Myanmar
Myanmar, also called Burma, takes up a landmass the size of Texas, yet has nearly twice the population, with 54.8 million residents. A beautiful country with a majority Buddhist population, Myanmar is rich with history, architecture, precious gems, incredible landscapes, and diverse culture. The country has a long history of foreign colonization and local military rule. After being under a military junta since 1962, a gradual liberalization began in 2010, leading to free elections in 2015 and the installation of a government led by veteran opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi the following year. This led to an opening of the country, leading to an active tourism industry. Since then, an army operation and genocide against the Rohingya ethnic group highlighted the continuing grip of military rule in Myanmar. On February 1st, 2021, the military staged a coup, claiming election fraud as their reason to declare a state of emergency and arrest Aung San Suu Kyi, while giving no evidence of such fraud.
Now under the military junta again for the foreseeable future, Myanmar and the pastors and missionaries we come alongside there are facing a new and extremely difficult era. We ask for your prayers for comfort, wisdom, and strength for the men and women we partner with and serve, and for their fellow citizens. Now more than ever, we will continue to stand beside these brothers and sisters in their work of sharing the love of Christ.
With a growing network of missionaries throughout the country (26 of whom receive regular monthly support), Harvest Bridge comes alongside pastor training, child protection and education, women’s empowerment, economic development, printing and distribution of theological materials, and disaster relief programs. In 2022, 410 families (over 2,000 people) received monthlong food packs to stave off a hunger crisis precipitated by the civil war, while 5 pastors and their families were assisted in relocating after their villages were attacked by the military. Another pastor and his family were assisted in gaining freedom after being falsely accused and jailed by the junta. 3 displaced women received training and equipment to work as weavers, and one of our country co-leaders received help toward his graduate-level theological studies.
62 children received monthly sponsorship, and 45 children whose school closed due to the war were assisted with their home-based tutoring fees. One pastor’s young son received financial aid toward his chemotherapy. In the children’s home run by one of our leaders, a laptop we provided enabled 14 children to continue their education online, and a ping pong table provided in partnership with Global Commission Partners helps these children to better enjoy themselves and reduce stress associated with the military coup.
90 church leaders received ministry training, 4 churches and 12 house fellowships were planted, and 153 new believers professed faith in Christ, with 127 taking baptism. Roughly 270 seekers attended a Gospel outreach program conducted by several of our partners, and about 115 believers from 9 villages participated in an intensive Bible training course. All in all, amid intense difficulties, our partners reached 113 villages with the Gospel in 2022.
Capital: Naypyidaw
Population: 57.5 million
Religion: Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, other 0.3%
Persecution Watch List Country Ranking: 14
Ministries: Pastor Training, Children’s Ministry, Hope Through Education, Vocational Programs, Disaster Relief
Leadership Information: Our Myanmar leaders oversee church planting teams in five regions of the country, all of which are now affected to one degree or another by long-running civil war and resistance to the 2021 military coup. In addition to planting dozens of churches among unreached people groups, they have established two children’s homes and an organization that advances the well-being of tribal people.
Give directly to our Myanmar fund:
