The medics came and took me to see a patient in the hospital. She was a tiny little thing. They said was 3 years old. She had a very vacant look in her eyes and didn't respond to me. She didn't show fear or excitement to see a Gallowah (white person) Her mother told us she has never spoken or walked. They live about a 3 hour walk away in a little village and her mother had brought her to the hospital to be treated for a fever. She looked very malnourished to me. Pweh Thay told me that since we serve so many villages, UNHCR provides some medicines for our little hospital. I took her picture ask mom for picture and told the mother I would try to find a sponsor for her. I gave the mother $25.00 (a lot to her!) and told her I'd be praying for her little one. The mother smiled a toothless smile and thanked me with a warm handshake and "Dah Bluh" (thank you).

After breakfast, Pweh Thay greeted me and gave me a key and told me it was to the outhouse closest to the guest house. A long row of outhouses had been built further over for all the guests, but they insisted I have one of my own. I was embarrassed to be singled out for special treatment, but knew they would give me the best of everything they had. I am so blessed to be a part of the Karen family and to be treated as a loved grandmother. I know it has nothing to do with the fact that we send money to help them. I could go to their homes without a penny and I would be loved and pampered just because of who they are and the relationship we have built up over the past 15 years.

I saw a young man hurrying over to me and recognized him as one of the students that had lived at the IDP hostel we had helped build 6 years ago. (The photo on the left was taken in 2003 when he was 19 years old.)

Po Naw had finished camp school and decided to travel to Bangkok through the underground to try and get work. He told me it took him 55 days of walking, staying off main roads and hiding from Thai police patrols before he finally got there. I can't imagine how he must have felt arriving in Bangkok which is a city of 16 million people and it seems like at least that many cars, truck, tuk tuks and motor bikes. He lived with a friend who had been there 2 years and got work with him. After a few months, he realized that his health would not make it possible for him to continue working and make enough to live on, so he decided to go back to Mae Sot and then on to Mae La refugee camp. He got on a bus and was taken off at a check point along with all the other illegals by Thai police. He was arrested, taken to Mae Sot, and put in "jail". I have seen what they call the illegal holding yard and it is terrible. He was then taken across the bridge and turned over to the Burmese border patrol. After 2 weeks, he managed to escape and had just arrived in Mu Aye Pu the morning I had arrived!

He never left my side the rest of the time I was there. This photo was taken on the steps of the Mu Aye Pu Hospital while I was there on this trip. The back row from left to right: Wah Shee (Medic), Mike (Soldier), Me - Betty (known as PeeTahThoo to the Karen), and Pweh Thay (Medic). In the front, wearing the cap is Po Naw. It was nice to have him with me and he even accompanied us to Mae La camp.

Flag formation and formal speeches started at 8am and we wandered around greeting old friends, being introduced to new people and listening to the Karen speeches blaring out over the loud speakers. I couldn't understand a word that was being broadcast, but that didn't matter, it was just great to be a part of their celebration of the anniversary of the fight for freedom.

I heard someone call my name. Phil Thornton, an author and journalist from Australia I had met many times before came over and chatted with me. I had heard that his book on the Karen had just been published and I congratulated him and asked where I could get a copy. He laughed and said he didn't even have one, every time he got one he gave it away! I told him I'd find one and read it with interest, knowing he was writing about experiences and people that I had been involved with. His book is called "Restless Souls - a story of rebels, refugees, medics and misfits on the Thai-Burma border". I eventually did find his book and bought 2 copies. I was pleased and surprised to recognize the soldier whose picture he used on the front cover. IAG is sponsoring his twin boys that I had named Benjamin and Joseph when they were born 3 years ago. In the pictures below, the first photo is me with Chi Augh, the young man pictured on the front of the book. Following that is a picture of Chi Augh's wife and children. (The twins,Benjamin & Joseph, are on the right.)
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I went to General Bo Mya's house to see him and was saddened to see how ill he was. I have great respect and love for him and don't want to think of the void he is leaving in the KNLA and the KNU because of his illness. He hadn't wanted to miss the celebration and they brought him across in the boat and carried him and his wheel chair up the steep river bank. Seeing him sitting in his wheelchair in his dress uniform brought back all the stories I have heard about him over the years and I already missed the man I had known. My last trip to Mae Sot 3 years ago he gave me a beautiful amethyst ring that had been in his family for years. I don't know if he knew that was my birth stone, but I cherish the ring and wear it all the time. I showed his wife and daughter in law that I was wearing it and they all got huge smiles on their faces and hugged me.

Bin Sha asked me if we could leave by noon and go to his home in Mae La refugee camp. He said many people were waiting for me there and his wife and mother in law were cooking for me! I was excited about seeing all my friends there, so was glad when it was time to leave. The morning mist from the mountains burned off by 9 am and it was stifling hot. The music, dust and smells of food cooking were over powering. I got some great pictures of the outdoor kitchen that had been set up to cook the rice and vegetables to feed everyone. Once I find them, I'll get them posted here in the journal so that you can see them too. I counted over 30 charcoal stoves with huge pots boiling away. I ate very little, being tired and hot.

About 11:30 we said our goodbyes and got into the boats to take us to the other side and wait for our truck to take us back to Mae Sot. Just as we drove out onto the main road, we were stopped at a Thai check point and I noticed there were Gallowah in the truck ahead of us and they were photographing them. When they came to our truck they asked me to get out and stand in front of the truck and they took my picture with the driver. The photographer said they were photographing all Gallowah who had been at the Martyr Day celebrations. He didn't know why, was just doing what he was told.

As we approached Mae La refugee camp, I noticed that all the old dilapidated bamboo fences surrounding the camp had been replaced with concrete posts and barbed wire, to keep the refugees in supposedly, but they still walked out through the front gate and took the chance on being caught by Thai patrols. When we walked in through the gate I was greeted warmly by everyone. Children shouted "wollagay Pee Pee" (good morning) as we climbed the steep hill to Bin Sha's house. We were hot and tired by the time we got there and it felt good to sit down on the mat that had been laid out for me. Naw May Pah, Bin Sha's wife, greeted me with a warm smile and a glass of water and indicated for me to sit down. She insisted that I should rest and have my afternoon "Ah Lah Htee" (bath) before I started dealing with the people coming to greet me and ask for sponsorship help.

It was a good plan, but it didn't happen. Children and parents started crowding in and I told Bin Sha that we should just get started. I had cards for 115 children that either were currently sponsored, or had been sponsored and lost their sponsors. My goal was to get pictures for every child I had a card on. We set up a small short legged table in the middle of the room. Bin Sha and Po Naw got the child's name, found their card, updated info on card then had child hold card with the number on the back showing and I took their pictures. When I get home I will match all the pictures to the child's card. Each child shook my hand and thanked me. I had decided to not disburse any money to those due until all the pictures were taken. Bin Sha said he would send out word for just those who were to come back for money, and we would do it the next day. I wanted to keep a low profile when it came to giving money out since there was no way every child here could get some and Bin Sha could explain how it was going to work. I had already made the decision that any child that had a card and hadn't gotten a disbursement in December would get $25.00 or 1000 baht, but it became clear that that amount would have to be a little flexible since more and more parents were coming with heart breaking stories of needs for un-sponsored children. I frequently tell the Lord that if he would give me a million dollars I would give it away to the Karen children, but he must not trust me to do that, cause it hasn't happened! Some of the children who picture I'd taken 3 years ago had never gotten a sponsor and I flagged their cards. The next several hours passed in a blur of people coming and going. Naw May Pah slipped plates of fruit next to me to snack on as there was no way we could stop and eat lunch.

It was a time of joy at meeting old friends and seeing how the children had grown and also a time of frustration and sadness as I had to say "I'll try to find a sponsor for you" instead of giving them the money they so desperately needed. I had told B'Shar Lo that I could take no new children until sponsors were found for all those who had been waiting, but as I listened to stories of orphans, children abandoned by a mother overwhelmed with grief after the death or desertion of her husband, I relented and took pictures of some of those with the greatest need. (Like the family pictured here) I told everyone that I would need them to pray with me that sponsors could be found, because only God could meet this great need.

It was stifling hot in the bamboo house with just the slightest breeze. I was hot, dirty and tired and longed for a cold dipper bath and a few minutes to stretch out on my mat on the floor. I knew that wasn't possible as we were racing against time to get as many pictures taken as we could while we still had day light. There is no electricity in the homes. Finally at 4:30 Bin Sha stood up and announced "No more today, Pee Pee needs ah lah htee and obwee" (bath and rest). Everyone shook my hand once again and thanked me and left. I felt like crying. I was able to do so little, help so few children. I sat with tears running down my cheeks as Naw May Pah patted my arm and handed me a nee to wear while I bathed. The cold water and the cool breeze outside was so refreshing, I felt my spirits lift as I dipped the cold water out of the tub and poured it over me. It is amazing how you can bathe with just a nee on for privacy. I ignored the children who had climbed down the hill behind the house to watch me. It was heavenly to put on clean clothes and stretch out on the floor for a few minutes.

I had started ukulele lessons four months before and had brought my small uke with me to teach the children. Bin Sha's three children were intrigued with my ukulele and were pleased when I told them they could play it. They had such fun with it and begged me to play. I sat up and they started jabbering in Karen. Bin Sha told me they wanted me to play "Jingle Bells"! Luckily I had learned that one! They all sat around me and as I played children started coming in from outside. When I played "You are my sunshine" they all clapped in time and tried to sing along. What a great memory that will be for me. When I started lessons, I did it purely for selfish reasons, but now the Lord was using that to help me brighten the lives of these children. The parents soon started coming in also and I played one song after another. I don't have a great singing voice, but none of them cared, so I stopped worrying about it and enjoyed the moment! I know my instructor, Hal, will be tickled when I show him the pictures of the children with my ukulele.

After about 30 minutes, Bin Sha once again asked everyone to leave so I could eat. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until the women started bringing dishes of rice, cooked vegetables and meat in and placing it on the mat next to me.

On the left is a photo of me with Bin Sha's Mother-in-law. His mother in law lives with them and, with the help of a translator, she asked me how old I was. When I told her she said, "Same as me!"
Then she touched my teeth with her finger and said, "You have all your teeth" and grinned a beetle nut stained smile at me!
I laughed and told her I was afraid to chew beetle nut and she howled with laughter.

Po Naw, Bin Sha, and I ate on the low table and the rest of the family in the kitchen, as is Karen tradition. I had given Bin Sha money for food, which he didn't want to take. He said, "I will feed my Pee Pee."
But I knew they would use their precious monthly food rations for me and insisted he take the money. We all sat around visiting and people started coming back to sit on the floor and listen or join in. Finally at 9pm, Bin Sha saw me yawning and he got up and shut the bamboo door signaling "no more visitors" and people got up, shook hands once again, and left.

After my mosquito net was hung and blanket brought out for me the family went into the other room while I put on my pajamas and crawled under the covers. They quietly came back in and talked until the generator was turned off at 10pm. I laid in my little nest listening to the camps sounds, children crying or laughing, adults visiting, dogs barking. I fell asleep knowing I was right where God wanted me to be.

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