1) The document summarizes a mission trip by Christian Freedom International to provide aid to persecuted Christian ethnic groups like the Karen and Karenni in Burma. 2) It describes CFI's work establishing schools and medical clinics to help refugees and internally displaced people from these groups who have faced decades of persecution by the Burmese military junta. 3) The trip involved visiting these communities and projects near the Thai-Burma border and praying with students and patients, showing support for their struggles against oppression.

1. Hope In A
Dark Place
Christian Freedom International Board Mission Trip
September 2011

2. Adoniram Judson
Judson spent
his entire life
on the
missionary
field of
Burma

3. Although Judson only converted one man
throughout his life in Burma, that lone believer
helped launch the spread of Christianity
throughout the ethnic Burmese tribes.

4. Today thousands of Karen and Karenni profess the
name of Jesus.

5. For more than six decades, the Burmese junta has
been trying to exterminate this gentle and godly
people.
But for more than six decades, the ruling Burmese junta has been doing everything in its power to exterminate this gentle and godly people.

6. Christian Freedom
International
For the past 20 years, under
the leadership of CFI president
Jim Jacobson, CFI has heeded
God’s call to minister to
persecuted Karen Christians.
Throughout this generation,
CFI staff and donors have
developed and supported
projects that have saved the
lives of thousands of
persecuted Christians,
including those from other
ethnic tribes like the Chin and
Karenni.
6

7. “To the Golden Shore..”
“I was looking
forward to the
29 hour flight to SE
Asia.”
7

8. BANGKOK THAILAND

9. “My Heart was full. I prayed for the monks, for the
blighted
land that was so steeped in idolatry and false gods.”

10. “My Heart was full. I prayed for the monks, for the
blighted
land that was so steeped in idolatry and false gods.”

11. It was astonishing to think that in this
Pagan land, the Body of Christ was
Alive and Growing, even in it’s
Darkest regions.

12. Over the next two days, I picked up the rest of my party from the Bangkok
airport...
CFI board member, Will Buehler and his daughter Megan.
Wendy Wright, who recently left an executive postion with Concerned
Women for America.
Along with, CFI board members Jeff Plummer and Matt Buckley, and Matt’s
friend Rich Gutowski.
Tomorrow, we would meet Jim Jacobson in Chiang Mai, and our adventure to
Judson’s people would begin.

13. After some rest and visiting with Jim,
his wife Karen, and their family. Jim
informed us that we would be taking a
small 12-passenger plane to the the
norther part of Thailand, near Karenni
State in Burma, and CFI’s Bible school
there.

14. “quite a
trip...a nice
hour flight to
the Thai/
Burma
border”

15. The drive to the
Bible School is a
rough one,
complete with a
river crossing!

16. “The CFI Karenni
Bible School, a little
church on the hill
with the cross of
Christ atop, was a
glorious sight to
see. What a
beautiful and
inspiring moment it
was for all of us.”

17. Two Worlds Come Together

18. CFI Karenni Bible School first
began construction in 2006.
Campus expansion continues
to this day.

19. Worship With The Karenni Bible School
Students

20. Song and Worship, are a very
important part of the Karenni and
Karen way of life.

21. “Requiering of us a song | Now how shall we sing the lord's
song in a strange land”

22. “When the wicked | Carried us away
in captivity …”

23. “Let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart |
be acceptable in thy sight here tonight”

24. We took a short tour
of the campus, by
Htoo Lar Par and
Hser Gay, CFI’s
manager’s of the
school. I was
amazed at the
improvements, last
time I was there,
only a few bamboo

25. Many students
shared their story
and testimony. All
of this was done in
English-which
amazed me.
Their testimonies
inspired us all.

26. A group of
elementary
refugee students
who had walked at
least an hour from
the refugee camp
to be with us,
sang with gusto a
song that inspired
all of us:
“I’m so glad I belong to Jesus, I’m so glad I belong to
Jesus, I’m so glad I belong to Jesus, Hallelujah, Praise
the Lord!”
They sang it over and over until the roof rafters rang,
their faces a reflection of the joy in their hearts.

27. Jim took us to visit a
Karenni long neck
village, as well as
show us the refugee
camp where most of
the Karenni dwell.
We we’re not able to
enter the camp,
because of Thai
Military restrictions.

28. The Karenni Longnecks have long lived in exile. CFI Bible School students
have been witnessing to them with the recently translated New Testament.

29. A Special Night of Worship For the Persecuted
Church

30. The Break The
Chains Concert was
a very unique event.
Streamed live over
the internet, the
Karenni Bible School
students were able
to enjoy, and
worship with the
crowd in SSM, MI,
near CFI’s
headquarters.

31. Pastor Andrew
Toogood, also from
Ireland, shared a
message of hope,
and Christ’s eternal
love for His
believers suffering
the most.
A worship band from Ireland, whom
had visited Burma with CFI a few
years earlier, poured theirheart in
worship and prayer for persecuted
believers.

32. Students, children
from the refugee
camp, as well as our
party jumped in joy
in the name of
Jesus!

33. The CFI staff in Michigan was able to patch us into
the concert, via cell phone. Jeff Plummer from our
group, cheered on the band, told the Michigan
crowd how grateful the Karenni refugees were for
the concert.

34. “Our time with the students
at the Karenni Bible School
was a blessing to us all. ”

35. It was sad to leave
the Bible School and
wonderful Karenni
people, but we had
more to see what
God was doing in
the nation of
Thailand and
Burma.

36. After a 5 hour drive
across Thailand, we
arrived at the CFI
Vocational School,
near the Burma
border in Mae Sot
Thailand.

37. The students, both
Karen and Karenni, are
from the refugee camps
across Thailand.
They put on a
presentation for us that
night.

38. It was amazing to see such joy on children
who have witnessed so many awful things.
Tomorrow we would head into Burma.

39. We headed south
through the Thailand
farmland and winding
mountains. We had to
ride in pickup beds to
accommodate all ten of
us. Along the way to
Freedom Clinic 5, we
passed a large refugee
camp.

40. Ompium Refugee Camp: one of the Largest in
Thailand

41. Several of the adopted Jacobson children grew up here

42. CFI runs a Freedom House Orphanage inside,
but the Thai military would not let us in to visit.

43. CFI Freedom Clinic 5: in the heart of burma

44. Our Team
Brought in Food
and Other
Supplies
We Have to
Travel by “Karen
Humvees” to
Make it to the
Village

45. “Karen Humvees”
“it was
certainly a
desolate part
of the world”

46. There are at least 446,000 IDP (Internally
Displaced Persons) in Burma. CFI’s Freedom Clinic
offer free medical aid to many of these poor souls.

47. Medics treat anything from Malaria to LandMind Wounds

48. we prayed
for the
medics and
the villagers

49. CFI IDP SCHOOL

51. “a small band of Karen
National Union soldiers
joined us, all armed
with automatic
weapons”

52. “they had not
seen each
other for
almost 10
years”
“The leader, Col.
Nerda, greeted Jim
warmly and gave
him a firm
handshake.”

53. “the Karen truly fight for God
and Country”

54. “Before we left, we talked with the
Colonel, about the struggles his
people had endured for over 62
years.
He said, “we must now rely on
God.” ”

55. “We left our friends with some
sorrow, and yet a sense of
accomplishment. We had lifted
their spirits, prayed with them,
and left with medical supplies
and the knowledge that we
were behind them in their
struggle. ”

56. As a Board, Before we left, CFI Passed the
Following:
RESOLVED that the CFI Board of Directors continue
to support the Karen National Union in their 62-
year fight for democracy and freedom, with prayer,
medial clinics, schools, Bibles and other essentials
for living, and that the publicizing the current
plight of these brave Karen people should remain
a priority.

57. Please Remember our Persecuted Karen and Karenni
Brothers and Sisters.

58. Please Pray for
the Country of
Burma

59. For Further
Information
V i s i t
w w w . c h r i s t i a n f r e e d o m . o r