together on weekends rather than one or two going off separately. We will also use the car for transporting volunteers. Thank you to David and Lexi Edwards for initiating the raising of funds for this vehicle and thank you to all who gave specifically for this.

This past weekend we took two young adults with us that we knew from our time at Bamboo School. It was great to have them visit the home/school and to hear them speak in Karen with the students. They shared some of their life journey and encouraged the students to work hard at their studies and to embrace the opportunity before them.

We also brought three letters and a parcel to hand out to students (sent from sponsors). The children are getting used to the idea that letters and little gifts come from their sponsors and they love it! Actually one of our students, Pet, broke his arm and foot last week and without knowing this his sponsor family had sent a parcel which arrived in time to give it to him on Saturday...great hey?

The Karen man we took to hospital is doing really well. He went for another checkup this week and despite still needing another 6 months of medication for what has now been diagnosed as TB, he is putting on weight and is getting stronger. Samson says 'he is soooo thankful teacher’.

Samson continues to do a great job. There is an air of peacefulness and unity among the leaders and students. Samson is doing extremely well at raising up leaders. Each younger child has an older student alongside them. The older student ensures they have brushed their teeth, washed and ironed their uniform and done their homework. It is beautiful to watch the younger student come and sit next to their ‘helper’. If Samson asks the younger student to say grace, it is common to see the older one quietly line feed the younger student. What a great way for them to gain confidence and understanding in prayer! I am enjoying training Samson in leadership and then watching him train others who then in turn train up others……!

Connect is working hard at keeping things in balance financially - with the rising costs of rice, petrol and such - along with hoping to continue to build and complete this first project. This past Saturday I had a fairly strong talk with Samson regarding our finances. I explained to Samson that the students need to be diligent in sticking to the budget and saving where they can. This will allow us to then use excess funds to keep building rooms to take in another group of students. I encouraged them to help us help them (as the saying goes)! I shared that many people around the world are sacrificing so they can give to the Karen people. I challenged Samson and the students to consider how they to can sacrifice in order to see more of their people embraced, educated and empowered. In response, the children have agreed to take a small bag of rice to school each day rather than buying their lunch (as every other student does) in an attempt to lower the food budget slightly. The children will also watch their use of electricity and such.

Finishing this first home/school project is in reach. We are only about $20 000 AUD short of being able to do this. $20000 will complete a room for Samson and two rooms for volunteers. It will also allow us to build a replica dormitory with bathrooms for another 24 students. It will set up the rooms with beds and extend the electricity to the dorms. We realize we only have another 6 or 7 months before the new school year when we hope to take in the next and last lot of 24 students. We feel the land will be at its capacity with 48 students and a few leaders. Further building is presently out of reach financially for Connect but we have continued to set up BPDN in other areas. Your continued giving is allowing us to have the existing dam dug out so it can be stocked with fish this week – again lowering the food budget. And we have purchased a fridge so leftover food won’t spoil and vegetables and meat can be bought for 3 or so days at a time from the local market rather than on a daily basis.

We are excited to have got this far so quickly and to already be looking forward to building a second school in the near future. Your financial gifts, prayers, letters and encouragement have and continue to leave a long-lasting mark on the Karen people. Please don't stop. The need is so great. $20 000 is still a considerable amount of money and we are also aware that many of you have and continue to give substantially - so we ask something different and perhaps a little more difficult from you. We need you to tell the story of the Karen people and Connect's work amongst them. We are asking you to do some PR work for the Karen! Through this we hope that more people will partner with Connect as we seek justice for the Karen people. Until next time....thanks again for travelling with us.

Sick for Three Years

Firstly a very big thank you for the incredible amount of support given to Connect by each of you. My (Ruth's) trip to Australia was very beneficial primarily due to the fact that people (in most cases our family and friends) got behind Connect and gave of their own time, energy and finances to better embrace, educate and empower the Karen people of Thailand. Thanks again!

This past weekend, with four volunteers in tow, our family went down to Baan Puk Dek Nakrean. Sean and Lydia (my brother and his girlfriend) and their 2 friends played a number of games with the students while Colin and I spoke with Samson and caught up on things. In the afternoon we (Samson, Colin and I, Sean, Lydia and Tate (our adopted son) went to a neighbouring village for Tate's birth mother to see him. She wasn't there but before we could leave we began hearing of a man who had been sick for 3 years. He had just recently walked over the border from Burma and was now living with a family in the village. The people of the village looked at us expectantly on behalf of this man, who gaunt and expressionless, now stood hunched over before us. He looked as if he had a few days to live. With a number of thoughts running through my head such as: a trip to hospital and medication isn't covered in the budget, do we get deported if caught with a man with no ID for Thailand? Is this even our responsibility or in doing something for this man are we moving away from our vision?.... we responded the only way we could. The need was before us and while there were a number of thoughts....we knew we could not cross to the other side of the road as it were and ignore the man or this village! We said that we would come back in an hour (we had hired a car for the weekend) and take him to hospital. The man's stay in hospital (in isolation) and medicine came to a total of 9600 baht....about $300 Australian dollars - a lot for our little organisation to spend on one man. However this was possible because of your support. While you are primarily supporting students at Baan Puk Dek Nakrean and/or University you are also allowing Connect to serve the wider community. Many Karen die in their bamboo homes...unable to access health care. This man is now on the road to recovery...thank you.

Other news - we are putting up a water tank to collect rain water thanks to one couple's donation for this specifically. We are starting to build 3 rooms, one for Samson and two others for volunteers or another leader. The funds for this still need to come in. We have been asked by a young lady if we could organize sponsorship for her to continue attending Bible College. We need another 2 sponsors at $35/ month to cover this for her. We still need about 20 people sponsoring the school as a whole at $20/ month. Samson still needs another couple of sponsors so he can be paid $105 AUD/ month for his work. We also need prayer. Prayer for the students, for Samson, for Pidah (cook) and her husband, for Arjan Ponpun and Namchai (local church workers)and the villagers, prayer for the sick man and others that right now are having to escape over the border. Prayer also for Connect's involvement in their lives. Thank you again and again. Ruth.