A Buddhist country

MM is a Buddhist country and the monks have an important involvement and influence in the country. The temple is like the community center in the community. The monks are highly respected by the people in the way that the monks involve in many spheres in their life, like giving blessing in different ceremonies: newborn baby thanksgiving, wedding, funeral and other important events in the life. The monks will come out for "alms" every morning and the people give food and gifts to them happily as a means of doing merit and getting blessing.

The Church has to report to the Community for their activities. The neighbors around are watching the church and are curious in what the church is doing, and hesitate to let their children come to the church. It is not easy to rent an apartment for a church or to buy a piece of land for church building. There is very limited land for religious use.

Chinese-local Ministry in the capital City

• Started in 1994 by the Taiwan Free Methodist Church by a local pastor Mr. Calab Kuo, but after a few year he went to study in Taiwan and settled down there.
• Pastor: Miss Esther Hwan took over the work in 1997 till now, with the help of an intern Bible school student this year.
• The church is in a rented apartment on the ground floor and the parsonage is on the first floor.
• Chinese Sunday worship: average attendance 20, for Chinese-local and Chinese from Mainland China working in City.
• Burmese Sunday worship: average attendance 10, for Burmese speaking Chinese-local and Burmese.
• Children Sunday school: average attendance 15.
• Prayer meeting and home Bible study on weekdays.

Prayer items

• 1. Open hearts and open doors for the gospel.
• 2. Need one man-pastor.
• 3. A permanent church building.
• 4. The wisdom, courage and strength of Pastor Esther Hwan in the ministry.
• 5. The leadership development in the church.

Chin State Ministry in the hills on the west border

Chin people are one of the hill tribes and about 90% are Christians. Most of the people speak their own dialect and just a few can speak Burmese or English. There are a few denominations among them, the biggest is the Baptist Church. They are living in the cool high hills on the west boarder. Most of the people are farmers. Because these hills are quite remote from the town, their living is quite primitive and poor. It will take them five days to come down to City, by bus and by walking. Our church people are in Hahka. They have to walk 15 miles to the small town in the hill. But foreigners are not allowed to get into these hills. Even though the local people can go there, it is not convenient to get there because of the very bad road and limited transportation.

It is expensive to be sick. It will take them 2000 Kyats (Burmese currency) to see a doctor and 300-500 Kyats for medicine when they are sick. This may be the wage for 5-6 days for the ordinary people in the hills.

The ministry

• Join the Free Methodist Church: A former group of Chin churches in Hahka in the Chin State of another denomination was under the leadership of Rev. Francis Tial Kung, the senior pastor and district supervisor. Because of some theological reasons, Pastor Kung led this group to join the Free Methodist Church in 1993. He and the leaders love the emphasis on "Holiness", evangelism and missions work in the Free Methodist Church.
• Workers: 19 paid pastors and evangelists: 2 pastors (have got seminary training), 7 lay ministers (have been in the ministry over eight years), 10 evangelists (lay leaders). Many of them also work on the farm to support their families and ministries. The Taiwan Free Methodist Church send their pastors twice a year to hold training courses for three days for these lay leaders. The leaders will have to take three or four days to come down from the hill to Mandalay, the former capital in the central of MM.
• Total membership: 363
• 1 established church with their own church building, 6 house churches, 1 church building is under construction, and also different Bible study groups in 8 other areas.
• 7 Bible school students study in a Chin Bible School in City: 1 in the final year, 1 in the third year, 1 in the second year, 4 in the first year.
• Prospective new church planting ministry in City -- Pastor Keplianthang (Pakep), the son of Rev. Francis Tial Kung has just got his M. Div in City and is newly-wed in April. The church committee assigns him to start a Chin church in City because there are quite a number of Chin people working or studying in City. Pastor Pakep will first have survey in City to see the feasibility of the work. He will give the report by the end of June.

Prayer items

• 1. The prospective new work in City.
• 2. The need of a manual typewriter and duplicator for the printing of Sunday school material for the children and young people.
• 3. Resources for church building projects.
• 4. Resources for Bible school students scholarship.
• 5. In August, Taiwan Free Methodist Church will send a mission team to City to help the Chinese church.