The Association of Chinese Christian Journalists
As the fighting intensified along the border regions between Burma and Yunnan, China, the local refugee church faces serious safety threats.
At 10 a.m. on January 15, 2012, our entourage visited the family of the pastor who stations in Laiza Refugee Camp. At the time of our visit, it so happened that the pastor was away from his house. Only his wife and his child received us. During our talk, we learned the pastor’s family has planned to live here on a long-term basis. Though bombings happen right at the door of the house and the situation looks grim, the refugees who live here do not want to leave. The pastor’s wife said: Wherever there are refugees, they follow them there. If the refugees don’t leave here, the pastor’s family will always live here. We asked them where the elderly people in the family were. Their answer was they had already moved the elderly people in the family to China where there are family members who can take care of them. In this way, they don’t have to worry about their families so that they can devote all their time in pastoring the refugees.
In comparison with the Chinese church in the neighboring street, those Christian Chinese businessmen who do business in the local area have not gone back to China to avoid the hostilities. Missionaries have long left with their families. At this time, some Chinese businessmen still stay there and do not want to leave. (Photo 1: The church building of the refugee camp outside the village)
Photo 2: Wife of the pastor in Lisu Refugee Camp outside the village in Laiza.
Photo 3: Children amidst fighting are still that joyful and peaceful.
Photo 4: Children in the refugee camp outside the village are playing.
Photo 5
Photo 6
A house of a common resident destroyed by cannon balls.