Myanmar 2013 – Day 2

Sunday, Nov 3

Today, we ministered at the Independent Baptist Church in Yangon pastored by Vel Siama.  Siama is a fifth generation convert of Adoniram Judson. Grace gave her testimony in Sunday School hour and then I preached the morning service.  The service began at about 10:15 and was over at 1:00 pm.  The electricity was off for over half the service, and so by the time it came back on we were literally drenched with sweat.  The Burmese men, women, and children didn’t seem to mind much at all!

After a lunch of rice, tofu, cucumber slices, egg omelets, and a native Burmese soup, we were pleasantly satisfied.  I had never eaten tofu like this before, and Grace actually liked the taste of the chili gravy in which it was cooked.  Miracles must still be happening!  After Siama brought us back to the hotel in which we are staying we forced ourselves to stay awake all afternoon.  Our bodies are nearly 180 degrees out of their normal time kilter this far from home, so fighting sleep was not easy.  But, if we intend to sleep tonight, staying awake is necessary.

Tomorrow we begin with about a dozen men in Systematic Theology and about that many women in Bible Study methods.  The number will grow throughout the week. We will begin about 9:00 am and stop somewhere around 4:30 or 5:00 pm for our first day.  From what our host tells us, we will have a lot of the men who attended last year with maybe a few others slipping in for the class. Please pray for the men and women that they will be strengthened and encouraged in the Lord.  Christians are in the extreme minority in Myanmar and those who are vocal and fervent do suffer persecution in many forms.  The hope is that while Myanmar becomes more open to Western influence, it will also become more tolerant of all religions and actually practice religious freedom.  The problem is that Western influence also brings many negatives too. Pray for Siama and this crucial little work in the outskirts of the city. Pray for his 29 orphans who he has personally adopted into his own family.  Without him, his children face an awful existence without hope.  The looks on these precious faces this morning was enough to keep me coming here and teaching.  They are the long term hope of Myanmar!