3/24/2015 – Back in Yagon

Greetings Everyone,

I am in your debt for being able to write this blog from Yangon, the place our journey started three weeks ago. Yesterday, despite the smoke from the burning fields surrounding Kalemyo, we took off in our turbo-prop airplane destined for Yangon three hours later. We landed just a few hours late, and, as a result, I was able to resume teaching today at Independent Baptist Church of Yangon. We have a small class this year in this teaching site. Many pastors have been taken away with various issues, but most of them relate to ministry conflict. We are saddened but not overly concerned at this point. The host and I are talking about next year or even the next half year for the coming class. Because of other invitations to reach into the Chin districts next year, we will have to consider two yearly trips at two different times.

It was great to renew fellowship with our friends Pete and Marta. Marta has taken over Grace’s duties this year and Pete filled in for me yesterday and did a great job teaching GBTF material on the security of the believer. Pete kept us on track for the week and I was able to cover a lot of material today with the men. We even had the women this afternoon which definitely livened up the room!

Myanmar is slowly changing. It is imperceptible to people here because the change is happening at a snail’s pace. Forthose of us who come once a year, the change is slightly more evident. But the corruption which has ruled the country for so long remains intact and in control of the populace. We pray that the openness continues unabated, but no one knows the future but the Lord. Keep praying for us as we attempt to empower as many nationals here as we possibly can while we have opportunity.

Tomorrow, after the teaching ends in the afternoon, we will go see Pastor Siama’s goat operation which he has begun to help finance his continued ministry to orphans and outreach to the church’s greater neighborhood.

Thanks so much for praying and giving so we may keep going.

Bruce