October 2024
In this month’s newsletter, we would like to share a six-month ministry report from Pastor Pan*, our Co-Country Leader in Myanmar. Despite the ongoing war in Myanmar and the challenges brought by flooding and illness, ministry is still happening. Look for our November podcast next month, when we will hear from Pastor Pan’s wife as she shares her firsthand experience of life and ministry in these unimaginable times.
“It has been a great blessing for me to have you as a ministry partners to extend the kingdom of God in Myanmar. Because of you, many souls are saved, believers are discipled with the word of God, the poor had a privilege to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, and many suffering and needy people have been provided what they physically need. Many of my people here in Myanmar were greatly benefited through your financial supports. Your concerns, prayers and response to the many needs are greatly appreciated, and we are looking to do more for His glory in the future. So, words are not enough to say thank you for your generosity toward us.
My wife and I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to our faithful donors for their love and sacrificial giving which was a great blessing for our ministry here in our country. The situation here is bad continuously. Because of the on-going crisis, more and more people are suffering and have no place to live, have no food to eat, and more and more lives are lost every day. How terrible it was to see such happening all day in our lives. Because of the ongoing inflation, our lives are more and more difficult and jobs are lesser and lesser. Also, because of the military conscription law, some people were forcedly arrested and trained to be against and kill the people of Myanmar. Because of that law, more and more people were trying to escape and fled to our neighboring countries, and many young men and women are in very difficult situations. In the midst of trials and difficulties, I praise God for His protections in our daily living and His unnumbered blessings upon my family.
Thank you again for your prayers and concerns toward us. We also remember you all in our daily prayers, for your good health and God’s bountiful blessings to be upon you. During the past quarter, I conducted a small Bible training with some Burmese refugees in my church, and we had 14 people attend for three days. Three of my pastors were helping me in teaching the word of God, and the people were so excited to learn new things from the Bible. They heard about the living God which they had never heard, and they learned about the love of God which they had never learned. They were taught about the creation, the sin of mankind and the salvation message, and they were opened to the Gospel of salvation. Most of the time, we taught them as a group and sometimes, we did personal counselling one by one. They came to interest about the salvation message and by the grace of God. seven people have confessed their faith in Jesus Christ. We rejoiced in the Lord for what He has done through our lives. After they believed in Jesus Christ, my youth pastor discipled them and on the next day, seven of them were baptized by me as a testimony of their faith in Jesus Christ. They joined our church and they started learning the word of God. In the midst of the ongoing war, I had a chance to visit one village with my assistant pastor and we had a great ministry together. I learned that they are in a very difficult situation and they always fear for bombing and fighting. Also, they have little to eat and they do not have a proper income. But when I shared the Gospel of Jesus to the people, their response to the Gospel was amazing in my eyes. I started to see their smiling faces when I shared the love of God with them. The Lord blessed me with many souls, and I want to share with you this testimony:
“I was born in a Buddhist family and growing as a Buddhist follower. I went to the pagodas and worshipped the images and offered to the gods whatever I can. I thought that I was doing right throughout my life. But when I heard the Gospel message from Pastor Pan and his team, the Bible’s teaching was totally different from the way I worship my gods. I immediately came to realize that I worshipped images that are not living. I also came to realize that the gods that I worshipped will not be able to save me from my sin because they are not living and they are man-made images. From that point, I asked the Lord to forgive my sins and to pardon me from not worshipping him throughout my life. I was full of peace in my heart as I learned more about the love of God. I repented from my sins, and I turned to Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord. I was baptized after I believed in Jesus Christ, on the next Sunday in Pastor Pan’s church.”
Thank you for supporting the work of Harvest Bridge!