We are the Karen, an ethnic group from Burma (Myanmar), many of  whom fled Burma due to the civil war,  religious and ethnic persecution by the military government. We fled from our home villages in Karen State, and made our way to the refugee camps along the Thai/Burma border. 

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The living conditions in the camp is extremely poor. With severely restricted movement, space and  self-expression, we had no freedom to travel and no freedom to work outside of the Camp. We depended on outside aid. For young refugees, the refugee camps are where they're born, where they grew up and the only reality, they have ever seen exists within the fences of the camp. 
 

Our lives completely changed when doors were open to us to come settle in Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada worked closely with Canadian volunteers, sponsors and settlement workers to assist in the settlement and integration of us refugees. In 2007 to 2009, the government of Canada selected and resettled close to 800 Karen, government assisted refugees (GARs) to British Columbia. 

 

Our church families arrived in 2007 and settled into Langley. We started gathering every Karen families in our community and started having fellowship. In 2008 God provided us with a place to gather and worship at Langley Evangelical Free Church now called ( Town and Field Church )