A week from Sunday, March 14th is the Global Day of Prayer for Burma and we wanted to invite you all to participate and remember Burma and its people in a special way.  This day of prayer is initiated by a group called Christians Concerned for Burma and we want to support their effort.  The problems in Burma have proven beyond the wisdom of people and governments around the world but nothing is greater than God.  May our united prayers bring positive change.  For more information and to download their booklet for the occasion, go to www.prayforburma.org. 

To give a quick guide to some of the issues here in the US, in Thailand and in Burma, we have made this list below.  We hope you will join us and Christians around the world in prayer.

In Christ,

Duane & Marcia Binkley

Global Day of Prayer for Burma

Prayer Points

1.  Refugee camps

• That donations for food supplies and shelter will be sufficient.
• That the Lord will lead each family to the right decision about whether they should opt for resettlement or not.
• That those remaining in the camps may be allowed more freedom of movement.
• That children and youth will have a future.

2.  Inside Burma

• That the government will allow more freedom.
• That the soldiers will recognize the ethnic people as friends and family and not the enemy.
• For safety and survival for the hundreds of thousands living in hiding trying to keep out of site of the soldiers.
• That the elections to be held in Burma will bring real change and improvement to the country.

3.  Chin in Malaysia and India

• That the Burma government will stop persecuting the Chin driving them to leave their homes.
• That they won’t be subjected to violence, jail or trafficking in Malaysia and India.
• That they can find enough work and food to survive.

4.  Karen and Chin being resettled in the US

• That new jobs can be found and old jobs retained.
• For cultural and language adjustment.
• That kids in school can be free from violence.
• That drinking and domestic troubles can be reduced.
• That young people will stay in school and that high school grads can find ways to attend college.
• For training of the leadership in the Karen churches and for the Karen Baptist Churches in USA as it gets established.

Sharon's Missionary Page

Sharon Porterfield ministers to Karen refugees in Thailand. The Karen are Burmese nationals persecuted and living in exile...

Thousands of new refugees from eastern Burma are expected to seek shelter in Thailand once the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) becomes a border guard force under the Burmese military regime, says the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), a coalition  that assists refugees on the Thai-Burmese border.

Sally Thompson, the TBBC deputy director, noted that the joint offensive by the DKBA and Burmese government troops forced some 37,000 refugees, mostly Karen, to flee to Thailand when they attacked the Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 7 area in June.  

Karen refugees walk along a path on the Thai-Burmese border in June. (Photo: Getty Images)

Among those who fled were refugees seeking to escape forced army recruitment and force labor by the DKBA, instigated partly in order to reinforce  troop levels in preparation to become a border guard force battalion, Thompson said.   

“If they [the DKBA] decide to continue such recruitment, then we would expect to see more arrivals,” she said.

Once the DKBA becomes a border guard force, it is expected that it will join the Burmese regime in another offensive to capture KNU-controlled areas in Karen State along the Thai-Burmese border.

Jack Dunford, the executive director of the TBBC,  said refugee numbers will also increase because many internally displaced people have sought safe sanctuary in the remaining KNU-controlled areas.  

Another factor is whether the junta decides to wage military campaigns against the ethnic cease-fire groups that refuse to disarm and transform their troops into a border guard force,  Dunford said.  The regime has said border guard forces should be in place before the 2010 election.

About 75,000 people have been forced to leave their homes during the past year and more than 500,000 Burmese are internally displaced, according to the survey.

“The scale of displaced villages is comparable to the situation in Darfur and has been recognized as the strongest single indicator of crimes against humanity in eastern Burma,” said the TBBC survey.

The TBBC provides food and shelter to some 150,000 Burmese refugees in nine camps along Thai-Burmese border.

Take a look at this article

We experienced a complete gamut of emotions this week ranging from extreme joy (the rescue) to profound sadness (the funeral). Thank you so very very much for uplifting me/us, for the mother of Poh Poh and for the KT orphans—it was those prayers that carried all of us through.

It was a gut-wrenching week and a very emotional day as we conducted the funeral service for Poh Poh. Prior to the service, Astrid, Rosebell and I met privately with the mother of Poh Poh and it was an extremely emotional time. Less than a year ago, her husband, who was a soldier, was killed by the Burmese Army (BA), and now she had to bury her 9 year old daughter. She shared in detail the last moments of Poh Poh’s life. Her little girl came out of her coma and told her mom that she was going to die; however, THREE times it was apparent that she was seeing Jesus as she said three times: “Lord, here I am” “Lord, here I am”, Lord, here I am”. Her mother was shocked (she’s Buddhist) as she realized that her little girl was actually seeing the Lord. We asked her in this private time with her if she too wanted to become a Christian and receive Jesus and she said yes. We proceeded to pray with her to receive Christ. It was such a genuine, special time. We gave her two 8 X 10 framed photos of her family and of Poh Poh and a small photo album. Then we walked her over to the area where the kids were waiting for the service.

Astrid and I sat the whole service with the mom as we held her hands and held her children (11 month old and 3 year old). The three of us and Rosebell cried pretty much throughout the whole service. But it was a service about hope and heaven as we celebrated the life of Poh Poh and focused on her new life in heaven. We had a time of worship (see photo), and then Rosebell, Astrid and I all spoke individually to the kids. I spent time sharing with them an aid to allow them to say goodbye to Poh Poh, how Jesus keeps all their tears in a bottle, how heaven is such a wonderful place, how Poh Poh is sitting on Jesus lap telling Him all about her friends at the KT camp, and how Jesus is telling her how much he loves those kids at the KT camp, etc. We gave a white rose to each child so they could come up and “plant” the rose in a pot of dirt as a way of saying good-bye (see photos).

At the camp, there were still sick kids and babies that needed medical attention. We ended up taking three more to the hospital for 4 hours that afternoon (2 hour drive round trip) and we needed to admit one girl in the hospital. She’s been suffering from malaria and ended up with a secondary virus on top of it. It appears she will eventually recover. The kids that were taken to the hospital the week before appeared to be doing quite well. Praise the Lord! Please pray the sickness will end!

We know that many of you faithfully pray for us for safety on the roads, and we thank you. On this trip in a just a 2 day period of time we had 16 hours of rough roads. Landslides wiped out so many parts of roads, and in one area, the entire highway collapsed and fell into the ravine! We also had numerous times of near-crashes and it became very unsettling. Twice, two vehicles came over in Astrid’s lane, and she narrowly avoided a head on collision.

Okay, allow me end this email on a super high positive note. 12 hours before the funeral, the night before, Astrid and I were involved in helping to rescue another boy from our dangerous boat camp in Burma. We traveled 2 hours round-trip down to the river (this river separates Thailand and Burma) and met another Karen colleague who had gone on a boat to go get him. (The military won’t let Astrid and me on the river as there are too many gunfights). We met our colleague and the boy on the river. For us personally, there is NO greater joy than rescuing these children. His name is Eckler, and he’s 8 years old and comes from a horrific background. His mother was literally raped to death by the BA and little Eckler found her body in a field. It was then that her husband (Eckler’s dad) lost his mind from the trauma and has gone “crazy”. He’s been unable to take care of his kids. Somehow, Eckler was brought to our orphanage in this dangerous boat camp a few weeks ago. It was a huge joy to help be a part of this rescue. He is the cutest little boy (see photo by the river - you can see the country of Burma on the opposite shore)…and he had never seen trucks or cars before-- never really seen anything. He totally explored our 4 wheel drive truck (our military friend drove us), and was in awe at looking at everything around him—roofs of houses, etc. It’s hard to describe…he was literally taken out of the jungle to civilization and everything he saw was new. We drove him an hour to safety, and in the beginning he told us he was scared, but by the time we arrived (after giving him a stuffed puppy, food, etc.) he said he wasn’t scared anymore. We won’t discuss the fact he’s never been in a vehicle before and this “new vehicle motion” caused him to throw up next to me….we were prepared though as this happened in our last rescue. J The next morning we saw him again and he was a like a new boy (see last photo)—he had been showered, had new clothes, been fed, etc and he was so happy running around! J He will now join the 4 other rescued kids at another one of our camps. We know he will thrive there. Thanks for your prayers for this rescue. We lost one child this week, but were able, by God’s grace, to rescue another.

Please continue to pray for this dangerous boat camp. In the natural there is no hope as it’s evident they will be attacked soon by the BA. But God…

Again, many thanks for your prayers and support!

Blessings,

The following is from Shepherd's Staff Missionary Sharon Porterfield. Sharon serves Karen refugees in Thailand...

This is a report from the southern Karen area that I have asked you to pray for – please pray fervently so the spiritual & physical enemies cannot win & the Lord will be glorified! Please pray for the captured villager to be returned safely, & for the Lord to protect all other villagers. Thank you!!

Burmese Army burning paddy and capture villager

On 25^th March, 2009, Burmese army from LIB (Light Infantry Battalion) # 557 with 25 troops led by battalion commander colonel Min Thu Soe attacked Lahaylu IDPs hiding site and shot 35 years old IDP Saw Bu Lah and is wounded then captured later. BA also burned down three paddy rice barns that are including over 200 basket of paddy rice. The captured villager is not released until the information is sending out.

Lahaylu IDPs hiding site is situated in the east of Tenasserim River bank, west of Suang Phuang district, Rachaburi province of Thailand and in Tenasserim Big River area, Tenasserim division of Burma. The hiding sites is closed to Thai Burma border and closed to the Burmese Army's border out post. Most of IDPs in this area are villagers from Tenasserim river bank villages such as Kasehta, Tapelayko and Mehngaw village.

These IDPs are fled and hiding in this area since 1997 when the Burma Army launched major operation to Mergui-Tavoy district. Later on because of the Burmese Army's activities they crossed and lived in Thai side illegally in Karen villages, Pongheng, Bakohta, Suang Phung district along Thai border since 2000 and become Externally Displaced Peoples (EDPs).

Map showing incident site

Porterfield Missionary Page

Prayer Requests

"Is anything to hard for the Lord?"  Genesis 18:14

"Ah Lord God!  Behold, You made the heavens and the earth by  Your great power and outstretched arm.  There is nothing too hard for You."  Jeremiah 32:17 

1. URGENT!  The plan of the Burmese government for 2009, from now until June, is to terminate the Karen in the Karen State in Burma.  The army's whole effort is to accomplish this evil goal before their 2010 "sham" election!  Pray that God will thwart this evil intention and protect all of the Karen who have been fleeing this evil army for 60 years in a miraculous way, that all will see His hand of protection & He will get all of the glory!

2. Daniel Zu, Beh Beh, and the Karen refugees have sent me a ticket to visit them in several cities in Australia.  Please pray that I will be a blessing and encouragement to them, and that I will be well and strong.  Thank you!

3. Carol has had successful surgery for her cancer (Praise!), and begins five weeks of radiation next month.  Please pray for this treatment to rid her of all cancer in her body! 

Praise Reports

"Lo, I am with you, even to the end of the age.  Amen."  Matthew 28:20 

1. Thank you so much for praying for safety and God's protection for the Karen.  I believe the Lord is hearing our cries and prayers for them!  Please continue praying! 

2. Moe Moe Aye is doing great - we were able to take her to see her mom, share the Gospel with her and the Thai she works for, and pray for them!

3. Praise for the Lord's provision for me to visit long time Karen friends and students in Australia, and for my two granddaughters, Kelsey & Kiana, who are coming to visit me in June for three weeks!

I keep thinking every month can't be as full as the last, but the Lord continues to move and bless so much that I can hardly keep up with Him!  Wonderful blessings from the Lord, like the PLU Discipleship School graduation & alumni reunion, Moe Moe Aye's baptism & visit to her mom, Dove's dedication to the Lord, fish faithfully provided for the refugees in Tham Hin & Ban Don Yang camps, celebrating Lay Lay Sha's birthday and the wonderful vet who saved her cat through I.V. drips & surgery, a family day at Pa La U waterfall, the Lord's provision for a more efficient water system at PLU Center & a truck for taking the children to school & evangelism outreaches, to His provision of guests coming to bless the Karen in so many ways!

Diane & Christy came because other friends of theirs couldn't host them & asked if they could come visit me.  Of course I said "Yes!".  They blessed us in so many ways - preaching at church & Sunday school, sharing the Gospel & giving 'salvation bracelets" to children and adults.  It turns out that Christy lives in Portland, OR where many Karen refugees have resettled, and she & her husband are excited about ministering to them there!

Dr. Wolfgang and Dr. Mikel faithfully return to bless the Karen medically.  Dr. Wolfgang performing eye surgery in the south this year is an answer to years of prayer - thank You, Lord!

I met Meg, an Occupational Therapist, on a Joni & Friends team two years ago & invited her to come back to see the handicapped people in the southern Karen area.  The Lord answered my prayer and she came for two weeks!  She traveled to many places the first week and helped handicapped children and adults in Tham Hin and Ban Don Yang camps, and also Bongti and Huay Mah Lai villages.  We "rested" her second week in the Pa La U area, where she traveled to seven villages to help the handicapped.  It was such a blessing to watch her in action with the children & elderly.  I wish I could put about 100 photos in this update so you could see what a loving & gentle person she is!!  She is from San Diego, CA, where there are resettlement refugees she's been fellowshipping with.  She shared with me that she has taught them songs and scriptures at Sunday School there, and what a blessing it was to do the same at the Pa La U Sunday school half way around the world! I wish I could express what a blessing and answer to prayer she was, but words are not adequate! 

I pray you can see a sample of all your love and support has provided, both physically & spiritually.  May you be blessed abundantly as you have blessed us through your love, support and prayers!!

By His grace for His glory,

Sharon

Porterfield Missionary Page

Sharon's first prayer request is pretty serious. Sharon ministers to Karen refugees that live in camps in Thailand. The Karen (pronounced car-en) are an ethnic group from Burma (Myanmar). The thug government of Myanmar has instituted a policy of ethnic cleansing against these people (link).

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise", says the Lord, "I will set him in the safety for which he yearns."  Psalm 12:5

"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."  Jeremiah 33:3

1. URGENT!  The plan of the Burmese government for 2009, from now until June, is to terminate the Karen in the Karen State in Burma.  The army's whole effort is to accomplish this evil goal before their 2010 "sham" election!  Pray that God will thwart this evil intention and protect all of the Karen who have been fleeing this evil army for 60 years in a miraculous way, that all will see His hand of protection & He will get all of the glory!

2. Please pray for De Sunshine's family - he brought them from trying to survive in the jungle to the refugee camp, where they will have education, health care, food, etc.  When he went to visit them, they had sent some things ahead & were packed & ready to go to a relocation site in Burma, under Burmese control, where there is constant persecution & oppression - they could not survive in the jungle anymore.  Please pray for their safety, etc.  We will be helping his nephews & nieces with their education in the camp. Please pray for the rest of his family too - none are Christians & survive through alcohol.  It is a very abusive situation for his younger sister, so we are praying & trying to help her by coming to Pa La U.  Please pray the Lord will help us with all necessary arrangements and permissions.  Thank you!

3. God is answering your prayers for Moe Moe Aye's eyesight - she is studying again at the Bible school, taking her exams, & finished the cross-stitch bookmarks she was making before surgery for her nurses at the hospital!  We will be taking Moe Moe Aye to see her mother, who is several hours away & in a place we have never been to before.  Her mom brought her to Thailand to get help & has not seen her since her surgery.  She was able to see her once before surgery & tell her that she had become a Christian.  She wants to share the Gospel with her mom this time, so she will be saved too.  Please pray all will go smoothly, that we will be able to see her for a good amount of time, and that she will open her heart to receive the Good News that Moe Moe Aye will share with her!

PRAISE REPORTS

1. De Sunshine/Po Rah, my youngest Karen son, has returned to the fold & is serving the Lord with us again at Pa La U!  He has taken driving lessons to help me with driving to the various ministry places I need to go, has been helping finish building my bamboo house in Pa La U, and working together in all the many ways he is needed.  What a wonderful praise to the Lord for answered prayer - never give up on praying for your "prodigal" children or family - God will answer in His time & way - praise the Lord!!

2. Derrick visited from Harvest Riverside & was a great blessing!  He helped build my bamboo house & visited Jee Lin & his family that we've helped as we can & asked what they needed.  The Lord had just blessed them with their own house after being moved around for over three years & living with another family for over two years.  Derrick looked at the situation & asked what they needed.  They needed plates, eating utensils, cooking pots, a stove to cook on, etc.  He provided all of those for them, then asked if they needed anything else.  They said they would really like to have cement around their house so Jee Lin, who is blind, could walk around without getting in the mud during the rainy season (six months of the year), and for the wheel chair for their cerebral palsy daughter, Naw Apple.  He bought all of the needed supplies, then Pee See & the students from the Pa La U Bible school went to make & pour the cement for them.  It was not only a blessing for this family, but a wonderful example for Derrick of how the Lord can use us to bless someone so much just by coming here to visit & see the needs!  

It is very hard for me to describe some things, especially how the Lord is so totally in control of all He has called me to do!  There is no way I can keep up with, or keep track of all that is needed, yet God is faithful to put it all together & remind me of critical things - like it's time to renew my visa for the next year!  After asking for prayer for the Lord to go before me to get all the things done that needed to be done in the one day I was going to Bangkok for my follow-up appointment for my foot doctor, and shared the verse in Matthew 6:8, that "the Lord knows all things before we ask Him", I looked at my calendar & saw that my visa needed to be renewed the next day!  I was already overwhelmed, so this was "over the top" because it involves going to the bank to get a letter first, then going to immigration, where there are hundreds of people waiting in line.  It is a four hour trip to get to Bangkok from Pa Las U, but the Lord provided Chris, Derrick, and Pee See to help, & all was done, with a new visa for anther year, by 7pm - we  were back in Pa La U at 10:30pm praising the Lord for His help & faithfulness!

I know all of the prayers you pray for & with us are what gets us through all situations here - I cannot thank you enough - you are a vital part of this ministry & God's precious team - thank you so very, very much for your much needed prayers to keep us strong- especially in the Lord!!!! 

By His grace for His glory,

Sharon

Prayer Requests

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise", says the Lord, "I will set him in the safety for which he yearns."  Psalm 12:5

"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."  Jeremiah 33:3

1. URGENT LIFE & DEATH SITUATION - NOW!  The plan of the Burmese government for 2009, from now until June, is to terminate the Karen in the Karen State in Burma.  The army's whole effort is to accomplish this evil goal before their 2010 "sham" election!  Pray that God will thwart this evil intention and protect all of the Karen who have been fleeing this evil army for 60 years in a miraculous way, that all will see His hand of protection & He will get all of the glory!

2. Juty and Htoo Gay - please pray for God's perfect timing of the birth of their son, and a healthy baby boy!  I have a follow-up doctor's appointment in Bangkok for my broken toe during her estimated delivery time.  Please pray she will not go into labor while I'm gone.  Also, please pray she will give birth before February 17th.  There are several guests coming from that date, through the rest of the month.

3. Carol - From her email....."The Oncologist will contact the surgeon for the next step. She thought I could do the surgery in about a month as my body recovers. Then right before surgery they will take me off the blood thinner. They will take a look at the original site of the tumor to see if there are any cancer cells left. They will also take a look at my lymph nodes. That is step 2." 

4. Please pray the doctor will give me a good report - that I can shed my special "shoe"I can start walking on my foot & traveling again - thank you!

Praise Reports

"Bless the Lord, all my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your sins, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies."  Psalm 103:2-4 

1. Moe Moe Aye - is finally safely back at the Bible school in Pa La U - what a joy to see her smiling every day now! Jo Mya - another clear CT scan & blood test - still in remission!  Carol - This is an excerpt from her email to me...."I just read in His word this morning the sentence that "The Lord gives strength to his people"!  That He does. I am so grateful to have taken my last chemo yesterday!~ My blood counts were low - but acceptable to do the chemo. No more.  Yeah!"  Praise the Lord for His answers to our prayers for Moe Moe Aye, Jo Mya, & Carol!

2. The Lord is continuing to bless me with people coming!  I met Mardee about four years ago for a few minutes, but we kept in contact and she just came to the Bible school in Pa La U to teach "Storytelling in the Bible", and a course on forgiveness.  The staff & students loved it, and the Lord really blessed it.  The last class was writing their hurts down, nailing them to the cross, then taking them from the cross & burning them!  There were lots of tears - first of pain, then of joy, that only the Lord can give us!!  Derrick, from Harvest Riverside, is at the Bible school now, willing to serve in whatever ways the Lord has called him to do.  He gave his testimony at chapel this morning & blessed us all!

3. Law Mu is a graduate of the Bible school at Pa la U & has been a pastor of a church in a small village for about two years.  I thank the Lord for the privilege of being able to know and see His fruit!  It was such a blessing to visit him & see him serving the people. There are only a few Christians, so it was a special privilege to be there when a Thai (outreach of the Karen!) was baptized by Htoo Gay, communion was served, and a couple, who already have a child, married in Christ!

I've always put my praise reports first, because I love to look at my previous prayer requests and thank Him for His answers, but this time I put my prayer requests first because the situation is urgent and we need your fervent prayers urgently!  It has been said, that the Karen IDP area in the south is the target from now until June, when the rainy season starts. Please pray that this is the time the Lord has promised to "arise to help the oppression of the poor, & the sighing of the needy - to set him in the safety for which he yearns"!  They need your prayers urgently - thank you!!

On a smaller note, we are all thankful to the Lord that the doctor gave Moe Moe Aye permission to return to Pa La U!  I also thank the Lord for His provision of His two "angels", Thoo Lai Paw and Izumi, that took care of Moe Moe Aye her last week in Bangkok so I could get caught up on my work & get some rest with my Karen family, since I was incapacitated with my broken toe!

"So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us!"  Psalm 123:2 & 3

Thank you for your prayers for God's mercy on the Karen - may He have mercy on all of us!

By His grace for His glory,

Sharon

Porterfield Missionary Page

Again - thank you so much for your prayers!!!!  Moe Moe Aye improves in little ways day by day!  It has been painfully slow to watch her recover from this major brain surgery, with side effects from medication, swelling, etc., but the doctor is predicting she will be able to leave the hospital this week!  We are needing to totally trust the Lord, as she doesn't feel ready to leave - please pray for God's perfect timing for her leaving the hospital, & His perfect care until her follow-up two weeks later.  She is able to move her head much more freely now, and can see!  Please pray for the swelling to go down in the eye you can see in the photo, and for no more dizziness & vomiting.  All things are possible with God!!

Porterfield Missionary Page

This email comes from Sharon Porterfield...

I am so encouraged by all who have emailed & are praying for Moe Moe Aye - thank you sooooooo much!!!!!

Though she is not feeling too well yet, I am continually amazed whenever I look at her & her incisions!  My only concern at this point is she cannot see clearly, which may be normal with this kind of surgery - please pray her eyesight will return to normal - thank you!

Gmail - Moe Moe Aye - bryon.mondok@gmail.com

A few days ago, Sharon sent us a prayer request. She sent the following update:

Moe Moe Aye went in for surgery at 8:30 am, and returned from surgery and recovery a little after 5:30 pm!  The resident doctor said the surgery was a success - praise the Lord!!

There was no need to go to I.C.U. yesterday & she is in a room near the nurses station.  The first 24 hours is critical - please pray for no complications - thank you!

Because the surgery was so long, they didn't take a bone from her rib to put in her frontal skull.  Will let you know more as I understand more.

Meanwhile - thank you so much for your prayers & please keep praying!!

Thank you on behalf of all of us here with her!

Sharon