The $285 That Brought a Father His Children

“God’s Heart for Family in a Land Torn by War: Asking for Provision and Receiving a Reunion”

Arrival at the Refuge 

The air was humid and hot when we met “Tun.” His eyes carried both weariness and light as he greeted us. We were in the area heading north to help with earthquake relief efforts, and our Glory Project missionaries had been connected with him for a while now, a faithful man quietly caring for families displaced by Myanmar’s long war. 

The conflict, which has raged in various forms since 1948, surged again after the 2021 coup left many villages burned and families scattered across the hills. In 2000, God had led Tun to this small piece of land outside Yangon, where he built a refuge for those with nowhere else to go. 

        “Not my idea,” he told me. “The Lord sent me. I felt like Isaiah.   —‘Here I am, Lord, send me.’

What began as a small shelter had grown into a family home where Tun and his wife were mom and dad to around twenty children and young adults. Ages ten to twenty who now all live and work nearby. Some were sent from distant villages so they could attend school, their fees quietly covered by Tun’s family. It was a humble representation of “they had everything in common” that is written about in the book of acts. 

It was there that Tun introduced us to Kaiser, a father from Rakhine whose story would stay with us long after we left his table. 

A Father Left Empty-Handed 

As we interviewed Kaiser, he shared that he had once been a motorbike mechanic, running a small shop back in Rakhine. When fighting drew near his village, he fled to protect his children, leaving behind everything he owned. With no income and no food, he placed his children temporarily in an orphanage, hoping it would keep them safe and fed. This is a common emergency measure taken by families fleeing in Myanmar.  

But when he returned to bring them home, the orphanage refused. 

They demanded payment—money he didn’t have. It was a place that claimed to be Christian, but their actions told another story. For a year, Kaiser wasn’t even allowed to see his children. 

“I just want my children back,” he said, voice breaking. “I believe God will help me—but I don’t know how.” 

We prayed together that day for a miracle and provision. Strength to parent his kids coming out of traumatic event after traumatic event. It was heart breaking.  

“If God Wants Them Here, He Will Make Room” 

When we asked Tun if there might be space for Kaiser and his children at the camp, he smiled with quiet faith. 

“If God wants them here, He will make room. That’s how it always is here.” 

Kaiser had already endured more than most people will in a lifetime. Growing up in Rakhine, the sound of gunfire and bombs had been ordinary. Now his deepest longing was simple: that his children might grow up not knowing the sounds of war.  

The Cost of Redemption 

It felt wrong to even speak of a price, but the orphanage insisted. If Kaiser could pay the huge amount, they would release his children. 

As he told me he hadn’t seen them in a year, a righteous anger rose up in me. "God’s heart is for family" I thought. I felt clearly prompted to give him the money. When we placed 600,000 kyat (about $285) into his hands, tears streamed down both our faces. 

“I believe that because God is a good Father to you, you will be a good father to them.” 

He was to go the next day. We prayed and waited, hearts tight with both faith and fear. A week passed with no word. Then, finally—the orphanage said YES!  

Kaiser Got His Kids 

Today, Kaiser and his children live safely near Yangon with Tun’s community. It’s less a camp and more a family home—a blend of displaced families and children whose parents sent them to study when they could no longer afford schooling, many fleeing war. Kaiser runs a small motorbike repair shop, providing for his family once again. His children attend school nearby, their laughter filling the yard. 

Psalm 68:6 “God sets the lonely in families; He leads out the prisoners with singing.” 

That day, we witnessed that truth come alive. God’s heart has always been for family, and in His perfect plan of redemption, He let us—the Glory Project team—be present to see it unfold with this family. What a gift. 

The war still rages, and peace feels far away, often. But in one father’s home, there is reunion, joy, and hope. Tools clink in the repair shop. Children laugh, free from the sounds of war. And there, in that fragile peace, we remember again: The goodness of God is stronger than the longest war. 

A Church in Every Village, Carissa + the Glory Project Team