We Held a Summer Camp for Refugees--What Happened Next Surprised Us
Take 30 Burmese refugees on a Summer Camp experience. What God does next will always be amazing.
First, Myanmar’s military took over the government. Their rule is repressive and many have been killed just for protesting. Then, the military announced forced conscription of all young people. Then, just when they thought it couldn't get any worse, a brutal earthquake hit.
Young people growing up in Myanmar these days have so little hope for their nation and their own lives.
Myanmar shares 1,800 miles of border with Thailand, and thousands of young people have been pouring into Thailand to escape this situation.
This year, one university in our city accepted 750 incoming freshman from Myanmar alone. Many of them arrived with so little money that they must survive on one cafeteria meal a day.
They Don’t Look So Desperate
They wear jeans and t-shirts like all the other kids so they blend in, but these students are mostly depressed, hungry, and broke. They are alone in a strange land and don’t speak the language. They have anxiety and can’t decide what to do about their future. They have no reason to believe their future will be different from their painful present.
The best thing their parents can do for them is to sacrifice to get them to the border and across into Thailand. Then parents work hard at home and try to send some money as they can.
Their children enter university so they can get a visa allowing them to stay in Thailand for as long as possible.
This is the group the Lord has placed on our heart. They need help now and they are extremely receptive. They are open to any new solutions and bond instantly with us as we reach out and love on them.
Medialight Summer Camp: Better Days Ahead
The school year just ended a week ago for the summer break, which made a great time for an extended outreach. The camp was called, “Better Days Ahead”. The focus was on receiving hope for your future through Jesus.
We designed a camp where they can
Encounter Jesus and find true and lasting hope
Believe God has a hopeful future for them
Find courage to keep going in their hard times, and
Adapt a proactive approach in life
Most of these students were Muslim and Buddhist. For 70%, this was their first time to hear of Jesus. They learned that they are loved by a Creator who knows them by name. They heard that through Jesus they can have a good future.
Most had never seen a Bible. Never met a believer. Have zero Bible knowledge. We used to think that this was a huge problem. Now, it doesn't bother us at all. We've discovered that what they really need is an encounter with Jesus, even if they don't know anything about him. They need to feel him and experience his presence. Then they have the rest of their lives to learn the Bible and come to understand all that Christ has done for them on the cross.
The Power of Abundant Food
We had no idea how powerful our meals with them would be. They've been hungry for so long. Then we welcomed them and fed them three big meals a day. They could eat all they wanted!
One camper, a Muslim girl named Sarah, expressed how grateful she was for the fact that we only served chicken during the camp (this allowed her to eat because chicken is kosher for Muslims). By our third day, she started calling us her “family”.
By the second night, when asked who wanted to put their faith in Jesus and would like to start walking with Him, Sarah raised her hand.
They are fighters, all of them. If all that built-up resilience in dealing with a tough life can now be anchored in Jesus -- what amazing and powerful adults they can become.
We wanted to equip them with this core belief:
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV): "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV): "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
As God’s word took root, it gave them the courage to take dominion over their lives and believe that through Jesus they can build a life that has joy, and a blessed future.
The Lord is amazing! Every time we gather for camps He never fails to show up. We are all praising God for the many encounters these young people had with Him through time in worship, prayer, and conversation.
This Jesus-encounter is now planted in their heart as core memory.
This is What You Are Supporting
Sherry and I and the entire Medialight team are so grateful to those of you who give monthly to support the work of Emerge.
We cannot do this without your support. Global missions requires a partnership between workers on the field and those who support them.
So if you are a monthly donor, we want to say from the depth of our heart how grateful we are.
If you are not a regular donor, please prayerfully consider becoming actively engaged in this work. Evangelizing the unreached is at the center of God's heart. Those who support His causes can expect His support as well.
Just choose the cause “Greatest Current Need” to allow us to invest your money most effectively. Thanks!
Every Blessing!
Chuck & Sherry
PS: Think about the power of food for relationship building in your own life. Is there a way you could open up your home and share a meal with new people? Sherry and I have always been amazed at the power of eating food with people. It builds a bond and lowers guardedness and allows the Lord to create conversations that are so memorable and deep. Sometimes these conversations become a beautiful on-ramp to pray for someone or minister in another way. Pray about it. Maybe God can use you in a food related ministry.
