Emily

   Emily is 23 years old.  She has lived in Thailand/ Burma for almost 4 years.   Her life is dedicated to God and the Karen people of Burma and Thailand.  She has served faithfully and unafraid in the interior of Burma for about one year, teaching at an SDA School during a time of unrest and danger from the Burmese and DKBA armies.  Living there requires a 2 day journey in and out with all her belongings on her back, and sleeping in the jungle overnight. This journey truly takes fortitude, strength and great courage as there are soldiers, and land mines where you least expect them. She has faced much hunger, cold and weariness. The journey had to be repeated every 3 months for visa updates.  Recently Emily took the 4 month training at AFCOE (Amazing Facts College of Evangelism) in California.  Upon returning to Thailand she has been faced with many opportunities and locations to serve God.  How thrilling it was to me therefore when I asked her to come and work with me, that she was so quick to respond positively.  So far she has visited BYT three times. I must tell you that I am 10 times blessed when she is here!  Her quiet, humble, unassuming, yet cheerful ways are a joy to live with.  Our hearts beat together with love for the Karen people and burning desire to lead them to heaven.  She visits in their homes, eats their food and understands their ways.  She can speak so much of the Karen language that her Karen Bible is her only Bible here, and she has conducts entire worship services in the Karen language!One day Emily and I decided to walk to NeLeeGwee village which is about one hour’s walk from BYT.  Blet Jaw was taking some time off so it was just Emily and I.  I had a difficult time finding the right pathway out of the rice paddy, because there are many trails leading out in different directions to different villages.  I am so used to following Blet Jaw that I am sorry to say, I did not concentrate on directions.  However, we finally joined up with the right trail.  I knew it was correct because we came to a huge landslide off the side of the mountain which I clearly remembered.  A stream flowed by the base of the landslide and I noticed the sticky light colored mud rose dangerously high underneath a flimsy tree bridge which spanned the distance of the creek.  Only one thin tree was used as a handrail for balance.  As I neared the end of the bridge I heard a gasp and saw Emily lose her balance almost in the center of the "bridge," and her right leg went deep into the mud.  It was true sinking sand and very scary because Emily was barely able to pull her leg out of the sticky muck – minus her flip flop!  We took turns digging down deep for it, but with no avail.  Covered with mud we retraced our steps back to BYT, Emily with only a left shoe.I thank God that Emily’s angel kept her from falling into that quicksand.  It is a very dangerous spot.  She had told me to bring my camera that day, but at the last minute I thought my backpack was too full and it was too heavy!  How I regretted that decision!But wait.  Let’s ponder this situation.  Did this happen for a purpose?  Were we supposed to be home early this day?