As the “caravan” of 7,000 plus Latin Americans approaches the southern boarder of the US, media continually draw our attention to this crisis and human suffering. Christians everywhere should pray and seek to bring Gospel-mercies to address these needs in the best ways possible. On the other side of the world, in Myanmar, there’s yet another caravan, sort of. Thousands of Kachin people have been forced from their villages, their homes bombed out and burned. But it’s sort of not a caravan because these dear souls aren’t going anywhere. They’re stuck.
No one knows the real number of Kachin who have fled for their lives. Estimations put it at 130,000 plus. The story has been covered in these articles which you can read in full here by Christianity Today, Time Magazine, and British Broadcasting Corporation. As our media and thoughts are consumed concerns for what’s happening in our own back yard, much clarification comes when we see there are even greater human tragedies in other parts of the world. One crisis cannot be allowed to minimize another in our minds. Rather Christians should take it as a call to more serious prayerfulness and thoughtful action wherever possible.
Christianity Today reported, “Thousands of Kachin have been driven out of more than 50 villages as of June 2018, adding to a tally of more than 400 villages, 300 churches, and 100 schools destroyed or damaged by soldiers since 2011, according to the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).” Their plight has yet to make it into widespread coverage by world news organizations. The Kachin people are mostly Christian people. They need the prayers and help of believing brothers and sisters around the world.
At the moment these refugees are huddled in makeshift villages and church buildings. Humanitarian aid organizations have been cut off forcing refugees into even more dire need for the basic necessities of food and clean water. Pray for God’s intervention in opening the way for aid to enter. Pray for God to use US government diplomats and those of the United Nations to use their influence for relieving this human suffering. These are God’s designs for all world governments which He allows to serve at His pleasure (Romans 13:1-7).
Christians should be encouraged by the good example of a US pastor who has begun taking action to help. Bob Roberts, senior pastor of NorthWood Church near Fort Worth, Texas, has joined with other believers to use their influence through the Faith Coalition to Stop Genocide in Burma. This organization is meeting with US legislators in Washington DC pleading with them for their help. This is just one good example out of many that show us ways we might also help. You can lead your family and small group to pray for these people. You can speak with your US Senator to ask him or her to join you in praying. Also ask for the attention of the entire US Senate to focus on calling for the Myanmar government allow aid to enter.
This reminds us of the apostle’s instruction to us in 1 Peter 5:8-11, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
