Burma-Orphanage Day

These children from a Burmese border town showed up at a Baptist church in Yangon several years ago after their village was bombed by the Burmese government.  Seven years ago, the first time I visited them and did a VBS for them, they were still very much against Christianity. Most of them told their parents that they wouldn't convert to Christianity; they would remain Buddhist for them.  While in Yangon, the church is able to provide the children-mostly orphans- with 2 meals a day, shelter, safety, and some Bible lessons.  There is one caretaker for all 95 children.  At the end of the school year, most return to the border village to see their remaining family members.  A different group of children, and some repeats, return to Yangon when school starts again each year.  The ones who don't return escape to refugee camps in Thailand, are killed by landmines along the way, are kidnapped by the Burmese junta to become child soldiers or slaves, or die from sickness and disease.  The months they spend at the orphanage are their only opportunity to know Jesus before they return "home."

This trip, we were able to purchase school uniforms for all of the chilren so that they can attend public school this year.  We fed them lunch, and taught stories about Creation and Jesus for three hours.  We played games, sang songs, colored, made "lost sheep" bracelets with cotton balls, etc...  I emphasized repeatedly that they should share the story of Jesus with their family members back at the border village.  The children were full of giggles and delight all day.  It was wonderful.  I was brought to tears hearing them sing, "Jesus Loves Me."  I pray they remember this song as they return home and teach it's hope and love to their family members who don't know the Son.

We were also able to set up surgery for one boy's cleft lip (less than $100 to repair at a reputable hospital in Yangon), and we bought nearly a year's worth of pain medication for a boy who was severely burned back at his border village.  The burn left his arm disfigured and unable to straighten.  He needs several surgeries, but we just couldn't save them all.  Here's a couple more pictures of these children and this day. Please pray for these orphans and their Buddhist families in a very tumultuous land.  More pics and stories about other days in Burma-with displaced cyclone victims, in the Delta, with the local congregation, and aid delivery later.  Thank you to all of you who prayed and donated funds to make all of this possible.  The children thank you!!!