About us - How we'll work with the Karen in America

Overview

We often hear how the world is shrinking and that the world is at our doorstep. The Karen coming to the U.S. for resettlement illustrates the point especially for us in the Baptist churches. We are still international missionaries working using the Karen, Thai and English languages, but now we will be based in the USA. Baptist churches find themselves suddenly involved in Karen and Burmese work without anyone leaving their pew. The denomination finds the line blurred between national and international work. It is perhaps unprecedented that a people we Baptists have worked with for 200 years, our overseas brothers and sisters are now the brothers and sisters who are living down the street in our neighborhoods. It is a new situation for we in America on all levels.

It is anticipated that tens of thousands of Karen will be coming to live permanently in the U.S. during the upcoming years. Many of these will have a strong Baptist background and a strong desire to find a place to worship in a Baptist setting. It has been exciting to see the Karen at home in their new churches in America, and it has been exciting to see the energizing effect the Karen have had on the congregations they become involved with.

For us (Marcia and Duane) personally, it has been gratifying when we have helped new groups of Karen get in touch with Baptist churches in their area. It is our hope to help make this happens in more cities in America. We're aware, however, that the Karen will be living throughout the U.S., and we will not be able to have close personal involvement with all Baptist churches and Karen communities in all places. The real work will need to be done by the leaders and members of the individual churches and the Karen people themselves. In many places, the needs may well exceed the resources of an individual church, but this is why associations and state and regional structures have been put in-place. Already, the body of Christ is working together to help meet the needs of the Karen as they adjust to a new life in America, and we see the spiritual energy the Karen bring to the body. We feel strongly that God has brought the Karen here for a reason, and that together, He has a plan for us all. We are eager to see where the Lord will lead us in the future.

So in view of our limitations, we (Marcia and Duane) feel our main contribution will serve as "resource persons", "catalysts", and "encouragers" to pastors and churches in America where the Karen are located. As the name of our Karen Konnection website implies, the best thing we can do is to help make "people connections". Our goal then is to help ABC and CBF churches connect with the Karen community and resettlement agencies in their area, and to help the Karen to connect with Baptist churches and church members. We also hope to help Karen communities and individuals connect to each other within America and with their friends and relatives back in Thailand and Burma. Finally, we will work to connect the Karen and Burmese communities with the wider ABC and CBF communities.

So, with these things in mind, below is an outline of our plan of work areas and job descriptions. We propose calling this work: "Operation Karen Konnection".

Partners

We (Marcia and Duane) will remain as Missionaries on special assignment with International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches, USA, (IM-ABC/USA) jointly appointed as Field Personnel with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) as follows:

• Within the ABC, we will work in coordination with the joint International Ministries' (IM), National Ministries' and Office of the General Secretary's task force formed to respond to the influx of refugees from Burma to America.
• Within the CBF, we will be members of the Thailand team, but also relate with the International team that is dealing with immigrants and refugees

In Thailand, as staff of IM and CBF, we will remain members of the Thailand Baptist Missionary Fellowship, and will partner and link with the Thailand Karen Baptist Convention and the Kawthooley Karen Baptist Convention.

Mission

Our mission is to act as agents to connect the Karen people arriving in the U.S. with ABC and CBF related churches and the wider Baptist community, while finding ways to allow the Karen to remain connected with each other within America and around the world.

Goals

1. Insure that newly arrived Karen (and other Burmese ethnic groups) know that ABC/CBF churches are available in their area.

• Work through NM, CWS, and other agencies to gather information about where and when new Karen refugees will arrive.
  
• Contact resettlement affiliates sponsoring Karen (and other Burmese ethnic groups) for resettlement to inform them of the connections between Baptists and these new arrivals in America.
  
• Make contact with the Karen in locations around America and learn of their respective situations.
  
• Work through regional and state offices to learn of ABC and CBF churches that might be able to host or assist the Karen (and other Burmese ethnic groups) in a particular area.
  
• Conduct training or provide resources for the Karen (and other Burmese ethnic groups) about the Baptist churches in America, letting them know what they can expect in their new communities, dealing with American "culture shock", etc.
  
• Visit the Karen and the Baptist churches hosting them to provide encouragement as much as we can.

2. Prepare U.S. churches to receive newly arrived Karen (and other Burmese ethnic groups) into their churches.

• Conduct training or provide resources for U.S. churches on the background of Burma, the Karen, why the Karen are refugees, how they come to the U.S., the historical Baptist connections with the Karen, Karen cultural pointers, how churches might help, etc.
  
• Provide advance warning to local U.S. churches as much as possible about new Karen arrivals in their community
  
• Provide initial communication assistance between new Karen arrivals and their local resettlement affiliates and Baptist churches as needed.

3. Prepare U.S. churches to better assist newly arrived Karen (and other Burmese ethnic groups) in the resettlement process.

• Work to connect the local ABC and CBF churches with the resettlement agencies in their area.
  
• Encourage regions and associations to assist the churches receiving large numbers of new arrivals.

4. Help churches integrate the new Karen and other Burmese ethnic group arrivals into their local Baptist congregation and denomination.

• Coordinate with the joint IM, NM, and OGS task force of the ABC.
  
• Coordinate with the Asian Caucus of the ABC.
  
• Relate to the Internationals team of the CBF.
  
• Participate in association, regional, and denominational events and meetings to provide background information, explain needs and ways to participate.
  
• Help U.S. churches network together as they seek successful ways to serve the new Karen members or congregations.
  
• Encourage regions, associations and churches to include the Karen (and other Burmese ethnic groups) in programs and events.

5. Maintain and advance the connections between the ABC and CBF with the churches in the refugee camps and the IDPs in Burma.

• Visit the refugee leaders and camps in Thailand at least twice per year.
  
• Provide balanced information on what resettlement in America means for the Karen.
  
• Provide encouragement to the camp based churches of the Kawthooley Karen Baptist Convention and the people remaining in the camps.
  
• Help facilitate the KKBC efforts to assist the IDPs in the disputed areas of eastern Burma.
  
• Maintain the connections with the TKBC and TBMF.
• Participate as a member of the Thai team of the CBF.

6. Be advocates for solutions to some of the problems in Burma:

• Connect with other organizations advocating for change in Burma.
  
• Develop a list of items to be advocates for and seek methods to do this more effectively.
  
• Publicize advocacy needs and methods among the ABC- and CBF-related churches
  

Limits

Budgetary and time constraints, along with family obligations, will limit the places we can visit to achieve our mission. We certainly are willing and would like to travel to any location where we can help, but need at least one weekend per month to be at home. We recognize that other ethnic groups (particularly the Chin from Burma) are also now being resettled in America, and we want to encourage ABC and CBF churches to work with these refugees as well as the Karen. However, since our background is working with the Karen, they will be the focus of our mission efforts.

(Last updated 4/13/07)