Greetings to you all in the loving name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. God has been so gracious to me and my family, allowing us to serve the needy country of my people by carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ all across the country of Burma.
Last year was a heartbreaking time in my country, and this year, so far, continues to be the same. The military coups and COVID-19/Omicron destroyed many people’s lives here. Natural disasters and pandemics are understandable, but the kidnapping powers brought on by the military coups are very bad ones. The tragic and shocking daily death rates are very high in this country, especially in the Christian ethnic provinces, such as the Ka Chin, Karen, Ka Yahtzee, Chin, and Shan states.
When I write this prayer letter to you, my heart is broken. My preachers, Pastor James Shing Ling of Kyan Thar Baptist, along with some of his church members, and Pastor Ngai Kee Law of Tuiding Baptist Church, along with his church members, have run away to the borders of India, escaping the coups. I had the opportunity last weekend to visit the remaining church people and had sweet fellowship with them. The same thing happened to Pastor Peter Kai Ting of Akha Baptist Church. He and the 10 families in his church are escaping to the Chinese and Laos borders.
The things that are happening in my country are unbelievable. Many churches have been burned down, as well as houses and school buildings. National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmakers have been put in jail and their houses burned. The same has happened to the school teachers, college students, university students, and high school students. They have escaped to the People’s Defense Force (PDF) camps with the help of the UN. They run here and there, making holes and escaping things which I had never seen in my lifetime. My sincere prayer to God is, “Oh, Lord, hear my cry for my people and my country!”
But in this time of hardship, God has greatly moved in our midst. I baptize every week. This coming week, I will be baptizing 6 more converts. I learn that when we are in sad and difficult times physically, spiritually we are growing. We put our eyes on God, and we put our trust and faith totally in God. He is moving in our midst.
Just before Christmas, the military government announced that all religious leaders, including pastors, must dress in religious clothing. All monks must be in red and yellow colors; Christian pastors must dress in white and black colors. They made several other rules to follow. If we do not follow these rules, they will be shooting during the curfew times. Some Muslim leaders are already in jail, so please pray for the churches and the country.
The children’s homes are in good health. God is protecting us, and we are safe. I regularly open and preach in my church. I am ready for everything I must deal with. Please continue to pray for my country and our ministries. Amen!
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Paul T. Lung
Calvary Baptist Church
-
- I am baptizing a new convert in the church of one of my preacher boys.
-
- Those who came to church one Sunday–I am the one in the white jacket holding a Bible.
-
- The kids dressed in green T-shirts are our church kids who got together to help clean the Agape Children’s Home campus.
-
- I am baptizing a new convert.
-
- I am baptizing a new convert.
-
- These high school students are hiding in a ditch dug by the UN and Christian leaders to keep the students safe.