Saskatoon Karen youth fundraiser, Awareness night
 Karen Awareness Night Purpose: § To create awareness of the civil war and ethnic cleansing that is happening in Burma § To make people aware of the extensive amount of people who have fled to Northern Thailand and neighboring countries § To introduce people to the Karen/Burmese community in Saskatoon § To motivate people to seek justice and support the oppressed through prayer and finances § To motivate people to engage with this community locally and globally To make people aware this people from this ethnic background and heritage are living in our city And hear their stories Raising awareness for Burma's Karens ( Article) Doh Soe Bwe is Karen by ethnicity. Karens are native to Burma (Myanmar), but the 50-year-old initiative on the part the oppressive Burmese military government to cleanse the country of its ethnic groups, has forced the Karens to flee for their lives. Many escaped to Thailand where they live in refugee camps or shacks in the mountains. Bwe was born in a refugee camp on Thai/Burma border and lived there with his parents and three siblings for years in very difficult conditions. "Mae Le Oon Camp has subsistence living conditions," he says, "with armed soldiers making sure no one goes outside the camp perimeters. We lived on UN rations of rice, oil, salt and chilis, and what we could produce in a very tiny garden."Interestingly, while about 85 per cent of Burmese are Buddhist, many Karen people are Christian, the result of Burma's colonization by British Christians centuries ago."In 2007, there was an announcement that anyone in the camp who wanted to go to Canada should give their name," Bwe says. "We had no idea what Canada was. The leaders kept moving us around, so we thought Canada was just another camp."But the family applied, and in 2008, they arrived in Vancouver and were then transferred to Saskatoon where, Bwe says, an uncle was already living. It was only after they arrived in Saskatoon that they discovered there were other Karen people already here.Ashley Anholt first heard about Karen people while teaching in a Christian International School in Hong Kong."The school did a penny drive fundraiser for a Karen refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border, and after seeing a video about the camp, I was challenged to learn if there was more I could do to help," she says."During school break, a friend and I decided to go and see this place. We made contact through a couple from Prince Albert who work in Thailand with Global Neighbours."The two young women spent two nights in the Mae La refugee camp and were deeply impacted by the plight of the Karen people and their subsistence way of life. They visited the makeshift school, taught a lesson, "preached in the church (my very first sermon!)," and were able to go to the city and purchase some desperately needed items.Anholt eventually returned to Saskatoon and accepted a job teaching at Saskatoon Christian School, but her heart remained with the Karen people. When she discovered there is a Karen community in Saskatoon, she soon became acquainted, and got involved -along with Doh Soe Bwe -with the Karen youth group.Anholt also met teachers Ron and Nedra Gibeault who recently visited Thailand to look for ministry possibilities in their retirement. The couple made the trip with Imagine Thailand, an NGO that works with Karen people on the Thai/Burma border.Now Bwe, Anholt and the Gibeaults are organizing a Karen Youth Awareness Night to inform about the civil war and ethnic cleansing that is going on in Burma, to introduce people to the Karen/Burmese community in Saskatoon, and to motivate people to engage with this community locally and globally.The event will be held on Saturday, May 28, at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1636 Acadia Drive, from 6-8: 30 p.m. There will also be an opportunity to contribute financially to projects to help the Karen Youth in Saskatoon.The event promises traditional Thai food and decorations and a program during which Anholt, the Gibeaults, and various Karen people will share their stories. There will also be Karen music and a video presentation, along with display booths representing Saskatoon Karen Youth, Partners, Imagine Thailand, Global Neighbours, and demonstrations on traditional looms and Karen fabric making.The funds raised will be used to send Karen youth from Saskatoon to Calgary in July for a national conference for Karen youth in Canada."The conference will teach them leadership skills and positive life lessons," says Anholt who functions as youth director the Saskatoon Karen Youth Group.The Saskatoon Karen Youth Group was established by Bwe who recognized how important it was to give the young people a foundation."They don't know who they are," he says. "Many of them feel there's no point in being educated, and since a lot of the Karens live near the inner city, many of the young people are being lured into the culture of gangs and drugs."As a positive outlet opportunity for the youth, Anholt and Ron Gibeault have registered a Karen soccer team. "We're hoping for someone or some business to sponsor the team, and provide jerseys and equipment," Anholt says.In order to have enough food prepared, Awareness Night organizers would appreciate knowing how many plan to attend the traditional Thai/Karen cuisine meal. To make a reservation, please contact: ashleyanholt@ gmail.com, nedrag@hotmail.com, or saskatoonkarenyouth@gmail.com. Read More: http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Raising+awareness+Burma+Karens/4821707/story.html#ixzz1QZsv6Jpe | Karen Awareness Night
"I would like to say "thank-you" to everyone for their participation. It was a great success. I have had many people say that it was an amazing, wonderful, powerful evening. We raised about $3,000!!!! Thank-you for sharing your stories and your culture with our guest. I look forward to seeing what other opportunities come out of the evening. Blessings to you all!" Participation as a volunteer. |
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