Incarna

45 - Episode 14 Karen Sanctuary

Day 12: Karen State - Thai Burmese Border, Mid Morning

Jade Eyes was nearly exhausted. It had been six days now. Six days of keeping away from main roads. Of not talking to anyone on the trails that led through forest and across hills. Six days of not taking off her nun’s habit and to only reply as a nun would. She’d wanted to stay with the woman, Madam Qing or Green Forest as her full name meant. She felt safe there in her rambling wood and stone farm house, but no the woman said she had to travel south east. The police would be looking for her and she knew someone there who would give her sanctuary.

Jade Eyes stopped to rest where the hill trail wound across and over a steep ridge that ran down to a foot of the mountain. The ridge had kicked the river across the floodplain so the river extended out and around the mountain’s foot and then cut its way across to the horizon to disappear southward to become a great river. One day she would follow this river down to the sea and take a boat to Aodalia where she would become rich and famous. First though she had to find the man.

Madam Qing had told her the man ran a school where she could learn about such things as mountains and rivers and forests and the sea. The woman had stood with her hand gently caressing Jade Eyes cheek and smiling while she told her to never look back now. She had done a very brave thing in helping get rid of Madam Baihu and now she could settle and grow into a strong and intelligent woman. So no tears. Go and find the man with the school. He was from Aodalia and taught the Karen people how to be strong and free.

Mama Green Forest had given her a new pack with special pockets and sleeves for her papers so she could get through the police checkpoints and the border crossing. Money to buy food and a bed as she travelled. … and gold to bribe the corrupt ones who would see her jade green eyes and think of the same things that Madam Baihu had. To sell her to the highest bidder when she was old enough.

Mama Qing also gave her a letter that was only to be shown to those who asked certain questions of her. They were friends of Mama Green Forest and would protect her if need be. It was all very confusing for Jade Eyes and though she was excited by the thought of a school, she was scared by how she was supposed to get there.

Now after a week of traveling Jade Eyes was very close. Today she would look for the Karen soldiers who were patrolling this area and give them the letter explaining her situation. Tonight, hopefully she would be sleeping in her own bed in her new school. At least she wouldn’t have to explain herself to another chinese soldier or police woman, or worry about the corrupt Myanmar officers.

The chinese had asked so many questions. What monastery, which government department sponsors you, have you been preaching or teaching anywhere. Even then they’d run a hand held metal detector over her before they let her go across the Burmese border. The Burmese had been much the same as she had followed the Thai border southward. Occasionally an officer called her sister and was more lenient but generally the Burmese were as bad as the Chinese.

In Burma being dressed as a nun had helped her. She didn’t make eye contact with any of the soldiers and kept herself bowed and respectful. They never once threatened her or were rough in any way. So her true identity was never at risk.

As she walked on she wondered if in fact all soldiers were afraid of her in some way. As if they didn’t want anyone having power with the people other then the Peoples Liberation or Myanmah Armies.

Jade Eyes waited for a group of villagers to pass, all heading back the way she had come.They nodded to her respectfully and for the first time she felt safe. She watched them disappear into the forest as the trail wound its way down the hill to the valley where the border post was. Shouldering her pack she took the downhill trail that should lead her to the Aodalian and his school.

As the trail wound around and then doubled back below itself to take her the last couple of kilometres to the village and the school, two soldiers appeared on the track behind her and kept pace with her. They stopped when she did and made no attempt to approach. She nodded to them before recommencing and they nodded back to her.

She came upon small hill fields first and then a few scattered huts. Some of the women working among the vegetables in a trail side field called to her and she waved back to them. The women called to the soldiers and they laughed at them. Jade Eyes didn’t understand their language though some words sounded familiar. She would have to learn it fast.

Some voices called from in front of her and came round a twist in the trail and a small village opened out on both sides of the trail. Some older people came out of the largest building and came toward her. She stopped and waited for them and presented them with the letter introducing her to the school.

“Ah, another from Madam Qing. The teacher will be happy to have another to help teach.” Jade Eyes heart skipped a beat, her a teacher. No obviously they had misread the letter!

“Come, come, this way, this way,” said an older woman in faltering mandarin chinese. “Mr Des here today, it be last time he come, you lucky girl meet Mr Des!” Jade Eyes followed her bewildered. Perhaps this Mr Des could explain to them the misunderstanding and that she’d come to learn at the school! Her a teacher, no!