On the Front Lines
There are times when our mission to reach countries hostile to the gospel leads us to be the first on the ground in cities like Khamti. A small village in the northern part of Myanmar in a country that is 90% Buddhist, Khamti is far from other areas where churches and believers are just beginning to take root. This city is where our president Jason Law and members of our team met Pastor Aung Kyaw.
Pastor Aung Kyaw and his wife moved from the large city of Mandalay to start a church in Khamti five years ago. The pastor and his wife faced opposition and persecution. Members of the village tried to stone the church, and one man even attempted to murder the pastor. But Pastor Aung continued to be faithful to the vision that the Lord had set out.
Pastor Aung rents a small property from a Buddhist family to host his church and their worship services, which is illegal under Burmese law. The wooden hut on the property is what the congregation has made their church building. It has three walls, a humble looking pulpit in the front, and mismatched lawn chairs inside for seating. In this small village, the church has grown to have more than 150 members. Their congregation is on fire for the Lord and passionately evangelizing, increasing their numbers and causing them to outgrow this space.
Possessed by a Demon, Saved through Prayer
One of the young men there has a powerful testimony that has spread to all of the neighboring villages. The youth, Mo-Yeung, was a Buddhist and an animist and had been possessed by a demon when he was younger. Mo-Yeung was so violent, the villagers chained him up and put him in a cave. You can still see the scars around his wrists where the chains had rubbed the skin raw. Pastor Aung visited this young man, prayed for him and watched God set him free. Today, Mo-Yeung continues to come to the church and is being discipled by Pastor Aung. This isn’t the only miracle that has taken place here either. Many of the members of the church have been touched by healing, so much so that the villagers have said that the church has become the hospital.
Taking Ground
Many families participate in door-to-door ministry, and the youth and women’s group reach out to families every week in Khamti and other neighboring areas. World Compassion is going to help their church build their own facility.
One of the ministries in the new church will be a daycare, which will not only be an outreach opportunity to build relationships with families, but it will also produce income for the church and be a medical clinic to serve the community free of charge. The church will compassionately reach people with what they need and share the gospel by showing families how much they care.
Initial plans are finalized, and construction funds are needed to begin building. The total cost comes to $62,000. Your giving, no matter the amount, is helping establish the church on the front lines of mission work, and we want to thank you. As a supporter, you have the opportunity to lay hands on a pastor who has given his life for ministry, reaching the lost and healing the broken. You’re digging into tough soil and building a church in a Buddhist community. You’re sharing in the burdens of the church members in Khamti and meeting the financial part of God’s blessing to their faithfulness.
We appreciate you, your prayers and your consideration as we work together to help Pastor Aung and his church build a brand new building. Together we are helping transform the lives of people living in the country of Myanmar.
