Newsletter One
Dear Friends,
During December 2007, I met a few Burmese refugees in Churachandpur town, Manipur. My heart was filled with pain and love for them as some of them narrate their stories. I cried with them as I listen to their stories- stories of the death of their husbands in the Burmese jail or the unknown of their husband’s where about after being caught by the Burmese military. Stories of pain, hurt, sickness, rejection, loneliness in a foreign land and stories of exploitation by the rich people who employ them as weavers. I felt God leading me to ask for forgiveness to them on behalf of my people for the sufferings caused to them. 90% of them are Buddhists and still seeking for the truth.
My prayer is - “Lord, speak to your Churches in Churachandpur so that they will be sensitive to the needs (both spiritual and physical) of the 150 Burmese families whom you have brought to be our neighbors for a specific purpose. Help us to love them and to care for them through our good deeds!”
Our God is a God of love and He claims to be the father of the poor, orphans and the widows. He has specifically instructed His children to love and take care of the aliens. My prayer to God is to be able to listen and to know what role He wants me to play in reaching out to them? What does He want me to do?
In a limited way, Priscilla Centre has been able to help pay towards the education fees of about 15 Burmese children for the past three years. With the income from our Production Unit, we pay the houserent for their Fellowship. Many of them when they get sick do not have any medical assistance.
“ Show your love for the aliens, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt ” (Deu 10:19 )
Blessings abundant,
Lucy Engjadim