Papa

About the Book

PAPA is a Karen word for father. My father is known as Pastor Simon from Maela refugee camp; Rev. Dr. Simon who worked hard to educate young refugees, and who loved his Karen people and journeyed with them in a refugee camp as displaced people. In the 25 years our family lived in Maela refugee camp, Papa equipped many young leaders who are now Karen Baptist leaders around the world. The Karen diaspora expanded globally under the UNHCR Resettlement Scheme which began in 2004 to many countries including Australia, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Finland, United Kingdom, and South Korea. Keen to maintain a global network of this diaspora, Papa was one of the founding fathers of the Global Karen Baptist Fellowship in 2007, serving in different executive positions to the time of his death. He passed away as a displaced person who carried no identity on 2 August, 2015. Though departed to his heavenly home, Papa is still very much loved and respected by people across the globe; his memory etched in the hearts of all knew him.

About the Author

Naw Hsar Ka Nyaw Htoo Simon or Nina Simon is a refugee girl from Maela who resettled to Canada in 2006 under the co-sponsorship of Mark and Twilla Welch and First Mennonite Church, Edmonton. She finished her Bachelor of Theological Studies in 2000 from Kaw Thoo Lei Karen Baptist Bible School and College (KKBBSC) where her father was a principal and her mother a teacher. In Canada, she upgraded her Bachelor level education at Okanagan College, Penticton, BC and progressed to Master of Divinity at Carey Theological College graduating in 2014, while living in Penticton with her sisters Thaw Simon and Paw Simon. She is a member of Penticton First Baptist Church; married to Kay Nay Ywar, and currently living in Maela refugee camp serving as a Karen Baptist Churches of Canada missionary by teaching at KKBBSC.