Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Elpis Ministry in CBN News
Refugee School Offers Burmese Hope- MAE SOT, Thailand - A Christian school in Thailand is giving hope to ethnic children who have escaped violence in Myanmar.
The children had lived under a repressive regime for years. But now some young Karen refugees have the promise of a brighter future.Eighty-five percent of these children from Burma's Karen tribe attend the Elpis School in Mae Sot.
Their families fled atrocities committed against them by the Burmese military. They found a safe haven in Thailand. "
Some like Thoung Myint and Tuntun Win have endured separation from their families in exchange for an education. The boys will be safer in Thailand and will escape abduction by government soldiers. In Burma, boys as young as 10 years old are forced to join the military and serve as unpaid laborers.
"When I lived in Burma, the soldiers took our money and we had to build the roads," Tuntun Win, 14, said.
"In Burma, soldiers forced us to carry guns and plant trees. If we don't work, we must pay 5000 kyat," Thoung Myint Kyaw, 4, said. "Here, I can study and I don't need to pay much money."
In 2000, Filipino missionaries Pappet Amihan, Roselyn Sanchez and Karen teacher Heihtoo began a feeding program for 37 Burmese children. As the number of children grew, the three women decided to turn the feeding program into a formal school. But because they dealt with illegal migrants, they were ejected twice from the places where they held classes.
Their church gave them some land and they built their own school with donated materials. The teachers, parents and students provided the labor.
School co-founder and teacher Roselyn Ranchez says the school is giving the Karen children hope and a future. For most of these Burmese children, it is their first time to experience a sportsfest. But more than learning about sports, they now have dreams of their own.
Part of that dream is to be able to someday return to their homeland.
"I want to be a doctor because I want help my people," Kyaw said.
"I want to be a teacher because I want to help my people in Burma," Win said.
Co-founder Amihan said that the Lord answered her when she cried out to Him after being ejected from the school. "He gave me Jeremiah 30:15-16, 'Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears for your efforts will be rewarded, your children will go back to their own land. share about Christ to the people,'" she said.
While the Burmese military regime has worked aggressively over the years to destroy the Karen people, the dreams of these young refugees are being restored here in Thailand. In Greek, 'elpis' means hope - a fitting name for a school that is giving this gift to children who once had no future.
"We don't know for sure what will happen to Burma but we are praying that democracy will be restored and what we can do is to prepare the children for that future," Sanchez said.
*Original broadcast on October 19, 2007.
Refugee School Offers Burmese Hope
By Lucille Talusan, CWN Asia Correspondent
October 22, 2007
Click Link here:
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/252976.aspx
The children had lived under a repressive regime for years. But now some young Karen refugees have the promise of a brighter future.Eighty-five percent of these children from Burma's Karen tribe attend the Elpis School in Mae Sot.
Their families fled atrocities committed against them by the Burmese military. They found a safe haven in Thailand. "
Some like Thoung Myint and Tuntun Win have endured separation from their families in exchange for an education. The boys will be safer in Thailand and will escape abduction by government soldiers. In Burma, boys as young as 10 years old are forced to join the military and serve as unpaid laborers.
"When I lived in Burma, the soldiers took our money and we had to build the roads," Tuntun Win, 14, said.
"In Burma, soldiers forced us to carry guns and plant trees. If we don't work, we must pay 5000 kyat," Thoung Myint Kyaw, 4, said. "Here, I can study and I don't need to pay much money."
In 2000, Filipino missionaries Pappet Amihan, Roselyn Sanchez and Karen teacher Heihtoo began a feeding program for 37 Burmese children. As the number of children grew, the three women decided to turn the feeding program into a formal school. But because they dealt with illegal migrants, they were ejected twice from the places where they held classes.
Their church gave them some land and they built their own school with donated materials. The teachers, parents and students provided the labor.
School co-founder and teacher Roselyn Ranchez says the school is giving the Karen children hope and a future. For most of these Burmese children, it is their first time to experience a sportsfest. But more than learning about sports, they now have dreams of their own.
Part of that dream is to be able to someday return to their homeland.
"I want to be a doctor because I want help my people," Kyaw said.
"I want to be a teacher because I want to help my people in Burma," Win said.
Co-founder Amihan said that the Lord answered her when she cried out to Him after being ejected from the school. "He gave me Jeremiah 30:15-16, 'Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears for your efforts will be rewarded, your children will go back to their own land. share about Christ to the people,'" she said.
While the Burmese military regime has worked aggressively over the years to destroy the Karen people, the dreams of these young refugees are being restored here in Thailand. In Greek, 'elpis' means hope - a fitting name for a school that is giving this gift to children who once had no future.
"We don't know for sure what will happen to Burma but we are praying that democracy will be restored and what we can do is to prepare the children for that future," Sanchez said.
*Original broadcast on October 19, 2007.
Refugee School Offers Burmese Hope
By Lucille Talusan, CWN Asia Correspondent
October 22, 2007
Click Link here:
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/252976.aspx
Monday, October 22, 2007
Relax & Refresh
Roselyn
Dear MEANS Family
Thank you so much for giving to us the opportunity to have our Relaxation and Recreation. Roselyn and I were privileged to go to Khaolak. This is a beach near Phuket but there are not many tourists in this beach. Though we were able to stay for a day and a half only we really enjoyed our time in the beach as we miss the Philippine beaches so much. In our 7 years here in Thailand this is the first time we got to spend vacation in a beach. Yehey!!!
We stayed in the office base of Evangelism Explosion. We spent an early morning worship in the beach with the group from Evangelism Explosion. In the afternoon, Roselyn and I enjoyed the sunset swim.
Again thank you so much for your generous gift. May god return to you a thousand fold of what you've given to us.
Pappet
Posted by : Pappet
Friday, October 19, 2007
Spread the Word
Posted 10/19/2007
One of the opportunities that God has given me is to be able to share what other things I do (besides working at the university) to my bus mates on my way to work. It gives me an opportunity to tell them the ministry I am involved in.
Two of my friends, an Indian girl and a Colombian girl have already heard about Elpis ministry in Maesot, Thailand. Of course, I tell them about the 3 Filipinas who have started the school and their desire to serve God in that part of the world as a volunteer (VFG- Volunteer for God). For them to be able to really get a good grasp of what it means to work there, I had to give a background of the current situation in Burma, how far Maesot is from Myawaddy in Burma, and to tell them that they are teaching migrant Burmese children.
I just hope that they would be able to see what God is doing in that part of the world. I am also challenged to share to them about my faith in Jesus Christ. I hope that through my sharing many will be encouraged to help.
Posted by: Lina
One of the opportunities that God has given me is to be able to share what other things I do (besides working at the university) to my bus mates on my way to work. It gives me an opportunity to tell them the ministry I am involved in.
Two of my friends, an Indian girl and a Colombian girl have already heard about Elpis ministry in Maesot, Thailand. Of course, I tell them about the 3 Filipinas who have started the school and their desire to serve God in that part of the world as a volunteer (VFG- Volunteer for God). For them to be able to really get a good grasp of what it means to work there, I had to give a background of the current situation in Burma, how far Maesot is from Myawaddy in Burma, and to tell them that they are teaching migrant Burmese children.
I just hope that they would be able to see what God is doing in that part of the world. I am also challenged to share to them about my faith in Jesus Christ. I hope that through my sharing many will be encouraged to help.
Posted by: Lina
Short Termers
Short Termers who have served Elpis Ministry, we need your comments:
Lina and I are thinking of going for a short term mission trip next year; maybe bring some volunteers with us.
We have some questions that would help us in planning. Here are our questions:
- What are short term projects (5 days) available in Elpis Ministry?
- What did other short term groups like you do during your stay ?
- Did this impact or add value to Elpis' ministry?
- What are your recommendations for 5 days stay? 10 days?
- What are the housing accommodations?
- What is the best time to go there?
Posted by: Carmena
Elpis Teachers' Conference
10/19/2007
Roselyn and I came back from Hatyai and Khaolak last Sunday night. Monday was spent preparing for our teachers retreat cum fun day. Tuesday and Wednesday. We went to Wattana Village Resort just here in Maesot. ( After all the teachers cannot really go that far as they don't have any ID. ha ha ha) The Elpis teachers brought their families so their children were able to have fun. The resort has a pool. For all teachers except for one, it is their first time to swim in the pool. Can you believe that? The retreat brought the teachers closer to each other as well.
What turned out to be a day to spend in Hatyai stretched to 3 days. The city government required us to revise our biodata and have the translators certify it. Today I heard that the mayor is suppose to sign our papers so that it can be forwarded to the governor's office. I pray that the governor will give us his recommendation.
Posted by :Pappet
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Burma in the News
Burma is very much in the news these days with the military crackdown on those who demonstrated against the present Burmese repressive government which included hundreds of Buddhist monks shouting for freedom and reform on the streets of Yangoon (formerly Rangoon) the capital city of Burma. Many have lost their lives as the repressive junta responded to the demonstrations.
What do Burma, the Burmese and Elpis school have in common? For those who are not aware of it, MEANS has been supporting the ministry of 3 Filipino women on the Thai - Burma border in Maesot, Thailand. The women have started a school among the children of Burmese immigrants - most of them illegal - who came to Mae Sot for freedom and for a living. The children, mostly belonging to the Paw Karen tribe, are very much in need of the basic needs in life: shelter, food, clothing and education.
Posted by: Lina
Friday, October 5, 2007
Sports Fest
Sports Fest and Prayer Request
Pappet wrote: "Our sports fest start this week. It is a welcome relief after the gruelling mid-term exams last week. We separated the kinder from grades 1-6. It was really very funny during the banana eating contest for the Kinder 1 children. We blindfolded the contestants in pair (a boy and a girl). One is to feed the banana and the other is to eat the banana. One girl in a pair instead of giving the banana to her boy partner ate it herself. Everybody was just holding their middle laughing. There were more laughters from the group especially when the other pairs had already finished the game and the girl was still eating the banana slowly while her pair was waiting all the time. That was yesterday.
Today we had a cheering contest. We let them do it themselves. The children can be creative. We also had football and marathon.
May I request prayers for our visa? We are suppose to renew it this December. The Foundation who sponsored us is required to submit a lot of papers. This is because of the new Thai immigration law. Please pray that the foundation will be given a one year (renewable yearly) visa instead of the 3 months renewable that they are giving for non immigrants. Then, we don't have to cross the border to renew our visa every time.
Pappet wrote: "Our sports fest start this week. It is a welcome relief after the gruelling mid-term exams last week. We separated the kinder from grades 1-6. It was really very funny during the banana eating contest for the Kinder 1 children. We blindfolded the contestants in pair (a boy and a girl). One is to feed the banana and the other is to eat the banana. One girl in a pair instead of giving the banana to her boy partner ate it herself. Everybody was just holding their middle laughing. There were more laughters from the group especially when the other pairs had already finished the game and the girl was still eating the banana slowly while her pair was waiting all the time. That was yesterday.
Today we had a cheering contest. We let them do it themselves. The children can be creative. We also had football and marathon.
May I request prayers for our visa? We are suppose to renew it this December. The Foundation who sponsored us is required to submit a lot of papers. This is because of the new Thai immigration law. Please pray that the foundation will be given a one year (renewable yearly) visa instead of the 3 months renewable that they are giving for non immigrants. Then, we don't have to cross the border to renew our visa every time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
