Story of a Myanmar Boy

 

Once in Myanmar, there lived a boy, named Jack. He is eleven years old. He comes from a very poor family. His father lost his life in an accident, while his mom got ill and could not work. He had a brother and a sister. Jack’s family depended on him to live because he was the only one that could work. Where he lived was near the dumpsters of the cities. Every day, he would pick garbage to sell and get money. He would find cans, bottles, used cupboard or reusable stuff to sell. With a little money, he was able to buy food for his family and continue to survive.  

        As time passed, war began in Myanmar. At that time, Jack was fifteen years old. Jack’s mom recovered from her sickness. Month after month, the war went from bad to worse. “It is time,” said Jack’s mom. “I will send you all off,” said Jack’s mom.

       “Where?” exclaimed Jack. Jack’s mom pointed to a country on the map- MALAYSIA.

       “I have decided to send you to America but we have to go through the UN. During the process, you will go to a refugee camp in Malaysia to live because it is unsafe here,” explained Jack’s mom.

      “What about you?” asked Jack.

      “I will stay here till the war ends,” said Jack’s mom. The next day, his mom applied a passport via the United Nations. The UN scheduled them to leave Myanmar next month. 

       A month passed in a blink of an eye. After all the goodbyes to the whole village, Jack and his siblings were sent to the airport. Before they left, Jack gave his mom his last hug. He didn’t want to leave his mom. Tears rolled down from his eyes. It was a touching sight. After the touching sight, Jack left his mom and boarded the plane. In a few minutes, the plane departed from Myanmar, heading towards Malaysia.

       During the journey in the plane, Jack was thinking and dreaming of his mom, while his brother and sister enjoyed themselves. He missed her so much. His dreaming shortened the time, and they reached Malaysia very quickly. In Malaysia, he was identified as a foreigner. He was sent to a center, called United Learning Center. At ULC, some Myanmar refugees stay there before being transferred to the designated countries.

       Jack’s first day at ULC was a little shy and scared while his siblings were happy when they met new friends. When he entered ULC, he met many children that faced the same problem as him. They were all children who either lost one of their parents or both of them. Slowly, he began to make friends and played with them. They played together, ate together, learned together and sleep together. They played and shared their feeling till he had forgotten that it had been a year since he entered ULC. As more Myanmar refugees enter the center, he met more and more new friends. He also comforted those who still missed their parents.

       “It continued till today,” said Jack. As Jack was speaking with me, a group of new Myanmar refugees were transferred in. Jack ran towards them and made friends with them. It was another wonderful sight. An eighteen year old boy making new friends with kids aged seven to fifteen.

       I really hope that one day God will bring Jack and his new friends to Christ. It will be the best sight in Heaven.