Victory Bible College / Rev Dr John Thoung, AO Coordinator

Victory Bible College was founded in 2008, and by God’s grace it has been 12 years now since we opened. I thank God for His faithfulness and leading us all these years. Though we faced many challenges, God was always with us. This year we celebrated our 11th graduation ceremony. Many of our former students have been touched and changed through this small Bible College and have been going out to reach the unreached.

The Vision from the Lord

I have been preaching the gospel since 1989 while I was a teacher at a government school in my village, but I became a full-time minister in 1994 after studying in a Bible College. I never imagined that I would be a Bible teacher. While praying one day, I felt the Lord speaking to me to start a Bible College but I was unsure at first, so I prayed seeking clarity as to whether this was His plan for me or was it my own desire. The Lord put a burden on my heart to reach out to the young people who were living without a purpose in life because in our country if you do not pass matriculation, there is no more hope for further education. The Lord put this vison in my heart time and time again and I knew it was His leading and plan for me to start the Bible College. I had no qualifications, no money, no house and I wondered how all this would happen. But I never gave up and told the Lord that He would have to help me and I would obey Him. I consulted with some friends but they were very negative and not encouraging at all. Instead they discouraged me saying that I did not have the money nor the qualifications and I had no experience in running a Bible College.

 Obeying the Lord

After praying and seeking the Lord, I was determined to obey the Lord and my first purchase for the Bible College was two cooking pots, one for rice and one for curry as I had to provide accommodation and meals for the students. At the beginning, it was very difficult for I had to share my home with the Bible students, living with me and my family, because the students were mostly from other states. I had no funds but the Lord provided for everything we needed and sent people to help me both in seeing to the expenses of the college and for teaching the students. I am truly grateful to the faculty staff who have been helping me since the early years to teach the students without receiving any payment. Now we can accommodate 30 students every year and train them for the ministry. I also thank my wife and family for sharing my vision and for all the sacrifices they made to fulfil this vision.

 Courses offered

We offer a 4-year course for Bachelor of Theology and a 2-year course for Diploma. Our motto is:

“To Prepare God’s People for the Works Service” (Ephesians 4:12).

 Accomplishments of the College

The students come from different parts of our country. So far, there have been 70 graduates and all of them have gone into ministry. Some of them are pastoring churches; some have become church planters and some lecturers in Bible College. Most of my lecturers are my former graduates. Ps Jolly Aung, my former student, is now Field Director for Missions and Ps Victor Lian is our Academic Dean of Victory Bible College. He and his wife also manage Shalom Home for abandoned children. Ps Soe Moe Naing is doing ministry at Kukosu village in the Delta area, where no one has heard the gospel before. Ps Nar Tawng is doing ministry in the Nangah area, a very undeveloped area which takes seven days to reach from Yangon. We are getting more students from that region now. We hope to train them so that they will return to share the gospel with their people. Ps Aye Taw Say is doing ministry along the Sami border of Rakhine and Chin where there is an ongoing civil war. Ps Aung Aung Win is doing ministry in Rakhine, another area where the war is ongoing. The situation for both these pastors is dangerous and challenging for them, as it has been for the people in these areas. The people there live in poverty and are suffering greatly as a result of the war. Sharing the gospel in these areas puts them at risk, so they have to be very cautious. Brother San Thang and Sister Cherry Pan Khine are doing ministry in U Chit Pin, border of Rakhine and Mangwe.

 There are many more cases I could share with you but due to space constraint I have just named a few. These young people serve the Lord through social work, through teaching students, church planting and house-to-house evangelism. Though this Bible College is small and seemingly insignificant, many souls have been added to the Kingdom of God due to the efforts of its students. We pray we are able to send out more young people to reach the unreached and to plant churches in the future.

Challenges and Difficulties

Our Bible College still lacks space for accommodation and study rooms and we are praying for God’s provision to extend our Bible College. The students are still staying with my family and there is no family time for us but my family does not complain for they understand the situation. The students are from remote villages and are too poor to pay the school fees, let alone accommodation and food costs. Pray with us that we will be able to find sponsors for our students. I simply cannot turn them away if they cannot afford to pay. After completing the course, some of the students are committed to doing church planting in their villages but the College is not able to support them. If any one of you is interested in getting involved in this area, please help them – for when you extend a helping hand, even though you yourselves cannot go to the mission fields, you are there with them.

 If you have the gift to teach and train, we would like to invite you to come and impart to these young people your knowledge by teaching them English and Bible Studies. You are indeed welcome to share your gifts to equip them for ministry. We need partners in the ministry, therefore, come and minister to us. We are co-workers in the Kingdom of God; let us join our hands together and serve the Lord.

Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

 

 

 

Shalom House – Yangon / Ps Victor Lian

My name is Van Thawm Lian @ Victor Lian and I was born in 1981 in Tang village, Falam township, Northern Chin State, Myanmar. Unfortunately, four days after my birth, my father passed away. I had no siblings and it was just me and my mum. She tried her best to provide for me but life was hard for her, and eventually, she remarried when I was two years old. Her new husband objected to her bringing me to his home, so I was sent to live with an uncle and I lived with him till I was 18 years old. My uncle had four children of his own and he himself was poor; hence life was a real struggle.

 When I reached my 18^th birthday, I left his home and decided to look after myself and not be a burden to anyone. I struggled to find a job and there were times when I did not even have money for food. I felt so helpless, angry and disappointed to have lost my father because losing him had caused me all this misery. I really did not know what to do and I felt utterly hopeless. Unexpectedly, one of my friends invited me to attend a Christian Youth Campaign and, unwillingly, I went. It was during this time that I heard about Jesus and what He did for mankind and I felt hope stirring inside me. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. I still remember the date and year of my life’s turning point, which was on 16/4/ 2004. I realized then that I have a Father who would never leave or forsake me and would be there for me because He loves me. It was a wonderful feeling and for the first time I had peace. I had found my Father.

Vision for Shalom Home

My perspective of life totally changed after receiving Jesus Christ. I had only one desire, that was to help the fatherless and the orphans and to give hope to the hopeless, like how I had been once. Receiving Jesus Christ into my life convinced me that the pain and bitter experiences which I had gone through have led me to have a heart to help these children. My desire was to give children back the joys of childhood, build their lives spiritually and give them a chance for a better future through education. We want to empower them to reach their full potential. In 2006 the Lord gave me another unexpected opportunity to study His Word and I did a Bachelor of Theology course at Victory Bible College, which took me four years to complete. After completing my studies, I was given an opportunity to serve the Lord for one year at Victory Bible College as a warden.

The Lord blessed me again with an opportunity to further my studies in India and I earned my Master of Divinity course in three years. I kept praying and seeking the Lord for what He had planned for my life.  In 2015 God clearly spoke to my heart: “I want you to be the hope for the hopeless”.  The Lord put in me a passion for the fatherless and orphans. I wanted to run an orphanage but I had no idea how to start and I delayed in doing anything for two years. All the while, in my heart, I felt like I was not obeying God.

 Finally, the Lord strengthened me and I started the orphanage on 12 March 2018 with two children; the Lord has added more children and today, we have eight altogether in our home. We called our home Shalom Home because we want the children to experience the Peace and Provision of God which I have been experiencing ever since I accepted Jesus into my life. I believe what our Lord Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  My wife Nan Ci Oo considers helping these children as one of the greatest privileges in our life for it is written in the Bible, Psalm 82:3, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.” The greatest service we  can do for our heavenly Father is to be kind to one of His Children. To quote Andy Stanley: “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”

About the Children

The children range in age from 8 to 15 years; they come from different backgrounds. Some of them are orphans while others have parents who are not able to take care for them because of extreme poverty, or being a single parent, or because of a disability of either parent. The children are from different parts of Myanmar though they belong to the Chin ethnic group. Each child has a unique story on how they became part of the family at Shalom

Home.

1.        Mi Mi Htwe (15 years old) and Deborah (13 years old)

They are sisters and they are from Hpa Kant, Kachin State. They lost their father at a very young age and their mother, a single parent, is unable to support them, so she sent them to Shalom Home.

3.        Tang Tun Thang (12 years old)  and Ro Ti San (10 years old)

These siblings come from Matupi, Southern Chin State. Their parents are still alive but they have no work and are unable to provide for their children.

5.       Mo Le Win (10 years old) and Aa Shi Chiang @ Sai Lone (8 years old)

Brother and sister come from Hpa Kant, Kachin State and their father is Chinese and mother is Chin. Both the parents were involved in drug trafficking and were drug users themselves. The children were neglected, abused and had to fend for themselves. When their parents were caught and jailed for 23 years, the children’s relatives sent them to Shalom Home.

7.       Val Nai Sang (11 years old)

He is from Kalaymyo, Sagainsg Division. His father passed away when he was eight months old. Some years later when his mother remarried, his stepfather hated him and abused him physically and verbally.  He suffered terribly at the hands of his stepfather with severe beatings on a daily basis and other forms of torture. The villagers could not stand to see him suffer and urged his mother to send him away. We were informed of his situation by the neighbor’s, and so my wife and I went to see his mother and she agreed to let him come and live with us.

8.       Khrih Hlawn Sui (9 years old)

She is from Tlortang village, Falam township, Northern Chin state. Her mother has been suffering from a disease for many years and is often in and out of hospital. Her father struggled with caring for his wife and daughter. They were also very poor and whatever they earned went on the mother’s treatment and medication. When he could not manage anymore, he sent her to us.

We thank Asian Outreach for supporting us financially and for praying for us. Every child has a right too to grow up and dream of a better future; Asian Outreach is part of their lives now, enabling us to reach out and help these children. We are so grateful for your partnership and together we will Reach, Touch and Transform the lives of these children by giving them a hope and a future. God bless you.   

TRIP TO YANGON / Bro Peter Lim, AO Volunteer

This was my first time in Yangon. It is a city which is perhaps similar to what Kuala Lumpur was about 20-30 years ago. There are signs of development with shopping complexes and tall buildings in the downtown area. However, as one travels out of the city centre, it becomes immediately clear that the rest of the city is very much underdeveloped, and that there are many poor sections in the region surrounding Yangon.

My cousin works in Yangon and has been there for seven years. We met up for dinner. He has been and still is involved in helping unfortunate children. I learnt that there are ongoing internal conflicts in  the different states, and many children are sold by their parents for money or trafficked and sold as child labour to work in the city, for example, as restaurant helpers and cleaners. These children are locked away after work to prevent them from running away.

Christians make up less than 10% of the population which is predominantly Buddhist; temples and monks abound. The monks are venerated here. Even the very poor will give to them or to the monastery, something about karma I am told.

Myanmar is a country that very much needs to hear the Good News. Over a period of five days, I was privileged to be able to share with Ps John and his workers and Bible students about the God of the poor and needy, on Galatians and on parenting.

They were very much impacted by the scriptures that revealed how much our God loves the poor and needy, the orphans and widows. Our God delights in righteousness, justice and loving kindness

. Ps John shared with me that his eyes were opened to the God who is love. I suggested that we pack and distribute food to the very poor living nearby. This suggestion was enthusiastically embraced, and two days later it was carried out. The church cooked the food and packed 80 packets of rice with an egg and vegetables in each. The Bible students were excited. They felt good being able to give away food. This is the tangible demonstration of the love of God.

Packing food with the children helping out

      

With food packets in hand, ready to visit the poor

A poor family that we visited. The poor live in makeshift houses, some built over large natural drains filled with stagnant water

                                     

   

      

During the rainy season, dengue is a serious problem

In a way, I was  surprised when I was told that this was the first time that food distribution was done, especially as the poor are all around. Although saving souls is our top priority we need to use a more holistic approach and show love and compassion to those in need. Our Lord showed the way when He gave His life for all of humanity even though not all will accept Him. That is why it is important to not only fulfil the Great Commission but also the Great Commandment.

Matthew 22:36-40

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

We usually want to see results of salvation from the works that we do. Even when we give a packet of food to the poor we wait in expectation for them to accept the Good News of Jesus Christ. However, when they do not we are no longer interested in helping them. Ps John caught this truth when he said, “When we give the packet of food without strings attached, that is love (God’s kind of love - unconditional).” Ps John and his team are now committed for the next 12 months to distributing food packets monthly.

Ps John and his students were very open to the word of God. Many of these students will go back to their own villages to preach the Gospel and start churches. One of them was only 15 years of age.

Victor, Nancy and the children in the home

There are many children’s homes in Yangon due mainly to poverty where parents or single parents are unable to afford to raise their children, and for other reasons as well. I visited three of the homes which are under the supervision of Ps John. I gathered information on one in particular for possible sponsorship by AO. This children’s home is run by Victor and his wife Nancy. Victor himself grew up with his uncle, and he, therefore, has the heart to care for displaced children or orphans. When asked, many of these children have dreams of one day becoming a nurse, doctor, teacher, engineer, dentist, etc. They are so precious.

There is so much need in Myanmar and so much that needs to be and can be done. It is not merely a matter of contributing monetarily but walking with people like Ps John to reach out to and impact the community. This trip has enriched me personally as I have come to know a family of God in a distant country, a family that loves God and wishes to bring His love to others. I am looking forward to visiting them again to bring words of encouragement, and if you are reading this article, you can also do your part by making a short trip to Yangon to encourage our brothers and sisters over there. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

1 John 3: 18

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth.”

THE HEART OF ASIAN OUTREACH / Peter U, Chairman

AOC 27 (Jan-Mar 2020)

God is always for us

Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals and importantly seeking God to know what plans he has for us. As John Macarthur said “Enter the coming year with renewed hope in the power of God to do through you what you can’t.” As Christians we are always assured of that Hope. Every year is a new season, be prayerful of what God has planned for you and be willing to walk by faith in obedience as you follow His leading. Remember that His plans are always for good and not for evil to give you a future and a Hope.

There is still much work to do in the mission fields and the enemy is rising up to stop the work but we will remain steadfast and keep our focus on what the Lord has called us to do. We are greatly encouraged by your prayer and financial support and we praise God for your willingness to be used as a vessel for His glory, for whatever purpose He has in mind.

2 Tim 2:21

“A man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared to every good work.”

In 2015 we shared about Ps Maniraj who faced much opposition when he wanted to build his church on land given by a believer. This land was situated midway between the rich upper caste villagers and the poor Dalit villagers. The rich villagers hired thugs to harass him and beat him up and when that failed they reported him to the authorities. But God was on his side and everything they tried failed. Due to lack of funds he and his wife did the construction of the church themselves. The temperature at that time was 40 degrees Celsius and they had to walk one mile one way to collect water. It was so tough and backbreaking for them but they persevered until one day a Dalit non-believer gave them a cart to transport the water to the construction site and slowly people seeing their strength in their faith, came to help them. The church was finally completed but Ps Maniraj was denied electricity for the church. The more the enemy rose up to defeat them the more they fought back and this did not stop more souls being added to his congregation. All because he never gave up no matter how tough things got.

When the village needed a well for water desperately, Ps Maniraj wrote to AO appealing for a bore well for the Dalit village and praise God we raised funds to build that well, making life easier for the villagers. The villagers were so grateful and they began to respect him as a great man of God and more came to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Some even came from the rich side of the village, the upper caste people. The persecution and harassment never really stopped even after 3 years. The Hindu extremist grew angrier to see his congregation growing.

On 28th September 2018, after three long challenging years, the church building was completed and our partner in India, Ps Paul went to the village to conduct the church dedication. During the praise and worship, a jeep full of police officers drove up and demanded Ps Maniraj to stop praying and singing immediately. They had received complaints from some of the Hindu Villagers. Ps Maniraj and Ps Paul were then bundled into the police jeep and taken away for interrogation. Little did they know that a group of men were planning to attack the church and worshippers and if the police had not come at that moment there would have been bloodshed. The police released the pastors and ended up arresting these men instead. He saw the hand of God intervening to stop the attack, Praise God.

Thank God that Ps Maniraj did not lose hope but no matter what he faced he trusted God to see him through. Ps Maniraj knew what his purpose and mandate was. He did not say, “I had better wait for a better time.” No he knew there was never a perfect time for God’s work to be done. When we are willing to let go and let God work in us and through us, He will always stretch us and strengthen us. Ps Maniraj knew just how strategic the place where the church stood is. It stood between the high caste people on one side and the lower caste people on the other. He had a vision that the church would be the bridge to unite the people of both caste to worship God as one. The upper caste people, though Christians, would not sit together with the lower caste people, especially the Dalits. Ps Maniraj’s vision for the church to be that bridge but the enemy did not want that.  

In spite of all that happened Ps Maniraj and his wife went ahead with the dedication and though the police stood by and videoed the whole service, there were no more disturbances. It was a proud and glorious moment for them when Ps Maniraj wife cut the ribbon and ushered in the believers. It took almost four long years of sweat and tears and we can only imagine how much this couple must have endured through these last four years. Yet what amazing love and trust they have for the Lord persevering when many of us would have given up and said “think we better move somewhere else.” Not this couple though. They knew that the place was the exact place where they had to build that church and no matter how long they took, God would see it to completion.

We do not know what this year will bring for us, either personally or globally. We hear of so many problems cropping up everywhere and we wonder what does all this mean for us? Understandably we will worry but we have the blessed assurance that God is with us always and He will never leave us nor forsake us. Yes, trouble will come and yes life may become a challenge but He will stand with us always. He has given every one of us a Great Commission that we need to fulfil. Everyone one of us has a plan and purpose set by God for our lives. Getting stuck in worry will steal your joy and render you ineffective for the work God wants to do through your life. By our presence let us become channels for the love of Christ and the Holy Spirit’s life-giving transformation.

   

Matthew 29:18-20

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very blessed Chinese New Year and may you have a fruitful time of fellowship with family and friends. Let us not forgot to extend a hand of love to those in need of a kind word, someone to talk to and to encourage and pray with, bring to a family who lacks this Chinese New Year. So many ways to show God’s love to His people.

MY VISIT TO KATHMANDU NEPAL / Ps Kevin Jesudasan

Flying into or out of Kathmandu is an amazing experience with panoramic views of the valley and surrounding majestic Himalayan mountains. God’s creation in this region is so awesome and a sight to behold. I arrived in Kathmandu on 5^th November and was met by our partner Ram Prasad Shrestha who is the founder of National Missions Commissions Nepal (NMCN).  Meeting and getting to know Ram and his family is a humbling experience.

I had the opportunity to meet foot soldier Hare Ram whom we had featured in our AOC 26. A donor had given some funds for him to complete the building of this church, so I met him to hand over the money and got to learn about his work and ministry. He was so grateful and looks forward to the day when he and his church members can worship in their new church. Hare Ram is doing a good job in his community by organizing awareness programmes on healthcare, especially for the elderly, and education; through these community projects he has been able to share the Gospel.

I had hoped to meet the widow of foot soldier Rueben Mar who passed away in an accident. He leaves behind a wife, 2 teenaged children, 2 young adopted children and 1 more adopted young boy. (Rueben had just spoken to Ram the day before his death about this new addition to the family.) Unfortunately, the family lived too far away for me to visit but AOM sent a donation to cover Rueben Mar’s funeral expenses. His wife will continue his work and AOM will continue to support his wife.

We went to visit the Thapathali slum where my wife was invited to share the Word with about 80 ladies there. The ladies were so eager for the Word and my wife encouraged them through her sharing. Women in the slum often suffer at the hands of their abusive alcoholic husbands. They have nowhere to go and so suffer silently. The families here live in abject poverty and often, because of the husband’s drinking habits, the wife has to go out and work as a daily paid labourer.

 Thapathali slum centre was a memorable experience; the centre conducts 90 minutes of extra class tuition from Mondays to Fridays for children ages 6 years to 18 years. The children are tutored by young volunteers (young adults) who are given a small allowance for their time and commitment. The children are also given a meal, for many their only meal for the day. For the few hours they are there, the children are safe from the violence and dangers of the slum. Drugs, prostitution, child trafficking and gangsterism are just waiting around the corner for them. During their time at the centre, the children are also taught social and moral issues. The teachers do their best to bring awareness of the social evils to the children encouraging them at the same time by telling them that they have options to live more meaningful lives and to secure a better future for themselves no matter what odds they are facing now.

This ministry has been going on for a number of years. We were delighted to meet young Sushmita, one of the teachers there, who had actually grown up in the slums herself and had been tutored some years ago. She is in the process of pursuing a bachelor programme. She is 16 years old and has a desire to better herself and give back to her community.  She understands what the children are going through living in the slum and is able to react with them very well. She is such an encouragement and a role model to the other children that they too can dream and hope for a better future.  

   

The next day we visited the Godivari slum, located 2 hours away from Kathmandu. While in Godavari, we met with a Christian and 2 other volunteers who tutor 50 students daily from Monday to Friday. The workers are doing a wonderful job in the slums and the fruit of their efforts can be seen in the children and how they have changed. In both the slums many parents have come to the Lord through their children. In the slums it’s each man for himself and even the children learn that at an early age, but here in the slum centres are volunteers who truly care for the children and want to make a difference in their lives, something not many people would do for them. They see the genuine love and caring from these volunteers and are curious to understand what motivates them. In this way the volunteers can share the Gospel with them, and our workers in the slums have brought salvation to so many families. Women who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour pray for their husbands and it is so rewarding when these hard-hearted, abusive alcoholic men come to Jesus and are completely changed. 

  

I think of it as a privilege when I get to meet the foot soldiers and am able to visit them at their place of work. They are simple men and women living simple lives with an all-consuming passion for Jesus. They do not have much but it’s this passion that enables them to evangelize boldly and effectively. They do not have mega churches or the latest books or even good internet facilities so they can google powerful evangelistic sermons. They let the Holy Spirit lead them and miracles, signs and wonders follow.

Foot soldier Meriam and her husband have been in ministry for the last 15 years and I was honored to be invited to her church and her home. It was a wonderful experience meeting her and her church members. I also traveled to a small village (3-hour drive) to meet and preach in foot soldier Kulman's church. These are experiences that I will not forget and to see their humility and passion for God and how serious they are in fulfilling the Great Commission is indeed truly commendable.

Join us to pray for our co-workers in Kathmandu. Christians have reported escalating levels of persecution and our workers have to be vigilant at all times.  Under the new anti-conversion laws, an individual found guilty of even encouraging religious conversions can be fined up to 50,000 rupees and placed in prison for up to 5 years. NGOs suspected of Christian activities are shut down immediately. We pray for strength and resilience for our co-workers and the Lord’s protection upon them.

  

TESTIMONIES FROM THE SLUMS OF INDIA / Ps Paul Silvanus

Children growing up in slums experience a childhood that often defies the imagination of a normal childhood that we would expect. The children are the ones who suffer the most, and the experiences they go through often leave deep emotional scars. Very early in life they become aware of what life is like living in the slums and they learn how to survive day by day. It’s a tough fight for survival and a dangerous place for these children.

The slums lack proper sanitation, safe drinking water, and good personal hygiene habits. There is not much space and homes are cramped together made with makeshift materials such as cardboard, plastic sheets and zinc; inside these homes up till five or even more family members can be found living together. Their surrounding areas are in very poor condition with piles of rubbish in every corner contributing to air that smells foul.  It’s dusty, overcrowded, unhealthy where the children live, and there are no public spaces dedicated to their recreational use. But that does not mean that these children have no childhood, only a different kind of childhood, the kind that we hope our children and grandchildren never have to face. Their playgrounds are the dirty alleys and paths weaving in and out of the slums. They take on multiple roles in everyday life and share responsibilities with adults in domestic and public spaces in the community.

While walking through the slums, I looked at the children playing in the dirt, an easy target for human traffickers and drug traffickers. These children who are despised, depressed and suppressed in the society touched my heart deeply. I felt the Lord wanting me to take care of His children. Hence the day care centres were established in June 2012. It was a challenge because the slum dwellers and even the children trusted no one. With hard work and dedication and after experiencing the tangible love of Christ through our workers, the children began to come. We offered them a safe place to come after school and helped them with their school work. They were also taught moral issues and good personal hygiene habits. In addition, to the children the most important item of the day was a hot meal before they went home; for many this could very well be their only meal for the day.

We constantly sought the Lord and He guided us through every challenge we faced, every setback; He was there with us touching the hearts of the children, filling them with joy and love. Disciplining them was hard but we never gave up, and here I must give a shout of gratitude to the volunteers and teachers who sacrificed their time from Monday to Friday to come and teach the children and cook for them. I believe that God chose the right men and women for the job and they were obedient to their calling. The love they showed the children was what melted the hearts of the parents as they experienced the tangible love of God through our volunteers and co-workers. There are so many testimonies that I would like to share with you but it would mean pages and pages, so I am going to share just a few with you.

 Day care centre testimonies.

 V. SANDHYA, a Hindu girl is currently studying in the 6th standard and she has been coming to the centre for the last 5 years. Her family was homeless and they slept under trees or any shelter they could find or sometimes even in the alleys and public places. Her father was a snake catcher in the area and when he was able to catch snakes, he earned INR100. Often, he was not able to catch anything and the family suffered.

Sandhya who heard about Jesus at the day care centre learned about the power of prayer and she would often cry out to God, “Jesus give us a home of our own,” a short prayer from the heart. God heard her cry and in January 2019, they got a small house with a room and a kitchen from the government welfare department. She shared with her mother and father about her prayer and how God answered it;  both her parents accepted Christ and started believing in Jesus. They have been coming to church regularly and have been baptized as well. A whole family saved and Heaven rejoices.

 Sisters Rithvika and Nevetha have been attending the centre for the last 3 years, Rithvika studying in standard 6 & Nevetha in standard 3. They are from a staunch Hindu family and her father is a rickshaw puller who spends all he earns on alcohol and is passed out every night in a drunken stupor. The family depend on their mother’s income as a domestic helper but things are tough.

At the centre the children heard about Jesus and that He is almighty and all powerful, and they went home to share this with their mother insisting Jesus could help them. Their mother was skeptical at first but the children began to pray, and as they were taught the importance of fasting, they began to fast too and the pastor got the church members in the slum to fast and pray with them.

They prayed for their father to stop drinking. After 3 months, the children noticed that their father was coming home early on weekdays and was sober. The children were so excited and increased their prayer for their father. Eventually, even on the weekends he remained at home with his family and he seemed happy to spend time with them. He was deeply stirred in his heart when he heard that his children had prayed for him to this Christian God called Jesus.Today he and his family are born again and attend church regularly. He no longer drinks and is completely delivered from alcohol; the family is peaceful and their father,a changed man.

Daisy suffered terribly at the hands of her abusive alcoholic husband. She and her 2 boys, Sharan Raj and Swathi, often went to bed hungry. The boys would tremble and run out of the house when the father returned home and beat up his wife. The two boys attended the day care centre and the pastor noticed how they were always fearful. The pastor and the volunteers spent time getting the boys to trust them showering them with care and love. Slowly the boys opened up as to what was happening at home. The pastor began to visit the children at home and talk to their father just to discuss the children’s progress at the centre. In the meantime, he began to pray for this family and as time went on, the father began to ask more questions about God and the pastor shared the Gospel with him and began to pray with him. Praise God for the pastor’s perseverance; the father gave up alcohol, asked his wife to forgive him and the whole family is now in the Kingdom of God. 

These are just a few of the many stories that have emerged from the slums. We thank the donors of Asian Outreach Malaysia for their partnership with us to bring God’s hope and love to these poor suffering families. Our desire is to provide slum centres for all the children in the slums, but due to lack of space and funds, we cannot take them all in. Many parents come to see us daily begging us to help their children. I pray that the Lord will touch hearts to reach out and partner with us to enable us to enlarge our centres so we can give more kids a future and a hope.

Proverbs 31:8-9

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

THE HEART OF ASIAN OUTREACH / Peter U, Chairman

Christmas blessings  

Last Christmas we were able to give a Christmas gift to all of our foot soldiers and ministry co-workers, thanks to your generosity. They were so profoundly touched by the gift, not the value of the gift but that people they have not seen, are thinking of them and care for them. We all know how great it feels to receive gifts but it enriches our life so much when we give, and that great inner joy comes from helping others to better their lives.

Mother Teresa is a famous example of selfless giving and she found the greatest fulfilment in giving of herself to others. She gave the poor and destitute hope and love and helped the dying die with dignity and without fear. She held the beggar on the street, their dirty unwashed bodies riddled with sores and sickness, cradling them in her arms as they took their last breath. She made their undeniable pain a little easier to bear because they felt loved in the midst of the pain and fear.

Working in the mission fields comes with many challenges. It can be a lonely place sometimes, especially when faced with hostility and rejection. With the sharp rise in persecution now, this makes it even more challenging and dangerous. The foot soldiers and mission workers out there in the fields are human too and can feel dejected at times. That is why it is so important for people to be praying for them.

They share the life of Christ through their own life and they are looking to God to work through them and to draw people into the church. They usually work in poor areas, so they are dependant on outside resources to support their ministry and families. They are dedicated to the service of God and give their lives completely to serving Him, undergoing hardships and struggles without complaining. They do not worry about their lack but look to God to supply their every need, and God uses His ‘willing vessels’ to provide for them.

Thank you again for your partnership with us to Reach, Touch and Transform lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Once again thank you, especially for the Christmas gift that we were able to give our co-workers through your generosity. They wish they could meet you personally to thank you but have asked me to convey their thanks to you and some have written little notes to show their appreciation.

Thank you notes from some of our foot soldiers:

Ps Biswajala Nag – foot soldier, Bolangir District, Odisha

My family and I were so overcome with joy to receive your Christmas gift. We were so touched that people we did not know and so far away from us can think of us. We were so encouraged that we decided to step out boldly to evangelize and we invited our community for Christmas. We shared the

Gospel and showed them a film on Jesus and so many were touched. We have been evangelising secretly because of the anti- conversion laws which are very strict here, but this time we were not afraid. You became part of this Christmas outreach.

Ps Paul Silvanus – AO partner in India

As we serve God and face so many challenges, we are human too and sometimes we feel unappreciated. It would be encouraging to have someone say you are doing a good job, and AOM is the one who does this. I, as a leader of the organization, am truly grateful for your gift of love. Thanks for understanding the heart of God, and I really admire the action and effort of AOM team; on behalf of all my pastors, I salute the leadership for doing so.

Ps k ‘Dos – Vietnam foot soldier

On behalf of my wife and seven children, I thank you for caring for us. We thank the Lord for you and may you be blessed in return. I am a farmer and while I go out to evangelize, my wife and children manage the farm. Sometimes it is difficult to make ends meet, and last December was a particularly hard time for us. Praise the Lord your Christmas gift was so timely for us to celebrate Christmas. During our church Christmas celebration, eight people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.

Ps Tran Ta – Vietnam foot soldier

My family and I are so grateful for your Christmas gift. When I told my family that Asian Outreach donors had given us a love gift for Christmas, they could not believe it. Nobody has ever done that for us. Thank you for showing the tangible love of Jesus to us. For the past year I have been doing grab bike to earn an extra income to support my family. One day a passenger gave me 500 tracts to pass to my customers. In faith I have been handing it out to my customers and I believe that a seed will be planted through these tracts. Please pray for me.

Ps Narsingh Thapa – Nepal foot soldier

Dear Asian Outreach donors, please accept our heartfelt thanks for the Christmas gift. We are far away here in the mountains of Nepal, yet we are so humbled that people far away are thinking of us and care for us. We are so encouraged and will strive harder to Reach, Touch and Transform lives through the Gospel. May God bless you abundantly.

                                                                     

Mrs Nanda (wife of the late Ruben Mar) – Nepal foot soldier

Christmas was a very sad time for us after my husband Rueben Mar went home to the Lord on 1 November 2019. It was so sudden (he met with an accident) and we were devastated; we did not look forward to Christmas too as we had some financial difficulties. It was a totally unexpected surprise to receive your Christmas gift and it has encouraged us so much. We felt we were not alone in our grief, that people far away cared for us. Though it was our first Christmas without Reuben, we felt surrounded by love and we had a good Christmas celebration with our church. My children and I thank you so much and pray the Lord bless you abundantly for your caring about us.

Ps Htay Aung – Myanmar foot soldier

Thank you very much for your encouragement and Christmas gift; it was a God send surprise. Through your gift my family and I were able to celebrate Christmas with our neighbours and share the love of God with them. We told them about the Christmas gift and they were amazed that

people who do not know us can send us a gift. I told them it is the love of Jesus that makes people love each other; I shared with them about Jesus and how the Father gave His own son, Jesus to die for us and this is the greatest gift we can ever receive. May God bless you as we work together for the Kingdom.

Unfortunately, we are unable to share all the thank you notes due to lack of space but our heartfelt thanks to you for bringing joy to our co-workers. We pray the Abrahamic blessing over you and your family:

Numbers 6:24-26

“The Lord bless you

and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace.”

Shalom House – Yangon / Ps Victor Lian

My name is Van Thawm Lian @ Victor Lian and I was born in 1981 in Tang village, Falam township, Northern Chin State, Myanmar. Unfortunately, four days after my birth, my father passed away. I had no siblings and it was just me and my mum. She tried her best to provide for me but life was hard for her, and eventually, she remarried when I was two years old. Her new husband objected to her bringing me to his home, so I was sent to live with an uncle and I lived with him till I was 18 years old. My uncle had four children of his own and he himself was poor; hence life was a real struggle.

 When I reached my 18^th birthday, I left his home and decided to look after myself and not be a burden to anyone. I struggled to find a job and there were times when I did not even have money for food. I felt so helpless, angry and disappointed to have lost my father because losing him had caused me all this misery. I really did not know what to do and I felt utterly hopeless. Unexpectedly, one of my friends invited me to attend a Christian Youth Campaign and, unwillingly, I went. It was during this time that I heard about Jesus and what He did for mankind and I felt hope stirring inside me. I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. I still remember the date and year of my life’s turning point, which was on 16/4/ 2004. I realized then that I have a Father who would never leave or forsake me and would be there for me because He loves me. It was a wonderful feeling and for the first time I had peace. I had found my Father.

Vision for Shalom Home

My perspective of life totally changed after receiving Jesus Christ. I had only one desire, that was to help the fatherless and the orphans and to give hope to the hopeless, like how I had been once. Receiving Jesus Christ into my life convinced me that the pain and bitter experiences which I had gone through have led me to have a heart to help these children. My desire was to give children back the joys of childhood, build their lives spiritually and give them a chance for a better future through education. We want to empower them to reach their full potential. In 2006 the Lord gave me another unexpected opportunity to study His Word and I did a Bachelor of Theology course at Victory Bible College, which took me four years to complete. After completing my studies, I was given an opportunity to serve the Lord for one year at Victory Bible College as a warden.

The Lord blessed me again with an opportunity to further my studies in India and I earned my Master of Divinity course in three years. I kept praying and seeking the Lord for what He had planned for my life.  In 2015 God clearly spoke to my heart: “I want you to be the hope for the hopeless”.  The Lord put in me a passion for the fatherless and orphans. I wanted to run an orphanage but I had no idea how to start and I delayed in doing anything for two years. All the while, in my heart, I felt like I was not obeying God.

 Finally, the Lord strengthened me and I started the orphanage on 12 March 2018 with two children; the Lord has added more children and today, we have eight altogether in our home. We called our home Shalom Home because we want the children to experience the Peace and Provision of God which I have been experiencing ever since I accepted Jesus into my life. I believe what our Lord Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  My wife Nan Ci Oo considers helping these children as one of the greatest privileges in our life for it is written in the Bible, Psalm 82:3, “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.” The greatest service we  can do for our heavenly Father is to be kind to one of His Children. To quote Andy Stanley: “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”

About the Children

The children range in age from 8 to 15 years; they come from different backgrounds. Some of them are orphans while others have parents who are not able to take care for them because of extreme poverty, or being a single parent, or because of a disability of either parent. The children are from different parts of Myanmar though they belong to the Chin ethnic group. Each child has a unique story on how they became part of the family at Shalom Home.

1.        Mi Mi Htwe (15 years old)

2.        Deborah (13 years old)

They are sisters and they are from Hpa Kant, Kachin State. They lost their father at a very young age and their mother, a single parent, is unable to support them, so she sent them to Shalom Home.

3.        Tang Tun Thang (12 years old)

4.       Ro Ti San (10 years old)

These siblings come from Matupi, Southern Chin State. Their parents are still alive but they have no work and are unable to provide for their children.

5.       Mo Le Win (10 years old)

6.       Aa Shi Chiang @ Sai Lone (8 years old)

Brother and sister come from Hpa Kant, Kachin State and their father is Chinese and mother is Chin. Both the parents were involved in drug trafficking and were drug users themselves. The children were neglected, abused and had to fend for themselves. When their parents were caught and jailed for 23 years, the children’s relatives sent them to Shalom Home.

7.       Val Nai Sang (11 years old)

He is from Kalaymyo, Sagainsg Division. His father passed away when he was eight months old. Some years later when his mother remarried, his stepfather hated him and abused him physically and verbally.  He suffered terribly at the hands of his stepfather with severe beatings on a daily basis and other forms of torture. The villagers could not stand to see him suffer and urged his mother to send him away. We were informed of his situation by the neighbor’s, and so my wife and I went to see his mother and she agreed to let him come and live with us.

8.       Khrih Hlawn Sui (9 years old)

She is from Tlortang village, Falam township, Northern Chin state. Her mother has been suffering from a disease for many years and is often in and out of hospital. Her father struggled with caring for his wife and daughter. They were also very poor and whatever they earned went on the mother’s treatment and medication. When he could not manage anymore, he sent her to us.

We thank Asian Outreach for supporting us financially and for praying for us. Every child has a right too to grow up and dream of a better future; Asian Outreach is part of their lives now, enabling us to reach out and help these children. We are so grateful for your partnership and together we will Reach, Touch and Transform the lives of these children by giving them a hope and a future. God bless you.