THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT GOD CAN DO
My Myanmar Trip
On August 7, 2006, one day after CBC’s 32nd Anniversary celebration, I walked the streets of Yangon, the gateway city of Myanmar. Since the Lord led me to work among Myanmar people in Malaysia in 2005, this is my first trip to this nation, which is also called the ‘Golden Land’. When I told the Myanmar brothers in K.L. that there was a possibility I might visit Myanmar, they were excited and encouraged me to go and see their homeland for myself.
As we stepped out of Yangon airport, young boys eagerly reached out to carry our luggage. It was clear they wanted to earn some money from visiting foreigners. In certain parts of the city, street kids begged for alms. We learned that it is better to give biscuits instead of cash, which seemed to be welcomed just as well.
A
common sight seen
on the streets of Yangon are men wearing the ‘longi’, and
the women,
the ‘tameng’ – the Burmese attire that resembles the Malaysian
‘sarong.’ In the
early morning, many locals are seen holding tiffin carriers to work.
Apparently
the high cost of living and low salary have caused many to take home
prepared
food to their work place.
I went to the Yangon trip with Senior Pastor Richard Toh, Pat Toh and Loretta Chin.
We were there to support Pastor Daniel Lim and Levi Sap for a 3-day “I love Myanmar” Prayer Conference and the launching of the Myanmar Bible Software version 1.0. The event brought the nation’s church leaders from different ethnic groups together. Some journeyed for days to attend this function. Besides us, friends of Pastor Daniel and Levi from Hong Kong and Japan were also there. The largest group was the 22-strong team from Shau Ki Wan Baptist Church, Hong Kong, led by Pastor Eddie Ma. They arrived the weekend before the conference to prayer-walk the city and the conference site - Traders Hotel (part of the Shangri-la group of hotels.) Their intercessory team held a 24-hour prayer vigil throughout the 3 days conference. Their other team members served in the ministry of helps together with the local organizing believers to facilitate the smooth running of the entire event, including manning a training room for hands-on training sessions on how to use the Myanmar Bible software.
Levi, who spear headed the Myanmar Bible Software project, gave the opening speech in which she outlined her spiritual journey. Later, she launched the Bible software with a demonstration of its usage. This software contained the Judson version, (the original version translated by Adoniram Judson, the first missionary to Myanmar) the Myanmar national language version as well as 14 major ethnic languages. Another 14 or more languages have yet to be translated into the software. It was understood that when this is done, version 2.0 of the Software will be re-launched, hopefully in 2007. The conference acknowledged the contribution of different teams who had worked for many years under very trying circumstances to translate the bible into the various languages spoken in Myanmar.
The launch was a part fulfillment of God’s word given to Pastor Daniel several years ago during his first trip to Myanmar. The word was that, one day, the Bible will be made available to all the peoples of Myanmar in their own languages.
The
Conference
speakers consisted of Pastors Daniel Lim, Levi Sap, Richard Toh and
Eddie Ma.
“There is no limit to what God can do when the people of God pray.” Pastor Daniel Lim urged intercessors to rise up for the nation from among the 500 over leaders and believers in the hotel ballroom. In response, many stood up to indicate that they will pray and bring unceasing incense to the throne of the Father for the land and its people.
During our time in Myanmar, we had the privilege and opportunity to pray on site with Christians who shared the same burden for this nation. Throughout the 3 days of the conference, participants could go to the assigned intercession room to pray. It was an encouraging time praying with fellow believers and hearing what God has to say. At the prayer time just before the start of the conference, Pastor Eddie Ma gave the word that the Lord was going to birth a new work in the midst of those present. This was fulfilled seeing the responses to the messages that were given.
At times, the prayer room consisted of only the Malaysian and Hong Kong teams. This encouraged our friends to pray in Cantonese. But when others joined us, the Hong Kong brothers and sisters would pray in English for the benefit of others even though they were not so comfortable with the language. That demonstrated their sensitivity for others.
On one
occasion, a Hong Kong intercessor prayed, “Lord Jesus,
You are the Lord of lords and
the King of kings of all the nations of the world. We proclaim your
Kingship
over this land. We lift up and exalt your name, the name that is above
every
other name over the country of Myanmar. We ask that men and women of
this nation
who do not know You will call on Your name, and be saved.” As I
said
‘Amen’ to his prayer, I was drawn towards the wide window of the prayer
room.
From the 10th floor of the hotel, I saw the commanding view
of the
heart of Yangon city center. The view was one of
low rise
buildings (not higher than 4 storeys). Pigeons can be seen flying
freely across
the evening skyline. Yes, Lord, one day, may the people of Myanmar soar freely like the birds You
created.
 Pastor Eddie Ma
from
Hong Kong,
dressed in traditional Burmese costume,
with Yangon FGA Pastor, translating the message |
My Myanmar friends tell me that there is a big gap between the rich and the poor among Yangon’s five million inhabitants. The rich are able to go on shopping sprees in Bangkok or Singapore while the poor survive on a single meal a day, eating the lowest quality rice. The lower income groups earn an average monthly pay of 20,000 kyats (about US$15 or RM55). It explains why many have gone to countries like Malaysia to work. Both agency and passport processing fees are very expensive in Myanmar. For many, they end up taking loans to pay for their exodus.
I was reminded of Psalms 113: 4 –7: ‘The Lord is high above all nations, He humbles himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth. He raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy out of the ash heaps.’ The spirit within me uttered, “O Lord! You have not forgotten the people of Myanmar. You have not given up on this nation. You have said You want to do a new work in this land and already, You have started it in this conference. We are so honored to be a part of what You are doing here.”
On the final day of the conference, I woke up early and decided to join the intercessors in the prayer room. It was 6 a.m., Myanmar local time, but the sky was already bright. (Myanmar is in a time zone that is one and a half-hours behind Malaysia.) As I made my way to the prayer room along the quiet corridor, two ladies from Hong Kong walked slowly ahead of me, one supporting the other. I greeted them as I overtook them. A short while later, both ladies entered the prayer room. It was then I learned that one of them had suddenly experienced a severe back pain the day before for no apparent reason. We prayed for her and after that she laid down flat on the floor.
I did not think much of the incident again until I went to the conference hall for the final sessions. After the last message of the day, a call was given to the sick for healing. Many raised their hands as the ministry team went around praying for them. The sister from Hong Kong with the severe back-pain was brought into the hall in a wheel chair. The pain did not allow her to even stand up. After she was prayed for, she attempted to stand up slowly without support. Soon, she took small and slow steps. The congregation broke into a loud applause. This was indeed a miracle performed by God in our presence!
There were many who also experienced God’s healing power. They testified of God’s touch. The meeting proceeded in a time of jubilant worship and rejoicing. It was during this time that our Hong Kong sister, now healed of her back pain, was seen dancing all around the hall! I praised God at what I saw. What a contrast from my encounter with her that morning. Now, before my eyes, she leaped with joy. I was reminded that “there is no limit to what God can do” even in seemingly difficult situations. Many of the hotel staff on duty in the ballroom was also astounded at what they heard and saw. By the way, we were told that the Government had sent some “spies” to the conference. All glory to God, as they too must have witnessed God’s love and miracles.
The Christian Musicians Fellowship (CMF) of Myanmar, comprising popular local Christian artistes and singers, led the vibrant praise and worship sessions of the conference. At the close of the conference, Pastor Eddie Ma led all present to pray and commit the CMF to the Lord. He said, “Music belongs to God but the enemy took it away. We must pray for Christian musicians as they redeem it back for the glory of the Lord. They may not dress like church people but they are impacting the younger generation. Instead of criticizing them, we should pray for them.” He emphasized that last sentence. That struck a cord, and in the presence of the Holy Spirit, I saw tears in the eyes of the members of the CMF members. As a group, they have been faithful in serving the Lord in the music ministry in this hard terrain for 10 years.
(Two weeks after we returned to Malaysia, a team from the CMF was in Kuala Lumpur for their 10th Anniversary concert tour of Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. They sang and shared at various locations to Myanmar groups. I was present at their evangelistic concert in Klang and witnessed an overwhelming turnout of well over a thousand Myanmar people.)
On the evening after the conference ended, we were invited to share at the Karen Baptist Theological Seminary. This seminary which has a history as far back as 1845 has a current enrolment of 574 students. As we entered the huge church hall with its high ceiling for the worship service, the students, young men and women from the Karen descent, rose from the wooden pews to greet us, and then sat down in an orderly manner.
For centuries, the Karen people have a legend of a white man who would one day come and visit them with a holy golden book that contains the truth about life. When the first white missionaries reached the Karen, they were greeted with open arms, for they had waited for them for several hundred years!
On our way back to the hotel, Levi told us that the seminary does not normally invite people they are not familiar with to address their student body. The fact that they asked us to come again indicated their acceptance of us. Some of the seminary leaders did attend the conference earlier.
During our trip, we talked to a Christian leader regarding the exodus of many Christians from Myanmar. We brainstormed the possibilities of setting up viable businesses to provide employment for Christians to halt this outward flow. We shared a project a sister from Muar has started. This project entailed the raising of funds to purchase trishaws (costing RM1,500/- each) so that Christians in Myanmar can operate a trishaw service. The monthly rental payable to the fund will go back to a revolving pool to buy more trishaws. This is a project that needs our prayers, and the Lord’s favor on it.
PRAYER NEEDS FOR THE NATION OF MYANMAR
- Current military government will be God-fearing, just and righteous in its rule.
- The Christian church and local believers will rise up and shine as lights for the Master.
- Non believers will call on the one true God during their times of difficulties and be saved.
PRAY FOR THE MYANMAR MIGRANTS MINISTRY IN MALAYSIA
- Malaysian authorities will be fair and just in matters pertaining to the migrants.
- Christian migrants will draw their strength and hope from the Lord Jesus.
- Non Christian migrants will have opportunities to hear the gospel, and be saved
CBC Minister to the Myanmar migrant workers in Malaysia