Mission News: Focus on Burma

A few decades ago Burma was a prosperous country with many tribes of people living happy and peaceful lives. Today, renamed Myanmar, greedy, power-hungry officials dominate with promises that are never kept and dictates that eliminate freedom. The people of Burma, regardless of politics, ethnicity or religion, have suffered more than 50 years of internal warfare and military oppression. The dictatorship spends over 50% of the national budget on arms, while the Burmese people slide deeper into poverty. What was one of the richest countries in Asia is now one of the poorest in the world and has one of the worst human rights records.

What would you encounter if you were to travel to Shan territory?

• on-going war initiated by the Burmese regime soldiers
• burned villages, newly surrounded by land mines preventing people from reclaiming their home site
• land unjustly confiscated by the government
• children taken to serve as servants and soldiers in the Army
• displaced families forced to flee repeatedly from hiding places in the forests
• men and women used as forced labor to build roads
• AungSanSuuKyi, elected to rule by 80% of the people, under house arrest (while in custody, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize)
• much sadness due to attacks of rape, wounding and killing by rebel forces
• opium poppy fields which villagers are forced to farm and then are taxed on their annual production
• a dictatorship using religious differences to stir up internal divisions and hatred
• orphanages run by Christ-followers, who live in fear of being discovered because of sharing their faith with children in their care
• relief teams aiding displaced persons providing food and medical help
• tribal people willing to cross into Thailand for Bible courses
• church planters, trained in evangelism, returning to their home territory
• linguistic specialists working to blend the many dialects of one people group into a language usable for Bible translation
• growing underground church witnessing for Christ