Myanmar Vision Ministries - A Shining Light to Myanmar

MVM Christmas Outreach
JANUARY 2010 – WRITTEN BY JAMES KHONG

The information below is the most current news from Myanmar Vision Ministries including the many Christmas Outreach programs we either hosted or brought to people in many different regions of our country. These places includes our home city, Yangon; the new government capital city of Nay Pyi Daw; the Mon and Karen states; and the Delta region where our ministry there began as a result of humanitarian relief in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis of May 2008. Read the great stories and see the results of God opening doors for us to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ this past Christmas season!

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Delta Christmas Programs
During a late December evening at Tamwe Christian Center in Yangon as I was working on my computer, the power went out and it went dark. So I spent some time with ZMAung and SPung who are going back to delta region to resume their unfinished Christmas celebrations which is done with the partnership with MCP (Myanmar Compassion Projects). The trip led by Zin Myo Aung is totally sponsored by MCP.

With ACC sponsored Christmas, we have done in 3 Bogalay Delta villages, 2 Yangon Delta Villages, Mon, Karen, Nay Pyi Daw and finally the whole day Christmas celebration at TCC where we invited many non and believers. Now the Bogalay Delta group went out this morning (30th) to Delta to complete their unfinished villages. This group focused on Bogalay delta alone.

As we were sitting he shared with me how did they do the Christmas outreach in the villages. They distributed presents and preached the gospel for 30 minutes which would be followed by a showing of the Jesus Film.

“Since we are making them happy, we earned the right to be listened to. When Saipung preached, we were praying. We also prayed he does not preach too long. But even preaching for 30 minutes, they were not bored or offended; instead they were very positive and interested,” said ZMAung.

I told them, “Yes, bear in mind that you guys are preparing the way for further steps and strengthening of relationships. In Kwinsakhan village, LP the woman evangelist we stationed there has also been saying how she has been sharing about giving, tithing and offering and she said the villagers are ready for these talks. And they asked then that how tithe would be used. Then she told them that the moneys must be used to support ministers and church work. For example, when James Khong comes, they should also support him for his trip. And I told here it is good that she mentioned my name for that example. Because they have been used to receiving from us during the relief work. Now they must know that we, we have been coming on our own. Burmese Buddhists already are good givers, and our teaching must be correct and biblical from the beginning. If the church is successful, the other villages you have been going to will follow that example.”

“On this last trip," said ZMAung, “SPung bought scissors and gave a haircut to young men and while doing that shared the gospel with them. One who had received a haircut invited him to his home and offered food to SPung.”

“Hey, that’s great job,” I commended him.

SPung said, “Yes. Since they live far from cities, many young people have long hairs."

NWA the EBI graduate NWA is the one who is so great with Children. She takes responsibility for children ministry part in every village.” Said ZMA.

At that SPung added a touching comment, “Seeing and listening to the children sing got me in my heart. They all sing from their heart. They all got every song that was taught months ago. Particularly I almost cried looking at the children in Kitsan Village (one of the top three villages we have been taking care of). Children from that village are the ones who actually went through the cyclone. When they sang, sometimes I saw they seemed to relate the content of the songs to their past traumatic experiences. They seem to be still haunted by what they went through during the cyclone. During the showing of the Jesus Film, when they watched the episode in which the storm was coming, they tended to shrink their body position. That made me shakes my heart. We have a lot to do for these children.”

“Yes, they are the children now. In ten years they will become grown ups. That means we are having a very strong church in our care. I have seen children growing into adulthood and even serving with us. So what do you think we can do for them?” I asked.

“At least we have to go very often and teach them.” He replied.

“True. That’s what we can do. In the future, we must work toward planting churches that worship God in Burmese contextual style. We need to build the right kind of church in their own context. That’s the reason we include the Burmese traditional tune songs in our programs and we make sure the preaching are done in their own thought forms and cultural symbols.”

Kanan Region
In this picture Hla Pwint is telling the story to Marta about how she has been trying to teach the members there. Those who were baptized first thought they have done enough and when she taught the newly baptized they would not come. She taught the new believers starting from how to search scriptures, and later when they all were taught together the ones who were baptized found themselves they were behind in a lot of things, they also began to learn.

She is the first convert from Kanan people where Khong Di is serving in Kanan land. She led us to the Kanan land in 1993. A good fruit.

What Anne has sent us $150 will be given to her. When we just sent her to Kwinsakhan, with a little money, John de Jong gave us $100 equivalent of kyats and we sent with her that. God provides. Now we have some from Anne to send her back to Delta after Christmas.

To see what God is doing is really exiting. Be a part of the great story God will be writing in Myanmar.

Outreach to Buddhist Monks
This has been one of the monks who has come to TCC. He said he came to me once and asked donation to buy books for his master study in Buddhism. That day he said he came to say farewell because he had been chosen for PhD studies to India and gave the card of the school.

You know! The Buddhist law will help him see that the law does not save. That will prepare him to be ready for the law of grace. As the OT law was the school master to take them to the grace of Christ, so is the Buddhist law. Those who know their own teachings are the ones who are easily convinced of the grace of Christ.

I told him I would come to India and see him too. Please pray for him also. His name is Ashin Sawbita.

This is the monk from Kwinskhan Village. He was the one who released the villagers. On Sunday he also sat in the TCC service for the first time.

On that day, I also chose him to be one of my interviewees and interviewed him. It was very good interview.

His village was the one we did our first Christmas. This village has been one of the villages we have been taken care of. Others people and evangelist from the area confirmed that this group is very strong, It has been 49 who were immersed 10 more are waiting for us to come. We have stationed a woman evangelist and she has been perfecting the believers there. She came home to Tamwe Christian Center and reported how she went through all her works there. Her story confirmed again that it is very important to station evangel;ists once people are won to Christ. The number of people does not matter.

Outreach to Nay Pyi Daw (our nation's capital city)

One couple, Burmese new converts in our church was transferred to Nay Pyi Daw, our nation's capital since November of 2005. They were reluctant to go, but we encouraged them to do so. Through them we will begin our ministry work there beginning with the 2009 Christmas outreach. They did not dare to buy the vision. They were also scared to go to because of what they heard about Nay Pyi Daw. Mainly they worried how would they survive with their small salary.

Anyway, one lady from Nay Pyi Daw wanted to transfer to Yangon and she offered to them that they can trade with her. She would leave all household items for them. Finally they went. To their surprise they found out that everyone there even their department head (Director) and friends were very curious and willing to experience Christmas. So they gladly called us.

Now we have made our first contact with them The Christmas outreach there went well, even better than expected. I took Mandaly pastor along with me to Nay Pyi Daw and he was very happy for being included. We baptized the son-in-law of the couple. Our very first baptism there. But we did not have camera on that day because all were taken back by the group who went home earlier. We had to get a professional camera woman. We will let you see later.

Nay Pyi Daw is really beautiful. The landscape of the whole city has been done so beautiful. It is a huge city. But let us pray that the Gospel seed started to grow from that giant capital. Let His Kingdom come.

In the above photo is a Tamwe Christian Center youth group who came to Nay Pi Daw the new capital.

Additional Photos From Outreach to Nay Pyi Daw

The four pictures group are from the Nay Pyi Daw Chritmas the new capital. We baptized one - the son-in-law of our former TCC member. We are invited to come every year. The departmental heads all came. It was very good.

Photos From Christmas Outreach to the Karen and Mon States

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