You were born in a land and your ancestors call it your home. You grew up and slowly see the culture, you spoke the language, and identified with everything in the land. But at five years of age you just woke up one day and saw a great siege in your town that is up and men’s throat were slit with flesh blood flowing down the ground so profusely. You see other kids like you lying on the ground, some of them were even your playmates. Now they’re gone. And you don’t understand what’s happening. Your mom got raped in front of you. Your sisters were abused too. You’re terrified. You are clueless. You headed to a smoky area and trying to find a shanty that is still unstruck. But all you see is the bloody aftermath of the raging war. You see people running hither and yon. And now you just go with the flow, you ought to leave the Rakhine State and fly to Bangladesh with your bare feet and stomach…
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| ROHINGYANS TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM RAKHINE STATE MYANMAR (credits to 20minutes.fr) |
This may be a common experience of some kids who are now homeless and even family-less as they seek refuge while the ethnical cleansing goes on in Myanmar. It’s terrifying.
I have always heard of many civil wars because of people or self-centered groups wanting to occupy the southernmost part of the Philippines. My heart is burdened by my fellow Filipinos, especially the women and kids, who face the dilemma of staying in the war or sailing their way to Sabah to escape and then live there as illegal aliens and then hide for the rest of their lives from the Malaysian government. How come life seems unfair for them? Kids cannot go to school because they’re undocumented. They cannot go to the hospital when they get sick. They stay in the middle of nowhere and wanting to go back to their homes that do not exist anymore.
The Rohingyans situation has also made such great weight in my heart. Some may question my devotion to promoting missions to this part of Asia because they want me to help my own country first. However, I believe we are not called to be ethnocentric. I love my countrymen but I am also a world citizen, well we all are. Even when we got caught up in calamities in the past, many other countries came in to help. So who are we not to sympathize with perhaps the fastest growing refugee emergency in the world. Hence, I choose cosmopoliteness. Even though I am not that rich, that should not disqualify me to love.
These people are facing the nick of time everyday. Death is always knocking at their door. Either they get killed in the war or just fall dead from hunger and illnesses. All these are happening while we find comfort in the air-conditioned spaces in the mall, office, house, and all around while watching TV, browsing youtube from the laptop, watching the latest theatre pictures, scrolling up and down on iphone and android, or drinking a favorite Starbucks drink.
While Myanmar is still unable to address this issue at the moment, let’s show love to the victims. Let’s become a blessing to them. They may have a different perspective of who God is but we may show to them who Jesus is even without saying a word. Our actions are of more value. Our heart becomes their Bible.
Reach out to the Rohingya today. Over a million refugees are waiting to see your heart.
You may want to contact us, Menschville as we currently raise funds for this cause.
09176533892
