I walk into the building, following my teammate Beka, into the room. The first thing I notice is the large pile of shoes on the floor and how small the room must be. I remember thinking, “my goodness how many kids cram into this room everyday?” Beka and I are there to teach Sunday school… on a Wednesday morning. We climb over more shoes, and walk in to find 40-50 pairs of eyes staring at us excitedly. Now we needed to have a game plan. I’ve taught Sunday school before, but never without a curriculum or supplies. This time all we had was the Bible, and a white board with markers.
We deceided to teach on Easter and explained to the children what the last week of Jesus’ life was like. We prayed, played games, and sang worship. I was amazed at how passionately they worship!! But what touched me the most was their prayers and seeing brokenness from circumstances beyond their control with my own eyes.
These children we had come to teach were Burmese refugees, each child with a slightly different story but bound inextricably by one shared experience: they were strangers in a country not their own. They had each been forced to leave behind family, friends, homes, belongings, everything. Child after child asked me to pray for their family members back in Myanmar mostly grandparents, and friends. One 8 year old girl’s story broke my heart as she explained that she was separated from her parents and hadn’t been able to locate them.
Burmese refugees are not recognized by the Malaysian government which creates problems in education. They cannot seek formal education due to this lack of recognition and the education that is provided through the UN is meager at best.
I cannot begin to imagine the nightmare these children have been through. It’s hard enough on children to move to a new place when its’ the choice of the parents, but to be forced out of your home and leave behind others grips me. I prayed for each child, for their families left back in Myanmar, and for the country as a whole. I hope and pray that the situation in Myanmar will improve and that these sweet Burmese children will get the one thing they seek: a home of their own.
