The Refuge (an update)
Today we want to share an update from The Refuge – our children’s home for refugee children from Burma. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this home, it was originally established in a refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border. The children are all Karen refugees who came across the border to escape the genocide in Burma. These kids have seen some horrific things in their home country. Many would have been kidnapped and forced to fight as child soldiers if they had stayed in their village in Burma. They came to The Refuge looking for safety and an education (since the Burma army closed or burned down most of their schools.)
{source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mae_La_refugee_camp2.jpg}
The Refuge operated inside the refugee camp for more than 2 years, and it was a safe home for more than 20 young students. But we always knew it wasn’t the highest and best for them. As long as they lived in the refugee camp, their resources and opportunities were limited. The children had no real “rights”, and they felt stuck and even oppressed inside the walls of the camp. So when the Thai government decided to make a change this summer – we were thrilled!
Because of recent political developments in Burma, Thailand, and in the refugee camps, the Thai government decided to grant these students (and our house parents) the right to move out of the camp and into a Thai border town. This means more freedom and opportunities for our students – which we were really excited about!
The children now have better schools, and the ability to move freely in the city. They can meet more people, and be exposed to new things. And what’s even more exciting, is that they can now get regular visits from our American partners and friends! (Often visits were restricted inside the refugee camp.)
They’ve spent the last few months getting settled into their new home in Mae Sot, and they have been able to start sustainability projects in their new location. They’ve already planted a small garden, and they recently dug two small fish ponds and built a frog habitat which will be a source of food for the home.
We’re so happy to see how the children are thriving in their new home! We’re also thrilled to announce that the house mom and dad – Hebrew and Sernegay – are expecting their first child!
It’s been an exciting few months for The Refuge kids, and now we’re looking for donors who want to bless this home with the gift of Christmas. We would like to provide the funds for a special Christmas meal for the children and their house parents, a small Christmas party (complete with cookies, goody bags, and Santa hats), and a gift for each child (a new pair of pants and a warm jacket). To sponsor one child this Christmas, it costs just $60. To sponsor the entire Children’s Home, it costs just $420.
It doesn’t take much to make sure these children have a special Christmas! Please give today!
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