June 8, 2009
She is young. Beautiful. Quiet. A terrific teenager.
She is in the University of Virginia Hospital intensive care.
Last Saturday night I met with a group of our Burmese leaders. Hey Nay Moo's mother, Rebecca, was present. We talked about the work of the Lord. We talked about the Sunday night worship service for 60-80 Burmese of four different tribes. We talked about the needs of their people.
Most of our Burmese came to the United States as refugees. Because of persecution by one of the most oppressive military juntas in the world, the United Nations has taken thousands of precious people to camps in other countries. Many of our Burmese brothers and sisters have spent 12-20 years living in Nepalese or Thailand camps where life is difficult, income is minimal, and morality is a challenge.
In cooperation with the United Nations, America annually brings hundreds of thousands of refugees from many nations. We call it humanitarian. It can also be called cheap labor. Doctors from Bhutan may be working as yard men for $7.00 per hour with no benefits.
Nurses and engineers from many countries may be forced to entry level positions in medical facilities, i.e., cleaning restrooms, scrubbing floors-no benefits.
What we do not tell is that our abortion rate in the United States kills off our supply of workers for the American market. To have pleasure with our bodies without the responsibility of children we legalize abortion clinics. We kill our babies. When we need workers Congress sets a budget, pays the expenses of bringing in refugees.
Please. This is no fault of the refugees. They are a blessing to the American labor market. We could not do without them. They are needed.
However, we are barely above slave labor. In fact, slaves in many cases had provision from birth to death. Refugees have a limited few months to get a job, get financially stable, and provide 100% of their own needs.
Go with me through Charlottesville's community. We will find many families who have no medical benefits. No health insurance. Often we find them very ill, but not having seen a doctor, because they have no money.
We have found children playing outside barefooted in December. We have found the oldest child, age 9, at home with two younger siblings, while a single-parent mom is at work. We have found children climbing trees to eat bird eggs out of the nest.
We have found precious people who have come to Jesus having left false religions. We have found people who have been carefully discipled to follow Christ in churches in refugee camps. We have found people tender in love, grateful for salvation, and who know how to live simply and cheerfully. They represent many nations.
But back to last Saturday's meeting with the Burmese leadership team. I was leaving when I said: "Please, I know that some of you live in very dangerous communities. My hope is that you will soon be able to move to better places that are safer. Be careful. Stay in at night. I pray for you."
I hesitated and continued: "I am asking for you help. You are Burmese. Please have a heart for people of other cultures. We need van drivers to bring people who have no car to church."
Brother Win was sitting to my left. His right leg---ARTIFICIAL---protruded out. He said: "I can drive a van."
I thought my look at his artificial leg was not noticed. He laughed and said: "Yes, but my other leg is good!" He lifted his left leg and waved it happily. Sunday he drove a van full of people to and from church.
Well, I left Saturday night. A few hours later a bullet pierced the walls of Rebecca's apartment and struck Hey Nay Moo in the chest. It pierced her lung, bounced off her collar bone and landed near her spine. It was Hey Nay Moo's 15th birthday.
When I saw her she was having to lie very still. The wonderful doctors, many different teams of experts, were trying to stop internal bleeding. Her Bible was lying on the bed beside her. Doctors still are trying to determine if and when surgery to remove the bullet without damaging the spine is possible.
Hey Nay Moo whispered to me: "I know God is with me."
Will you pray for Hey Nay Moo to live? Pray for her family? Will you pray for her people and others who come to this country to find peace and rest, safety and opportunity? Will you help us to help the less fortunate---many of whom are our dear brothers and sisters?
We asked God to send us to the world. God sent the world to us. Our opportunities for ministry to the world are both abroad---and at home.
Much love，
Pastor Bare
Isaiah 58:10
June 8, 2009