Trekking the Wild - Finding the Treasure

Hello again friends! My sincere apologies for not keeping in better touch with you over the past few weeks. I have found the realities of writing and research to be much different then I had imagined they would be. I have been exposed to the heart of a matter that I've found incredibly inspiring, depressing, beautiful, and heartbreaking ..all at the same time. "How can that be possible?",you ask. Well, that's a very good question. One that I keep asking, myself. Let me try to show you.

Saturday, June 7th, "Tete" Zothansiami (She goes by "Siami"), traveling along with one of her older students, picked me up at the Sanborn's home in Chiang Mai. It was 3:30 pm. We drove around down town, buying supplies and running errands for a few hours. She then took us out to "The Rainbow House" - a home that HRDC (Hill tribes Resource and Development Center, the Ministry she founded) has in Chiang Mai. It is at this house, that some of the older high school age students live while they are attending school in Chiang Mai. While I was at the Rainbow House, I got to meet Missy - Siami's eldest child - who is in the 10th grade.

We waited for the rain to stop before starting our drive to Musekee. Siami told me that it was about a 5 hour trip, depending on how fast you drive. I was thankful that we were taking their big truck (filled with supplies) so we couldn't go too fast around the corners. (I'll Save the Dramamine for later)
We stopped in Pai (Pronounced = Pie) for supper and then continued on our way, arriving at the Center around 1:00 am. I couldn't see anything until I got to what would be my home for the next few weeks. A one room dorm on the second story of the Medical House. Here, I was greeted by American electrical outlets, dependable electricity, and a beautiful pink mosquito net! I even got to call home (with good reception) and talk to my mom for a bit before crawling into bed. It was amazing to be back after a year's absence, and I was anxious to get started on the story.

The next morning at 5:00 am, I was woken up by a song - better then any I've ever heard on a radio alarm clock. Tannin, Ah Tee, and a group of girls were strumming away and singing at the top of their lungs outside my place. The roosters joined in as they made their rounds, and soon I could hear the cow bells ringing as they barreled out to pasture. Rain pelted down in sporadic sheets on every side...making the morning as fresh and sweet as it's sound. I went to church twice that day, as is the custom in Musekee. The Center's service starts at 9:00 am with worship and prayers, a little devotion, and then more singing. (I think these kids sing more then they breathe.) We joined the community (village) service across the street in the big church too. The evening always ends around here with devotions in the Chapel, and then homework (usually English lessons) in the cafeteria. So they've got worship, like two solid bookends at the beginning and end of each day.

Siami gave me a pretty hefty load of literature to catch me up on the history of her people (the Mizo from Mizoram, in NE India), some papers on Karen culture and customs, local history and information about the area, and essays that have been written over the years about HRDC. So I've had my work cut out for me this week, and I'm not even close to half way through the reading. But I'm hoping that she'll let me take some of it with me...on loan. I don't want to miss any of this research, but I don't see how I can get through all of it in my time here. Don Fox, (one of the founders of the Hand Clasp Organization that has worked with HRDC for many years) said that I could have a look at the letters Tete has sent to him and his wife over the past 25 years. They're back in the states right now, but I can get them later. That will add more texture to the story...so I'm glad he's saved them.

I've done some conversational interviewing, taken lots of pictures and trekked around to various key locations in the area. We went to Wee Nam Som, and Wee Pa - branch ministries of HRDC - several hours drive from the Center. We brought half a dozen large bags of rice, a truck load of cement blocks (for the building of a new toilet facility), medicine, and cookies for the kids. While we were there, some of the staff took pictures of the kids who are still waiting for sponsors. (You can sponsor one child through Hand Clasp, for $20 per month. For more information you can email at: yada.root@gmail.com) Siami is also working to gain "Foundation Status" as a ministry (which she is more then worthy of); this would allow tax deductible donations and child sponsorships to be made directly to her at HRDC.

I've gotten to go along some different medical runs, and have learned a lot, while getting to see another way that Siami has impacted this area. People call all the time with different needs...and she is always willing to help. This is definitely a "church" without walls - a band of disciples both young and old who are actively practicing what it means to "love their neighbor as themselves."

As the days go on, this panoramic is becoming more colorful. I'm learning the meanings of so many things. Like the importance of the letter Z, for example. Yesterday, I found that people in Mizoram who's name begins with Z, are of the utmost importance. They come from a very significant family origin, and are very respected. Siami's full name is, Zothansiami Ralte, meaning, "Make the Mizo Famous". (or, One who will make...) I thought that was interesting.

Everyday the story develops a little more. Inch by inch. Although many times I feel like I really am in a "black room" and would like to shine a little more light on the subject. Other times I find things that I wish I didn't know. The truth can be painful, the world can be cruel, and people (even the good ones) can let you down. I keep reminding myself that I'm not here to write fiction, so it's good that I'm not looking at the situation (historically, politically, strategically, and otherwise) through rose colored lenses. Ajan (teacher) Tete hasn't become who she is over night. And just the same, I can't expect to grasp the essence of who she is and all she's done..so early in the game. Still... the more I get to know her, the more I want to know her. And that says a lot, right there.

For the past week I've been back in Chiang Mai. Siami has been working on a tourism project that will bring financial help to the hill tribes, while helping to preserve the culture. So we've been checking out other tourist places in town, seeing how they run their business, and planning ways to make her future endeavors run effectively.

Tomorrow (Monday, June 23rd) , I will be driving back out to Musekee with Siami. There are many things planned for the week. And I'm hoping, personally, to have more time to talk with her and hear the rest of her story. I still have a lot of questions.

The 28th, I will be coming back down to Chiang Mai for a quick overnight, before taking a bus to Mae Sot. I will be there for about a week meeting with some really brave men and women who've founded ministries that reach out to the Karen refugees in Burma and Thailand. If you'd like to look into who they are and what they do, here are some of their websites:
www.partnersworld.org
www.freeburmarangers.org
www.prayforburma.org
www.compasio.org

I hope to be able to meet with all (or as many) of these organizations as possible, to gain a better understanding of:
1.) Who the Karen are
2.) How they've gotten to where they are today
3.) What obstacles (governmental, political etc.) are holding them captive
4.) What these organizations are doing to counter-act the problems
5.) How we can help them to help the Karen people
6.) ETC.....


Please keep me in mind and in your prayers over the next few weeks. My journey is far from over. I will do my best to keep you posted more frequently.


Joanna

pictures in order:
-Siami and Soradaat - her husband
-A child from the Wee Nom Som Center
-a jungle over look
-A Karen woman who invited us into her home for tea
-Tete's Uncle Peter

One Week Inside - the photos

Here are the pictures that go along with my last post on June 5th.  They are as follows:
~ Sean & his family
~ Gumpon & Mirijam Kumdee, the pastor of City Gate Church who I have been helping with their coffee shop.
~ "The Light House" coffee shop & garden outside it
~ The Links Mansion where I am staying in Chang Mai
~ A picture of their cool hot water heater rig for the showers

More pics to come later.

One Week Inside

Hello Friends,
I'm one week into my voyage here. And I believe it would be safe to say that I'm sure I am only standing at the door of all there is to come. Let me rewind the past seven days for you, and try to bring you up to speed.

I left Billings at 4:55 pm. Wednesday. (May, 28th) After a quick stop in Salt Lake, I continued on to L.A. It was my first time in that airport, and I got pretty lost trying to find the international terminal. I didn't want to believe the airport employees - who kept telling me I had to go outside and walk a few blocks to find it! Turns out, they were right!

My flight into Bangkok was 16 hours! But I had the company of some really nice seat-mates, and the hours didn't seem as long as they could have. One of them even helped me find my next gate when we landed. I arrived in Chiang Mai at 8:50 a.m. Friday. (May 30th) My bag looked like like it had gone through allot during the trip too! But it was there, I was there, my friend's who were picking me up were there, and that's all that mattered!

For the past week I've been staying at the LINK MANSION. It's about 1km. away from Sean and Anne's home, and just down the road from the City Gate Church. I've been helping Sean and Mirijam (the Pastor's wife at City Gate) get there coffee shop started. They plan to open in about one month, and none of their staff had ever made espresso before. So I've been training them on the machine and teaching them how to make the different drinks. Sean even made an 'instructional video' of me making a latte, and talking my way through all the steps. It came together really well. Sean said it was good enough from the food network! (But I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. He just better not put it on U-Tube. That's all I've got to say!)

Tete came into Chiang Mai last night. She stopped over at Sean and Anne's home (where I happened to be, at the time). And explained that she had some work to do in the city for a few days. We had originally planned on going out to Musekee today (June 5), but now we're going on Saturday. She said that before I go up to Musekee, she would like me to meet her Uncle Peter. The one who helped her come to Thailand, all those years ago. She expressed her fear that he will pass on, and there will be nothing left behind. No memoir, no journals, no letters. Nothing to tell of the life he has lived and all that he has done for the Lord. She hinted to some secret missions he has been involved with, and that he has led a rather daring life. "His life would be another book for you! If you can get it all, that is." She said.

Today I had the honor of meeting him. Tete and her Husband drove me downtown in their yellow SungTow (Taxi Truck) to Uncle Peter's office. It was in an area of town that I had never been before, a business district. We visited for about an hour and a half. Not long enough, to even come close to part of his story. He was fascinating! (I can see where Tete gets it) I won't get into all that I learned this morning. I'll save that for the book. But I am planning on visiting with him again, probably when I get back from Musekee, in a few weeks.

In the past 7 short days, God has been breaking my heart for the Karen people. I'm sure allot of you have never heard of them. I know I hadn't, until I came to Thailand last year. But even at that time, I didn't know their story. I didn't understand who they are as a people. What they've suffered. How they continue to be exploited, and cheated out of the hope, of ever having hope. Not to mention freedom.

I am compelled to do some thing to help them. To get involved somehow. I have no idea what I could possibly do, to bring any kind of relief or support. But I've got to do something. And I feel that one of the biggest problems they have, is the simple fact that nobody knows they're here. Tete's work has been among their different villages, with their children, and widows. And so..inadvertently, they are already apart of the story. I've decided to start do allot of digging, and try to learn as much as I can about them. I've been fortunate enough to know people who (who know people, etc.)who have worked with them for decades. I can't understand the importance of the work at Musekee, without understanding the Karen. And I can't write about the one, without the other. That is my big assignment, now. Who knows where it will lead? But I just have to keep walking. Keep on taking small steps of faith, until I figure out what it's all been for. We don't need to see the big picture every time we see a problem. We just need be willing to be the answer...

It's not heroic to want to help. To see and hear the injustices that have been committed and not be moved to action, would be inhuman (barbarously cruel and unfeeling) of me. Or anyone.

Thank you for your letters of encouragement and your continued prayers. I cannot do this, without them! And I have noticed their effect day by day. God has indeed gone before me. I am not doing this alone...
We are all connected - One body, united in Him, by His Blood, for His purpose - to love Him and make His great love known to the nations.