22 May 2010 Thialand Myanmar people from Chin State flee from Myanmar to Malaysia to seek better life through UNHCR refugee resettlement programs, were traveling via Thailand by car with no visa and no passport. Thai police tried to stop them at a check point. The driver refused stop the car. The Thai Police shot the back tire of the car with their guns and the tire burst, but the driver continue driving.Then the front tire burst but the driver continue to drive to escape the Police . Finally, t he police shot at the driver on his chest then the car crashed and killed the passengers . This is a tragedy. A mother and her child who were sitting beside the driver at the front seat survived that crashed and revealed the fact that police came and took the driver\'s dead body to an undisclosed location. Due to frequent drug trafficking between Thai-Burmese border, Thai Police are not taking chances with people who defiance at check point. Although, this family is simply seeking for better lives in another country, their attempt to flee Myanmar ended up in tragedy. You may not want to see the picture but please take a look at the picture below so that you may understand the life of the people in Myanmar. photos forwarded by friends
30th May - 2 June 2010 Ko Aung from Washington D.C is making a documentary about my life in U.S. It has been long discussion about this documentary. I was as usual scared about connection with media outside Myanmar. Though that it was Ko Aung and Ko Thet were confident that they want to do documentary about me. I was a little surprise that Ko Aung actually travel to my city to make a video. I am not a actress or a famous singer to be in this position. So I am appreciate for their invitation and I agree to make a documentary. The first video shooting was began at our Church on Sunday morning. Ko Aung intentionally travel at the weekend to get a shoot at the Church. In Myanmar TV, there were many times the video camera man will take a video of me in the Church but never been allowed to shown in the TV but Ko Aung is a Buddhist background he kindly take of me in the Church. The kindness of Ko Aung that he asked me a few questions about my family life relating to the work in Myanmar, and about Baby Emma, that was the time i was brush with tears. He even let me speak as much as i wish in the video. Then at the prayer room where I prayed. And then at the house, gardening, cooking, eating, etc. and at the country club plaza. The video shooting was ended at the airport as my family left for Haiti. My appreciation to Ko Aung and Ko Thet for their trust in me.
Friends in Myanmar, We invite to participate a global unified effort in praying for the peace of Jerusalem. Many Christian leaders around the world have set the date to pray for Jerusalem on 7th June 2010. Please read the following document and please encourage your friends, your community and your Church to join this global effort of unified prayers for Jerusalem.
The summer season in Myanmar begin from the end of February to the end of May. Summer is usually a hot and dry season. The temperature this summer ranges from 100F (37\'C) in the morning to 113F (42\'C) in the afternoon. The mountainous region in the north such as Kachin State, Chin state and Shan state experience unusually hot weather unlike previous year. The dry weather is causing some of these areas to experience water shortages especially for supply of drinking water. The hot and dry weather is causing some well to dry up. Even some big towns are affected by water shortages during this season. Some tributaries of the Irrawaddy is drying up and some have evaporated to a pool of muddy water. In some places, people have no choice but drink from this river even though the water is brown and muddy. The local uses a salty stone to cure these dirty water. Apparently, this water is safer to drink after the local place this salty stone in the water. Wells in the Irrawaddy region is 60 to 300 ft deep. Water pumped from these well is still muddy in some areas. Local people used these muddy well water for bath, cooking and even drinking. While we were with them, we used the bottled water that we carried along. Local people has no choice but to used the water supply that is available to them from the river and the well. As my son Samuel was playing with the water pump, local kids including little Buddhist monk joined him to pump the water in the village. Through our kind friend, iBota Foundation, we donated water filters to the people of these villages in Irrawaddy. iBota Water filter is easy to use and it can be carried everywhere. It was our joy to be able to give them these water filters so they can use cleaner water supply. Playing football just outside the housing village is a memorable moment for kids. Their lives have been changed with the completion new housing and new school. Most towns or villages in this region are surrounded by rivers. There are few trees in Irrawaddy region as most land has been used to cultivate rice and other crops. However, there are coconut trees. surrounding villages. After each harvest, the farms dried up, the soil cracked and there is hardly any place to find a shade except some coconut trees near river banks. In the picture below, you can see in the background completed school building, a church building and houses donated by "i Love Myanmar".
These pictures are taken during the project in progress. The painting will be completed in May 2010. We wished that every children who is admitted to this hospital feel at least some joy when they see these kids friendly pictures. I gave birth to my two children in a hospital with surgery. I understand how someone feels when they enter a hospital. Normally, it is not the happy people that enter the vicinity of a hospital. . Sickness brings much worries and sadness to a family and the hospital bills become an added burden. The sick, the in-firmed and the troubled are the ones entering hospitals. No one ever want to be in hospital but everyone need to have access to a hospital in time of need. Sometimes it feels helpless, hopeless, discouraged, thinking about paying hospital bills. There are time when one can worry about finding blood donors. There is moment where we cannot even accept comfort from friends or family. There is time when heaven and earth seem upside down. There is moment when our mind is not clear why we even end up coming to a hospital. There is moment when we stand at the bedside all day. There is moment when we felt hard to leave our love one in a hospital bed to sleep somewhere else. There is moment when we feel numb ness in our heart. There is moment when we fear to hear news from the doctors that there is no more hope or cure for our sickness. There is moment when we heard news about our love ones, we think the doctors and the nurses are wrong in their diagnosis. There is moment when we are trying to save a life Every breath counts In all this moment, we wish there someone there with us to walk through our fear, pain, sorrow and worries; to cheer us up; to give us hope. In this moment, a little more love can change everything. I hope to turn my grief into joy of seeing others who come to this hospital getting hope, healing and joy. When you see these pictures on the wall, may you remember that you are not alone going through this journey in your life. There is someone who loves and cares.
The third floor of Yangon Children Hospital is occupied by patients during the painting process. Children love to see cartoons on the wall. Hospital is a place where people find healing and hope. During those challenging time in life, nice environment and pictures may cheer us up. May you be able to pay for the expenses in the hospital When someone is consumed by hopeless, may these pictures on the wall bring joy, pleasure and comfort instead of hopelessness and misery.
may every rooms in this hospital be filled with love and kindness may every rooms in this hospital filled with the love of God. Walking through the hospital may not be easy if we could no longer see someone smiles which we used to see. may our grief turn into joy for others who come to this hospital There is a moment we refused to take comfort from friends and family. Only someone who went through this same situation will understand you. may i be a comfort to the helpless may i be your best friend when you are in need
Painting the walls of Yangon Children Hospital was started since early March 2010, The artists are painting pictures and cartoon every day. Below pictures are some of the cartoons in the Hospital. The main entrance of Yangon Children hospital Th artist copy a picture of baby Emmanuel with wings in the middle of the children holding the signboard --------------------------- The reception Hallway to private room Walk way We are requested to do this work just as we did that in ICU. We are gladly taken up this offer. "i Love Myanmar" is the first one to decorate public hospital in Myanmar. we are so grateful to be a part of this work This building is the newest hospital in Myanmar and we were given this opportunity. We are grateful. --------------------------- Doctor\'s Office --------------------------- Private room one night US$20 to generate income for the Hospital. This hospital service is totally free to the public. But the patience are responsible for all the medicines. Children Hospital Private Room for Patient ----------------------------------- Painting above the door May you have peace as you enter this building. May the healer Jesus comfort everyone in this building. Love never fails.
Charles Mang Lian Thang 5th April 2010 There were three schools in three separate villages affected by a violent storm on 29 March 2010 in Thlan Tlang township, Chin State. The villages affected are Hmawng Tlang, Shi Ciang and Hriang Khang. Hmawng Tlang middle school has 180 students. Shi Ciang Middle school has 59 students. Hriang Khan Middle school has 114 students. On 5 th April 2010 at 9:30 am, we departed Hakha for Thlan Tlang. When I started my journey from Yangon, these 3 places were not included in the list of the places we needed to help. We bought about 10,000 zinc roof in Kalemyo and in Chin State. The shops were not used to sell such large quantities of zinc roof so the suppliers ran out of stock quickly. There were not enough supply of zinc roof to help the fire and the storm victims at the same time. Thus, we have to use the supply of zinc roof that we had secured for both the fire and the storm victims. When I was requested by the local officials to visit these 3 places, I informed my family in Yangon. They did not agree for me to visit these places due to previous occurrence of robbery and terrorism. This area is much closer to India and there has been a lot of violent, fighting and murder etc. However, the security force from Hakha such as Captain Aung Thet Khaing and Police Captain traveled with me to provide me protection. A Hmawng Tlang native; the Pastor of UPC, Rev. Ngai Hmung came along on this trip as well. This is my first visit to Thla Tlang. I don’t know the way to Thlan Tlang well. Pu Pa Hmung of Hakha helped me make contact with the people in Thlan Tlang. I have been wanting to see Thlan Tlang as we helped them opened up a new paved road to Thlan Tlang. I had not personally visited Thlan Tlang even though we had previous project there. The journey from Hakha to Thlan Tlang took only two hours. I was taken to Town mayor\'s office immediately upon arrival. As I anticipated, I was welcomed by most officers in Thlan Tlang including the mayor, the school principal and the teachers of the three affected schools. They make me feel secure in the town. They prepared a proper donation ceremony. I felt very honored. They even gave me lunch. We also talk about our charity efforts towards Cong Thia and Hripi on 23 Feb 2009. Shi Ciang and Hriang Khan villages are hard to be accessed by car, and the heavy rain and storms made the road condition worst then ever. At 1 pm, we travel to Hmawng Tlang. I did not expect the town chairman U Chit Ko Ko to travel with me along with two other soldiers. The road condition make it hard for me to call it a road. The road journey is very difficult. I really do not know how to explain the situation to you. When we get to Cong Thia, my hands were blistered as I held hard onto the car for fear of car accident. My body was aching due to the bumpy car ride. The 23 miles journey took us 6 hours due to the road condition. We went to the school right away. All the villagers were running toward us. I heard them were saying to one another "I love you Myanmar is here." Hmawng Tlang is beautiful and is situated on a good land. Thlan Tlang is different from Hakha. There are Zophei and Lautu clan in the village. They know how to welcome visitors. The villagers make me feel so at home. The elders of the village took time to talk to me. The elders of the village spoke some moving and grateful word, "we have not being cared by our own people like your family and "I Love Myanmar”. Even though you have not seen our life; you are here immediately when we need help. We know you have come from far away through a very difficult journey. Your visit showed us you really love and care for us. We cannot see our future but if we ever need help again, please come back” Such words of thanksgiving continue to be spoken until I depart from them. (There are a few families who has means. I was told that there are about 72 people from this village who are residing in U.S.A. These relatives who lives in U.S.A. have not extended help to these villagers in a significant way. Perhaps, many of these new immigrant to U.S.A were just beginning to settle ...
Charles Mang Lian Thang April 4, 2010 My heart was full of gratitude to God that we finished delivering all the zinc roof to the villagers who just lost all their homes in a fire tragedy that destroyed everything they had. The provision of zinc roof was just on time before these 3 days of heavy rain. I am thankful, this trip is worth it even though we have come a long way to help. It has been a long journey, a rather difficult one. It started with a flight from Yangon to Kaleymo with a transit point in Mandalay. From Kaleymo, we took a jeep to Hakha via Falam. The journey took a full day. When we first heard of the fire tragedy in LungKhin village, we asked someone in the area to immediately provide goods for these victims but no action was taken so we decided to personally come and deliver what the victims needed e.g. food and shelters. We really appreciate the Hakha township officers who took time to welcome our team when we get there. After resting one night in Hakha, we planned to depart from Hakha to Lungkhin village around 8am. However at 6am, we were already ready for the trip. We had secured all the supply of zinc roof from the entire Hakha town with a paid deposit. To our surprise, these local merchant raised the price of the zinc roof prior to our departure as they were so sure that we had no choice but to purchase from them. We held our ground by only willing paying the agreed price. In fact, we told the merchants that we will change our mind from helping the people today if they raised the price of the zinc roof. When they realized our stand is firm, they backed down to the original price. Since, I do not know the way to Lungkhin village, we need to depend on local drivers and rental cars to take us there. These drivers also decided to raise their price prior to our departure when they heard the local merchants raised the price of the zinc roof. I pleaded with these drivers to help us get to the village so we can help the victims at the same time, I began to look for other rental car and driver. The Chairman of the Chin state was not in Hakha, If he has been here, our journey would have been smooth and easy, now it is full of unforeseen challenges and delays. We could not leave until 1 pm because of the price of car rental. Finally, we could only take 1200 pieces out of 2800 pieces as we intended, the second vehicle carried another 400 pieces behind our convoy. We had to reduce the amount zinc roof we acquired due to sudden hike of high price and car rental . The 65 miles road journey took 8 hours, we finally arrived at Aika village in Matupi township. The vehicle cannot access beyond Aika village. The rest of journey had to be by foot. The Lungkhin village is situated in the Hakha township but the road access takes through Matupi township to Aika village as our last stop. 10 villagers from Lungkhin village would arrived in Aika village to help us carry the zinc roof back to their village. At 4 am more 135 villagers from Lungkhun arrived to carry zinc roof. At 6am, the Lungkhin villagers were ready to depart from Aika with the zinc roof back to Lungkhin. They advised me not to go with them as the remaining 4 miles hike would be too difficult for me. The mountain will be too steep and the terrain too challenging. However, I insisted that I must come with them for this remaining 4 miles. I have come all the way until the last 4 miles, I must go all the way. I wish to show them care, comfort and love and learn about their true living condition. When I looked at these villagers carrying zinc roof on their head, I remembered a middle school story regarding "ants that carried food on their head". As I reflect on the life of these villagers, I have deep sentiment about them. I don\'t know how to describe it but it is a real feeling to ...