This week Breanna and I had the opportunity to travel to Greeley, Colorado and work alongside the New Start group from North Carolina. New Start is a group of about 30 teenage Karenni refugees from Winston-Salem. They travel the country visiting cities where large groups of Karenni refugees are living to share with them the good news of Jesus Christ and what they have learned about God since being in America. They explained that the name "New Start" was chosen because God has given them a new start in life by bringing them to America away from the refugee camps where they had no school, barely enough food to eat, and no freedom. Their name also reflects on the new start God has given them spiritually by making them new creations. (2 Corinthians 5:17) They share with these groups of refugees through singing, preaching, VBS, health and wellness classes, and sports. They also hand out Karenni Bibles and pray with them.
It was inspiring to spend the week with kids who are so young and have a huge heart for the Lord. They are incredibly hospitable,gracious, and hardworking people, and are willing to truly sacrifice in order to share Jesus Christ with other Karenni people across America. Many of them have hopes of returning to refugee camps in Thailand to help the people that are still there learn about God. If anything, Breanna and I both felt that they were ministering to us, and teaching us what it really means to serve others.
The pictures below are just some of the ways they used their talents and interests to share Jesus with others:
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| Maw Reh used his ability to play guitar as a huge ministry in Colorado. |
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| Breanna got to spend time with many of the children that came to VBS. |
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| Maw Meh read with some of the younger kids. |
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| Lee Reh got really attached to this little girl named Alea. |
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| These were my two special friends Glenda and Paw Meh. Each of us got 1 or 2 special friends for VBS that we prayed for daily. |
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| New Start sang many songs in English and in Karenni to share with others about Jesus. |
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| Day Reh got to do crafts with some of the kids. |
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| Yei Min Oo got to bond with some of the teenage Karennis when we did paint tattoos one day at VBS. |
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| Christina Htoo went door to door in apartments where many Karenni people live to invite them to VBS and church. |
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| John and Brooke Bryant spoke with many of the adults that did not speak English. They are the ones that translated the Bible into Karenni so they speak the language fluently. |
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| Tim and his wife Jody are like parents to the New Start kids and make it possible for them to tell other people about Jesus by travelling with them. |
I hope reading through what this group of teenagers is doing with their time has touched your heart and inspired you the same way it did me! With God all things are possible, no matter what language, age, or financial barrier there may be! These refugees have truly proven that and live as a testimony to God's power.
*Prayer Requests:
~Many of the refugees are being targeted by other religious leaders. Because of their limited understanding of English, and the word of God (they have only had the Bible in their language for 2 years now) they are very confused by the contradictions between religions in America. Please pray God will protect their hearts and show them the truth of His word alone.
~This week we will be doing VBS here in Winston-Salem, and have another VBS coming up specifically for the Karenni children, so pray that me and Breanna would be spirit led in everything we attempt to do during these meetings.
~We will be visiting many Karenni families at their apartments this week, pray for understanding and God to overcome the language barrier as many of the families do not speak English. Pray His love would be shown through our kindness and for people of peace.
*Praises:
~One of the teenage Karenni girls in Colorado decided to invite Jesus into her heart this week after talking with a friend in the New Start group she had not seen since leaving the refugee camp!
~There are about 70 Karenni families in Colorado. They had no church to go to, so about 16 of these families that were Christian were meeting in one small apartment once a week for church. Before leaving Colorado God moved in the hearts of a local church to allow the Karenni people to use their building every week to have a Karenni church service there!
~God has formed friendships between Breanna and I and the members of New Start in a way that is amazing in light of the language barriers.Most of them speak English well enough that we can communicate with them. We are praying some of these new brothers and sisters can help us in reaching out to the parents who know little to no English.
Thank you for your support and prayers!