July 9th Visit Maesot

I arrived with little notice and was fortunate to be able to have a two -hour meeting with all the principle people:
Naw Paw Ray (Chairperson of Burmese Migrant Workers Education Committee)
Sa Eh (Saturday School Principal)
Also a group of teachers from Burma, Canada, and India.
In this past year there has been a constant crisis mode in Maesot due to the food price inflation / freedom riots, the cyclone disaster, and continual brutalization against the tribal groups in Burma by the military junta.
Despite being in financial crisis because of lack of dependable sponsors— the committee has been giving to individuals who cross the border in Maesot and distribute aid across Burma. Also they have adopted 100 cyclone victims which include 13 orphans.
However the committee that oversees 10,000 students in five districts of Thailand now must to draw from emergency funds to meet their monthly budget for the schools and orphanage. Most of the students have parents that are migrant workers trying to cope with a difficult situation in Burma by trying to make a living as refugees in Thailand.
The number of students has risen by 2,000 students just this year. Each district is supervised by different Thai authorities. The Maesot district is sympathetic to the Karin and Burmese displaced people, but other districts try to shut down the schools.
The situation is always at a critical state, but most of the Karin are devout Christians who although they fight for political rights, they are thankful to Thailand for safe harbor. Their tenacity to strive for a better future for their children and the hope they have in their Christian faith are both formidable.
If there is a future for Burma (Myanmar) of political peace and religious freedom, these students perhaps are the greatest resource to see that happen.
In this newsletter several proposals to support the children of Burma are presented.