Saturday, December 15, 2007

Christmas Greeting

Make a new heart and spirit to welcome Jesus, the christ worthly.

Let's prepare ourself and give a new room for the birth of Jesus, our savior to enter in!

Written by Myet Yay

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2008



Christmas is a celebration for all people!

It is not just a feast only on December 25 but each day of the year can be Christmas.

Christmas makes us touch the divine love of God for us in giving Jesus to humanity.

Jesus, the sign of new hope and new life, is the true Christmas.

He is the Spirit of Christmas!

Let us be imbued with this spirit so that Christmas can be a real intimate moment with the members of our family.

… so that Christmas can open our hearts but also our wardrobes and pockets in order

to share to the needy.

… so that Christmas can reconcile our divisions and build fraternity and peace

throughout the year .

May the spirit of Christmas overflow in us with that love and light of Jesus and may this love and light be then poured out into our families, friends and everyone we meet.

With best wishes from

Roberto and Darwin

Focolare of Chiang Mai

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Chirstmas Songs



Santa Bring My Baby

I don't need a lot of presents
To make my Christmas bright
I just need my baby's arms
Wound around me tight
Oh oh Santa hear my plea
Santa bring my baby back to me

The Christmas tree is ready
The candles all aglow
But with my baby far away
What good is mistletoe
Oh oh Santa, hear my plea
Santa bring my baby back to me

Please make these reindeer hurry
Well their time is drawing near
It sure won't seem like Christmas
Until my baby's here

Fill my sock with candy
And a bright and shiny toy
You wanna make me happy and fill my heart with joy
Then Santa, hear my plea
Santa bring my baby back to me

Please make these reindeer hurry
Well their time is drawing near
It sure won't seem like Christmas
Until my baby's here

Fill my sock with candy
And a bright and shiny toy
You wanna make me happy and fill my heart with joy
Then Santa, hear my plea
Santa bring my baby back to me

Then Santa, hear my plea
Santa bring my baby back to me



Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer
used to laugh and call him names.
They never let poor Rudolph
join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the reindeer loved him
as they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
you'll go down in history!



We Wish You a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;
Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here

We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.




Silent Night

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "



O Little Town Of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may his His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

O Come O Come Emmanuel !

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye Faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

God of God, Light of Light
Lo, He abhors not the Virgin's Womb
Very God, Begotten not Created
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord

O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

Yea! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
Jesus! to thee be glory given.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.




Christmas Song Lyrics
- Joy to The World
J
oy to the world, the Lord is come

Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and nature sing

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessing flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as, far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, of His love



Ay, Ay, Ay - It's Christmas

Girl it's that time for year to sing
Feliz Navidad underneath the tree
there should be some presents
there from Santa Claus

Girl I'm begging you don't be mad at me
I forgot it's Christmas
and you're oh so hard to try to please

Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't know what to do
Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't have a gift for you
I can give you ay, ay, ay
all you need is ay, ay, ay
un poquito ay, ay, ay
on this Christmas night, yeah

Girl, pretend my arms are like shiny,
big red bows
wrapped around your kisses
underneath the magic mistletoe
Girl, my gift of love is comin' from the heart
peace on earth, goodwill to all starts
right here where we are
Everybody sing
Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't know what to do
Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't have a gift for you
I can give you ay, ay, ay
all you need is ay, ay, ay
un poquito ay, ay, ay
on this Christmas night, yeah

Vamono'

Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't know what to do
Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't have a gift for you
I can give you ay, ay, ay
all you need is ay, ay, ay
un poquito ay, ay, ay
on this Christmas night
Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't know what to do
Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't have a gift for you
I can give you ay, ay, ay
all you need is ay, ay, ay
un poquito ay, ay, ay
on this Christmas night

Ay, ay, ay - Ay, ay, ay
Que bueno esta
Ay, ay, ay - Ay, ay, ay
Ay, ay, ay - Christmas night
Ay, ay, ay - Que bueno
Ay, ay, ay - Lo-le-lo-le
Ay, ay, ay - Arriba eh
Ay, ay, ay - Ay, ay, ay!

Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't know what to do
Ay, ay, ay, it's Christmas
and I don't have a gift for you
I can give you ay, ay, ay
All you need is ay, ay, ay







The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)


all right you Chipmunks! Ready to sing your song?
-I'll say we are!
-Yeah!
-Let's sing it now!
Okay, Simon?
-Okay!
Okay, Theodore?
-Okay!
Okay, Alvin? Alvin? ALVIN!
-OKAY!!!)

Christmas, Christmas time is near
Time for toys and time for cheer
We've been good, but we can't last
Hurry Christmas, hurry fast
Want a plane that loops the loop
Me, I want a hula hoop
We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas, don't be late.

Okay fellas get ready
That was very good, Simon.
-Naturally.
Very good Theodore.
-Ahhh.
Ah, Alvin, you were a little flat, watch it.
Ah, Alvin. Alvin. ALVIN!
-OKAY.

Want a plane that loops the loop
I still want a hula hoop
We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas, don't be late.
We can hardly stand the wait
Please Christmas, don't be late.

Very good, boys
-Lets sing it again! Yeah, lets sing it again!
No, That's enough, lets not overdo it
-What do you mean overdo it?
-We want to sing it again!
Now wait a minute, boys
-Why can't we sing it again?
-[chipmunk chatter]
Alvin, cut that out..Theodore, just a minute.
Simon will you cut that out? Boys...






A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

All:
A dream is a wish


YEAH!! YEAH!!


Raven:

A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you're fast asleep.

In dreams you will lose your heartaches

whatever you wish for you keep. Ha


Alyson:

Have faith in your dreams and someday

your rainbow will come smilin' through


Annalise and Orlando:
No matter how your heart is grieving

if you keep on believing


Ashley:

the dream that you wish will come true.


All:

hey yeh yah hey yeh yah

hey yeh yah hey yeh yah


Dylan:

A dream is a wish your heart makes


Kyla:

When you're feelin small


Brenda:

Alone in the night you whisper,

thinking no one can hear you at all

Aly:

You'll wake with the mornin' sunlight

to find fortune that is smilin' on you


Raven:

Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow

for all you know tomorrow, the dream that you wish will come true.



All:

hey yeh yah hey yeh yah

hey yeh yah hey yeh yah


Amy:

When you can dream, then you can start


Raven:

(Then you can start)



Amy: a dream is a wish you make with your heart


Raven:

(Make with your heart)


Amy:

When you can dream, then you can start


All:

A dream is a wish.


Amy:

A dream is a wish you make with your heart


Orlando:
A dream is a wish your heart makes


Amy:

When you're fast asleep


Orlando:

(When your fast asleep)


All:

In dreams you will lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for you keep


Dylan and Cole:

You wake with the mornin' sunlight

To find fortune that is smilin' on you


Annalise and Orlando:
Don't let your heart be filled with sorrow


Raven, Annalise, and Orlando:

for all you know tomorrow


Raven:

The dream that you wish will come true


Ricky:

No matter how your heart is grieving


Kyla:

If you keep on believing


Raven:

The dream that you wish will come....true


Boys:

A dream is a wish


Girls:

When you can dream, then you can start

a dream is a wish you make with your heart

When you can dream, then you can start

a dream is a wish you make with your heart


A dream is a wish you make with your heart

When you can dream, then you can start

A dream is a wish you make with your heart


A dream is a wish you make with your heart

When you can dream, then you can start

A dream is a wish you make with your heart


A dream is a wish you make with your heart

When you can dream, then you can start

A dream is a wish you make with your heart





War, Love, Loss and Hope by Mahn Robert Ba Zhan


Mahn Robert Ba Zahn

“Phu Khi Doh”

with Homemade rocket launcher

Kawthoolei, 1996










Introduction: A Testimonial on War

In the following brief narrative, War, Love, Loss, and...Hope, Karen guerilla fighter, Mahn Robert Ba Zan, recants his war experiences in an honest and no holds barred fashion. Members of Zan’s ethnic group, the Karen, have been embroiled in armed conflict with successive Burmese governments for the last 50 years. His accounts clearly show the heavy price this war has extolled on combatants on both sides, as well as the civilian population. Zan’s story is one of both victory and waste, revolutionary fervor and hopelessness, and is perhaps, a miniature representation of the nature of war itself. Living in a torturous paradox, Zan, a man who detests killing, feels impelled to shield his people from the savagery of the Burmese Army. Despite the travails of war, Zan holds fast to his ideals and wishes to see all those who are abused and exploited by the Burmese regime, including the Burmese foot soldiers whom he must face on the battlefield, to someday realize the dream of peace and hope for Burma.

Background: The Struggle

The Karen revolutionary struggle in Burma is among the most brutal, longest running, and least known armed conflicts of the modern era. The current military dictatorship in Burma, whom the Karen revolutionaries oppose, has been staunchly criticized by a myriad of nations, as well as world, religious, and human rights organizations for brutalizing its own people. Today, in the hills and jungles of Burma the Karen and a handful of other anti-Burmese military dictatorship groups continue to hold out against the illegal and abusive Burmese regime. Presently, there are nearly 300,000 peoples from Burma that are refugees.

Our very beautiful and once prosperous country of Burma has been under inhuman and barbarous Burmese military rule for more than 30 years: no elections, no free speech, no free press, no demonstrations, no freedom of thought, no freedom of assembly, and no freedom of religion. The Burmese army uses 200 battalions(100,000 soldiers) to oppress and kill our Karen people. Our people in Burma have become Burmese slaves. But some of us have made it to America, and here we are free.


As soon as my feet touched American soil, I felt like I was dreaming. In America there were no inhuman acts, no big guns, no mortars, no rockets, no small arms fire, no army jet bombs, no forced relocation, no forced labor, no villages burned down, no girls and women crying, and no gang rapes.


I would like to tell you of some of my experiences in war, which has taken my brothers, nephews, cousins and many loved ones.


The Loss of a Brother

October 1987: The Red Hill Battles of Wakha


The Red Hill Battles of Wakha are among the most well known battles in Karen war history. The battles were fierce with deafening gunfire and explosions that lasted both night and day. When the battle was over, a private from our 101 Special Force informed me that nephew Moe Aung Win was wounded. Unfortunately, we had become accustomed to our comrades getting wounded at the front. But the private continued his report and informed me that my brother had been killed in action. I could not believe my ears, I felt as if thunder had struck my head. Of my two brothers, now the youngest was dead. Was this the revolution reward I deserved and the gift that I inherited from my father?


A few days before my brother had fallen, he told me, “Brother, I am going to get married!” I replied, “You are now of marriageable age?” He said, “You have to make a wedding ring for me.” In my surprise I shouted, “An ounce of gold for a wedding ring, it will cost at least two thousand five hundred Baht(Thai currency). Where can I find this much money? I am soldier and I spend all of my time at the front line.” But that day I promised him that I would try to get him the ring. Now my brother is dead and I do not know where the wedding ring is either.


A funeral service was arranged and he was buried with a gunfire salute and full military honors. During the burial, as tears jumped out of my eye sockets, I clenched my fist and swore to take revenge for my dear brother.


A Lesson from War

How many lives have been destroyed during the fifty years of this civil war in Burma? How many tears have fallen for those who have died? How much property has been destroyed? How many widows have been made? How many human bodies have been mutilated and disabled? There has been countless suffering over the last fifty years of civil war, so much suffering that only God can calculate it.

On May 27, 1989, a platoon of comrades and I were sent to reinforce Wakha. We prepared all of the supplies that we would need: food, water, ammunition, and medicines. We knew that soon we would be facing fierce fighting. We were well prepared and had invested our lives in the defense of our position. Once our preparations were finished, I said to my heart, “Brother, I will take revenge for your blood tonight.”


Of course, there will always be hatred and vengeance as long as the civil war continues. And where there is aggression, there will also be self-defense. My platoon and I were ready. I told my comrades, “Let the enemy come through. Let them pass through the second fence and do not fire until they reach the third fence. I will be the first to open fire.” All of my comrades agreed and waited for the enemy to approach the fences, which were only twenty five yards from our position. At last the enemy came. Two by two and then four by four they entered through the first fences. In the moonlight, I could see them clearly. With my finger on the trigger of my Browning Automatic Rifle(BAR), I tried to concentrate on the fire fight that was soon to come, but my mind was conflict. On the one hand, I felt that the approaching enemy was responsible for my brother’s death. They were the ones that burned our Karen villages and raped our Karen women. On the other hand, the enemy in front of me were young men who had not chosen to join the Burmese Army but were forcibly conscripted. All of us had been born in the same country and we were all brothers. We did not know each other and we had no personal conflict with each other. I knew that soon they would be dying in front of me. I would be killing them. I felt both hatred and brotherly union spirit towards them.


The enemy soldiers methodically cut through our barbed wire fences. Soon they had cut through the first fence and had started cutting through the second. The enemy was probably getting more and more excited as they thought that they would catch the “ringworm Karen”(derogatory Burmese term for Karen people) sleeping.

The enemy dismantled the second fence and now was started on the third. At this time I decided to fire and I pulled the trigger of my BAR. Almost instantly the group of Burmese soldiers in front me collapsed and died.


The fighting began at 3:00 am. The gunfire and explosions were so hellish it felt as if the end of world was coming. Shortly, all the soldiers who entered the second fence were killed, but the enemy kept pouring in wave after wave. The defensive spirit of the Karen fighters was stronger than the enemies will to overrun us. Gradually, the enemy’s offensive waned and the gunfire ceased. All of the defenders of Wakha were heroes.


I was full of joy and shouted, “Brother, we have made it! We have avenged you!” The enemy dead were scattered everywhere. Some of the dead Burmese soldiers hung in barbed wire and others lay in the bamboo. It was an ugly scene.

Lance Corporal Saw Nge stepped out of our bunker and began to collect the guns of the dead Burmese soldiers. “Take care and pass the weapons to each other. Be careful of land mines!” I cautioned. I saw my beloved comrade Bajamod bring back two 40mm grenade launchers and two G-4 rifles into our bunker. One by one many different weapons poured into our bunker. The total enemy equipment that was seized was: 79 individual weapons(including two Browning pistols) and two PRC radio sets.


I sat on top of my bunker and stared down at the bodies of the slain enemy soldiers. Most of the bodies were badly mutilated. As a soldier, I was full of joy because we had seized many weapons and munitions and above all, we won the battle. But in reality did I really win? Could I ever really avenge my brother? Did I not kill my brethren, my own countrymen? Is this the right way for us Karen people to solve our political problems? Is this a fair solution?


How can we reconcile our differences with our brethren? How can we help erase the mistrust between our peoples? Is killing the only way that our differences can be solved? Is this the solution? As Barat Dogre said, “War destroys not only the vanquished but the also the victor.”


Even though we long for peace and are sickened by all the bloodshed, if the other side continues to send tens of thousands of troops into our territory to kill our Karen people, rape our Karen women, burn our villages, forcefully relocate our people, what can we do? Should we keep quiet and bear these abuses and insults in our ancient homeland? Is it wrong for us to defend ourselves, with whatever means, in order to shield ourselves from these inhuman acts? Should we be considered rebellious? What can we hope to accomplish by preaching the message of peace to the murderous Burmese military junta? Can non-violent struggle be applied in all situations?


Consider the military actions taken by NATO and the US against dictators like Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia. If these actions were taken in order to preserve freedom, peace, and human rights, why shouldn’t they(US and Nato) take the same actions against the abusive military dictators in Rangoon and restore peace in Burma? I would personally like to know Daw Su’s feeling on this matter so that we can review our current strategies and plans.

I was born and grew up in this cruel civil war. I have lost my brothers and many comrades. I myself was seriously wounded and tens of thousands of my people are now refugees. The economic situation in Burma is in shambles, and so many peoples from Burma work in neighboring countries in horrible conditions. This is what we have reaped from our civil war in Burma. I am naturally anti-war. I bitterly hate war. I pray that this cruel civil war will come to an end soon.

We all vow and pledge to join hands with you in course of freedom and People’s Democracy in Burma.

May all vicious hate end among the various peoples of Burma.

May all peoples of Burma enjoy equality and freedom.

May love and peace last forever among our peoples.

May all peoples of Burma receive human rights and justice.

May tri-party talks take place soon.

May there be a genuine federal union established in Burma.

May there be love, peace, and prosperity for all children in Burma.

May you, Daw Su, be in good health and live long.


Sincerely Yours,

Mahn R. Ba Zan


For comments, suggestions, or questions contact:

rzan555@yahoo.com or kawthule@yahoo.com

Briefly about General Aung San