The Vietnam era refugees are long gone, and all displace people are not resettled. That is what we think, that what we assumed. I have an opportunity to visit a couple of little village in Southern portion of Northern Thailand and found out that all the people in these two villages are refugees with “No Place to Refuge”. They felt through the cracks of many resettle countries who received and resettle refugee during the Vietnam War era. Even though many of these people and their parents are considered to be “American Allied” during the war, their cry could not be heard and their case could not be considered, they were literally stocked where they are not with no documents, no right, no employment opportunities no good education for their children. I passed by a group of young kids playing on the road because there is no other place in the village would offer them an area like jumping their one rope share with six or seven kids.
I look into their eyes and there is not future, no dreams, and no hope for anything beyond the boundary of their village. Their parent are leasing some of the Thai farmers farm to grow something to help the family, but the price of the farm are getting high, due to the fact that these people have no right to do that either. They are doing this with the mercy of their Thai farmers. Some did gain some “illegal” Employment with local people. But you know what that would be too, when they have no right, nor voices even if their pay were not rendered after the job is done, they cannot say anything. These open for a lots of abused and the suffering of the people continued, front generation to the next. The do not have a legal refugees status so that international organization could provide assistance, and yet they are refugees with no place for refuge.
When I walked the street of these two villages, make me think about our effort in reaching out to the unreachable, taking the task that the father has given to Jesus to do and He now wanting us who are his disciples to do on earth as He said “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”. (Luke 4:18-19).
if Jesus’ commission in Mathew 28th including this authority then we Methodist Missionaries are to carry on Jesus’ ministry to all the people in the World including these thirty some years refugees who do not know that to call themselves any more if they are refugees of illegal aliens.
We are looking for a partner church who would have a heard for these people, so that we can bring some good news to these people and that include the Good News of Jesus Christ, their salvation and relation with our Lord for the life together with Christ in His Kingdom, and good news and hope to especially the children for their education and a future that give them hope to get out of this no line no wall boundary “refugees villages”.
