Pray for Myanmar- The Golden Land
By Sam Ngala
February 16, 2009
The small Southeast Asian country of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) caught the attention of the Western world at large, possibly for the first time, in September of 2007. People cringed as they witnessed graphic scenes of military government officials brutally suppressing the peaceful demonstration led by revered Buddhist monks. Then, when Cyclone Nargis, the second deadliest named cyclone of all time, struck Myanmar in May of 2008 resulting in more than 146,000 fatalities, the world once again took notice. The history and needs of Myanmar are much more extensive then what the tragic news clips display. Read on to find out what makes Myanmar, home of 57.6 million people, unique and worthy of your time, prayers and support.
Let us start out with a brief sketch of Myanmar’s history and the background of mission work. Being sandwiched between India and China, Myanmar has attracted for centuries the attention from conquerors, explorers, investors, as well as from missionaries. To support needs of raw materials for growing manufacturing industries at home and the increasing appetite for British goods around the world, the whole territory of Myanmar was annexed by the British Empire in 1885-6. Several decades later, Imperial Japan took control of Myanmar during World War II for tactical, political, and logistical advantage.With the end of World War II, Myanmar finally gained independence from Great Britain in 1948. Protestant Christians’ mission work that started inside the country by famous Baptist missionary Adoniram Judson in 1813 and was carried for by other missionaries such as Eric B. Hare, flourished greatly until 1962. 
In 1962, Myanmar was transformed from a fledgling democratic nation to a socialist one under the leadership of General Ne Win. Privately run schools, businesses and banks, hospitals, and missionary work came to a halt with the government taking ownership with no proper compensation made. The mismanagement of resources, businesses, and poor planning by the socialist government and later by the military government which came to power in 1988 resulted in 26.6 percent of the population of Myanmar living below the national poverty line by 2001. Christian churches suffered great loss of property and assets. What made the churches suffer even more was when foreign missionaries who were working as key decision makers, mentors, and professionals were forced to leave the country in short notice. The national left to lead the churches desperately needed training to maintain unity and growth in the churches.
From 1962 and onward, awareness of mission work in Myanmar among Seventh-day Adventists became sporadic and was on a decline. This is due to barriers placed by the Socialist government and later by the military government of Myanmar in restricting the flow of information and news coming in and out of the country. Resources that were allocated by foreign missions toward Myanmar dwindled as the result. With limited resources, restrictions placed on movement and evangelism, and strict censorship placed by the government over the Christian churches, mission work was not able to expand as much as the church desired.
Yet, as Christ’s coming rapidly approaches, God is helping the North American Division, Adventist Southeast Asia Projects, and others once again kindle their passion for reaching the people of Myanmar. Right after Cyclone Nargis hit, ASAP started ground work by raising funds to assist lives devastated by the storm and its aftermath. When well known International Non Governmental Organizations (INGOs) were not given access to provide assistance to the destitute in the Delta region, Adventist church members supplied with emergency survival food and aid by ASAP were able to provide assistance to their fellow citizens because donors and prayer warriors like you dared to make a difference.
ASAP provided resources and funds not only for basic survival commodities in the emergency stage but also during the reconstruction stage by helping shattered lives build houses, fix farmlands, and providing cash to plant rice crops and to revive their small fishing industries. Best of all, you, the ASAP donors, provided Bibles to the members who lost them in the wind and waves.
Pray for those Starving in Myanmar
People starving due to bamboo flowering and rat? How is this possible? “Many reports still call it "folklore" or "superstition" but it is a historical and biological fact: the bamboo species Melocanna baccifera blossoms en masse approximately every 48 years. This particular type of bamboo grows throughout a large area of Northeast India (primarily in Mizoram and Manipur States) as well as regions of Burma (mainly Chin State) and Bangladesh (Hill Tracts). It densely covers valleys and hillsides in the typically rugged terrain of the region. The blossoming bamboo produces fruit, and then dies off. The fruit has a large seed, resembling an avocado, and is packed with protein and other nutrients. During the fruiting stage of the cycle, local species of forest rats feed on the bamboos’ fruit and seeds. The rats cease cannibalizing their young and begin to reproduce in an accelerated birth surge, producing a new rat generation as often as every three months. Once the burgeoning population of rats have stripped the forest of its bamboo fruit and seed supply, nocturnal rat swarms quietly invade farms and villages to devour crops and stored rice, other grains, potatoes, maize, root vegetables, chili, and sesame. The rodents often grow to particularly large sizes and can gnaw through bamboo and wood floors, walls, storage containers and granaries.
This phenomenon has historically resulted in mass starvation among the indigenous peoples of the region where Melocanna baccifera bamboo grows. According to The Times of India, "the last flowering in Mizoram, in 1958-59, caused a famine that killed between 10,000 and 15,000 people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of livelihoods." The bamboo flowering and rat infestation cycle has in the past lasted for about three years, until the rats run out of food and their populations return to normal.
The bamboo flowering cycle is called "Mautam" by the Mizo people of Mizoram and the related Chin people of Burma. It is called "Yu Li Hku" (rat famine) by the people of northern Burma's Kachin State. These indigenous people's predictions of the cycle and its effects have been discounted by government authorities in the past. When the Indian government ignored the situation in 1959 it resulted in a long-running insurgency.
Chin State is very isolated geographically, politically, and in religious context from the rest of Myanmar. According to, “the UN’s World Food Programme estimate, the food consumption in Chin State is the lowest in Myanmar (Burma). Recently it has been afflicted by a plague of rats which have eaten much of what little they can grow on the barren hillsides. The state is tightly controlled by the Burmese military and access to foreigners is restricted. Unlike minorities such as the Karen on Myanmar’s (Burma's) eastern border, who can flee to Thailand when they face army harassment, almost no international attention has been given to the Chins. Human Rights Watch says that even when they reach India they get little help, and are often forcibly repatriated.”
SOE*
In 2008 and so far this year, Soe's parents harvested NO rice due to a rat infestation. In a typical year, they gather 120 tins (2,778 pounds) of rice. Soe's parents cound not send any money for his personal necessitites or school fees to an Adventist school in Myanmar. He prays everyday for God to help him, his family and friends who are suffering.
DID YOU KNOW?
According to a United Nations report, "Rats, which multiplied because of the rare flowering of Bamboo have damaged 1,693 acres of rice and 988 acres of maize in 121 villages in the Chin state." (Yahoo News) The World Food Program recently issued a strong report warning that,"six million people in Burma (Myanmar) are now in need of food aid". You and ASAP can help! A gift of $60 will feed a family of seven for one month. (11 months of emergency aid is needed.)If you would like to
help now,click here.
Pray for Myanmar Missionaries—To Reap the Golden Fields
Myanmar though slightly smaller than the state of Texas in size is home to at least “136 major people groups” . The fields are ripe for harvest, with more than ninety percent of the population not yet having a chance to accept Christ as their personal Savior.
ASAP is working together with the Adventist Mission in Myanmar to sponsor evangelistic meetings and plant churches among some of the unreached groups and territories. Ten church planters have been selected and also trained by ASAP to go into different villages in the Shan State. Shan State is chosen not only because of the millions of Shan, Lahu, Akha, Palaung, Hmong, Wa, Pa-O, and other people groups that have not heard about Christ but also because of the rampant low literacy rates and unacceptable health care provided to them.
The last component needed is the prayers and financial support of you.
Hosting public evangelistic meetings requires asking formal permission from local township authorities and in most cases the requests would be rejected outright with or without further explanations. Because of these restrictions, the church planters that ASAP will sponsor through its donors plan to enter these new territories as literacy teachers, social workers, and in helping with medical needs. They will mingle with the local people and learn their traditions, customs, and way of life as our Savior did while He walked and ministered on this earth.
As they take part in meeting the needs of the local community and at times dig into their own pockets to alleviate the suffering and pain that exist among them, God will bless them indeed. It will take much time, human resources, energy, passion, commitment, and financial support to expand God’s work. Yet with God’s spirit going before them and the financial resources met, these church planting projects will be an eternal success.
KYAW*
"My wife and I are happy about our new work of planing a church in a town in the Shan State. The peole in this area are animists from the Ahkha tribe. The first thing we will do is build friendships through health ministry and a literacy school that we will start in our home for poor children who cannot attend public school. I know this method and prayer will bring many to believe in Christ."
DID YOU KNOW?
Kyaw and his wife, both dedicated SDA teachers are eager to share their faith. Kyaw is one of ten new church planters in Myanmar, ready to minister in unreached areas when God provides the funds. It takes only $60 per month to fund one church planter's stipend in Myanmar. If you would like to help Kyaw Naing Oo and his wife minister to unreached areas, click here.
Five ASAP medical missionaries have been selected and equipped with health messages such as NEWSTART and knowledge of natural remedies such as the use of water treatment, herbs, charcoal, massage, etc. to reach out to villages and cities scattered across Myanmar. They received training in Thailand under the leadership of Pr. Phamor Phoophitrichai and his health team and spiritual training from the ASAP team. The medical missionaries have already stepped out in faith and started applying their knowledge with prayers and love. Positive results have already taken place in different parts of the country with praises made to our Heavenly Father for the way He works through their efforts and simple remedies.
The medical missionaries face many challenges in their ministry, such as lack of health awareness and destructive lifestyles, deep-rooted taboos and misperceptions of diseases, along with prejudices stemming from different religious and ethnic backgrounds. Slowly and steadily with hard work and time spent on their knees in prayers, they will be able to bring dramatic healthy bodies and spiritual growth to the lives of the local people.
KHIN*
"I believe God chose me to work for Him as an ASAP medical missionary. Because many people in my country are Buddhist, I pray that sharing the health message will open many more doors for sharing Jesus with them. In my country, people who have cancer believe they are going to die. But one lady I met received complete healing after I prayed for her and helped her with natural remedies and a vegetarian diet. I am not a doctor or a nurse, but I get my help for God to help sick people."
DID YOU KNOW?
Khin needs a large dose of the Holy Spirit and about $150 per month to live and minister effectively. She is one of five medical missionaries ASAP hopes to support this year in Myanmar. To help support the medical missionaries in Myanmar now, click here
Pray for the Karen Refugees—Who Escaped From their Dangerous Homeland
The Karen (pronounced Kah REN) is a minority people group from Myanmar who through the years, suffered greatly. They fought bravely alongside the British soldiers during World War II when the Japanese Imperial Army came to take control of Myanmar from the British government. As a result, they received severe persecution from Japanese soldiers and their allies, the Burma Independence Army (BIA).
When the British Army advanced back into Myanmar in the later part of the war, once again the Karen soldiers fought courageously alongside them. When discussion was made after the war for Myanmar’s independence, a goodwill delegation representing the Karen people led by Saw Tha Din and Saw Ba U Gyi to London in August 1946 failed to receive any encouragement from the British government for a greater autonomy for the Karen people. The Karen people were worried that they would not be treated on equal terms by the Burmese.
Karen people under the leadership of the Karen National Union rose up in arms against the central government of Myanmar starting in 1948-9 to defend themselves when they realized their concerns were not heard by the central government led by the Burmese. The decades of fighting that followed, between the Burmese government and KNU, resulted in mass allocation of Karen villages, great atrocities, and crimes. These lawless acts were committed mostly by the political militia known as Sitwundan and the Burmese soldiers resulting in Karen displaced people fleeing to the Myanmar-Thailand borders as Internally Displaced People (IDP) or refugees. In 2004, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), citing aid agencies, estimates that up to 200,000 Karen have been driven from their homes during decades of war, with 120,000 more refugees from Burma, mostly Karen, living in refugee camps on the Thai side of the border.
The United States in May of 2006 gave thousands of Karen refugees the opportunity to resettle in the United States thanks to a decision made by the former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to exercise discretionary authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Today, we have thousands of Karen refugees living in our neighborhoods, ranging from St. Paul, Minnesota in the North to Austin, Texas in the South that need to hear the gospel of Christ’s love.
These refugees come to this country with only the clothes on their back, little to no English language skills, very little education which makes it very difficult for them to make a living. Naturally, they step foot on the American soil, scared to death and face many difficulties adjusting to this foreign culture, climate and lifestyle. These people need your help. ASAP would like to reach out to the Karen in a greater way. We are attempting to put the Seventh-day Adventist Karen in contact with loving Adventist church members who live near them. Read what Jolene Roosenberg writes about her experience reaching out to the Karen in Albany, New York. Her loving care for these refugee families has prepared the way for a Karen Bible worker to plant a church among them. All that is needed is your prayers and financial support to make this happen. As we pray for these Karen refugees, it will be exciting to see how God will use a difficult situation to bring them to Jesus. ASAP is in need of $25,000 for church planting among the Karen. These funds will be used to support Bible workers and provide for the evangelistic materials and Bibles needed. Every dollar for this mission on your doorstep will help.
HSER KU PAW
Arriving to the USA as a refugee, Hser Ku Paw, relies on God's help to raise her children in a country where she cannot speak the language and struggles to make ends meet. Raised as a Baptist, she is interested in studying about the SDA truth. She faithfully attended a week-long seminar conducted by a visiting Karen SDA pastor.
DID YOU KNOW?
ASAP seeks to reach out to the Karen refugees by sending Bible workers to help them adjust to life in America and plant churches among them. Because of the large interest among the Karen population in Albany, New York, we plan to start there. You can turn this plan into a reality through your prayers and support. Click here if you would like to give now.
*Names changed for the protection of God's workers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Nargis
http://www.adb.org/Documents/Fact_Sheets/MYA.pdf
http://www.unescap.org/tid/publication/tipub2500_pt2chap6.pdf
http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/bjudson12.html
http://www.adb.org/Documents/Fact_Sheets/MYA.pdf
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/bm.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_people
http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2006/May/20060505170858ajesrom0.5491144.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7855179.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7856265.stm
http://www.joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=BM
http://www.projectmaje.org/mautam.htm
: http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/myanmar_map.htm
Image of Rat: internationalcampaignforfreedom.blogspot.com