As the new National Director of Partners Relief & Development USA, I have taken up the challenge of learning all I can about the nation of Burma and it’s history. Summer reading!

I google and read and read and google. Today, I stumbled upon an interesting bit of information that keeps me digging for the truth.

According to a Time.com news article by Hannah Beech, 100% of foreign investment was directed into the “resource-extraction” business in Burma with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) stating the ruling Junta has more than 5 billion of foreign currency at its disposal.

Who are these investors?

What are they buying?

And if there are investors, then somewhere down the line there must be consumers. The layers are endless and as I continued to read, an old nursery rhyme came to mind that I once loved to read as a child. It’s called “The house that Jack Built”. Here’s how it goes:

This is the farmer sowing his corn,

That kept the cock that crow’d in the morn,

That waked the priest all shaven and shorn,

That married the man all tatter’d and torn,

That kissed the maiden all forlorn,

That milk’d the cow with the crumpled horn,

That tossed the dog,

That worried the cat,

That killed the rat,

That ate the malt

That lay in the house that Jack built.

The rhyme actually starts with “This is the house that Jack built” and then each additional sentence gets layered on top. It’s about consequences. I’ve made up my own version and challenge others to add to it, make it better or come up with your own version, you can post it here or email to info@partnersworld.org. Here’s my version:

Who are the consumers,

That use the resources,

That come from Burma,

By way of the Junta,

Who burn down the villages,

To get at the products,

That light the house and fuel the car,

That Jack Built.

It needs some work. Help me out! Let’s create our own nursery rhyme.

Maureen Beighey – National Director – Partners Relief & Development USA