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.