Finding Peace Far from Home

A Christmas Message from an FBR Volunteer

Merry Christmas from the FBR team! Below is a message written by one of our long-term volunteers who is from Chin State, Burma. She wanted to share her insight on the impact of Christmas and the hope she has for those who are displaced from their home.

 Merry Christmas! May there be peace for you and your family. 

Christmas is often remembered as a season filled with warmth, peace, joy, and the comfort of home. For many, it is a time when families gather around the table, share treasured meals, exchange gifts, and hold close the traditions passed down through generations. The memories of my Christmas at home in Burma return with striking clarity—the scent of traditional foods drifting from the kitchen, the gentle crackle of a fire, and the sound of laughter filling every corner of the house. We have a traditional Christmas bun made from pounded sticky rice, filled with pounded sesame seeds mixed with sugarcane candy. It is carefully wrapped in fresh banana leaves and cooked over a hot fire for about three hours. The banana leaves release an earthy aroma that seeps into the bun, giving the treat a distinct flavor and fragrance. This careful preparation is an example of our cultural traditions. The aroma of that simple treat fills me with nostalgia and reminds me of those Christmases I spent with my family, the togetherness of Christmas, and just how powerful the little things can be. These simple memories stir a deep yearning within me for the warmth of a fire, the arms of loved ones, and the simple routines that make a place truly feel like home.

For those living as IDPs, refugees, or who are separated from their families, Christmas can heighten the ache of distance. Humble gifts and meals are shared with gratitude, but the absence of home leaves a void that no light, dish, or decoration can fully fill. Yet within this longing, there also remains a quiet strength. Memories of home remind us of who we are, of the love that shaped us, and of the hope that one day return and reunion will happen. A letter, a phone call across borders, or the smallest familiar tradition carried into an unfamiliar place can become a bond, holding the heart together. In this season, even in displacement, we discover our capacity to carry love, memory, and hope wherever we go.

Christmas also calls us back to the promise of peace brought through the birth of Jesus Christ—the peace announced by the angels: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men” (Luke 2:14). He came as the Prince of Peace, stepping into a troubled world to bring comfort, healing, and hope. This Christmas, we hold tightly to that promise. We pray that His peace will rest upon every heart longing for home, every family facing separation, and that His light will bring enduring peace to our country, Burma. 

May you enjoy many peaceful moments with your family this Christmas.

Thanks and God bless you,

The Free Burma Rangers.

Please join us this Christmas in praying for the displaced children of Burma.