If you believe, you will see the glory of God By Dr Zohmangaihi Rokhum, Partner in Mission
Dr. Zohmangaihi Rokhum is a Partner in Mission serving with the Presbyterian Church in Myanmar as a Lecturer at the Tahan Theological College.
n 18th March 2020, I left Myanmar for my visa renewal and reached home after two days. That was the day before the Government of India called for Janata Curfew (a nation-wide lockdown) as a measure to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the Janata Curfew, the state of Mizoram also imposed Total Lockdown for almost the whole year of 2020. On one hand, being in lockdown with my family was a blessing in disguise, but on the other hand, I was away from my station and could not perform mission work. The outbreak of COVID-19 had also spread among the people of Myanmar; hence, our College had to be closed and we had to introduce online studies. Through God’s continual guidance, we held our online classes smoothly and conducted semester exams as well. While we were following life in the new normal introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the most heart-breaking, shocking and saddening incident of military coup took place in Myanmar on 1st February 2021. In the midst of the COVID-19 Donations for Myanmar Refugees. pandemic, thousands of un-armed protesters were killed, a thousand others were Photo by Dr Zohmangaihi Rokhum detained by the military and a year-long state of emergency was declared. In such a tragic situation, our College had to be closed for the new academic year of 2021-22. As one of the CWM’s Partners-in-Mission (PIM), I would like to share my experiences of addressing the challenge brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic along with the military coup in Myanmar.
The connection My hometown Aizawl is the state capital of Mizoram, one of the states in India. Mizoram is a landlocked state of North East India. The southern and eastern parts share 722 kilometres long international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh, and the northern parts share domestic borders with Manipur, Assam and Tripura. Historians believe that the Mizos are a part of the great wave of the Mongolian race spilling over into the eastern and southern India centuries ago. Their sojourn in western Myanmar was estimated to last about ten centuries. Before the British moved into the hills and made a geographical boundary between India and Myanmar, the Mizo people in India and the Chin people in Myanmar were known as the same community. Due to the British ‘divide and rule’ policy, the Mizos settling in and around Mizoram states were divided and separated by international boundaries. Till today, we have had a strong and indestructible connection and relationship between the Mizos and the Chin people in Myanmar.
Shortage of Oxygen in Myanmar After the outbreak of peoples’ movement and protests in Myanmar against the military coup, the deadly Covid-19 virus deeply penetrated into general public where more than 1,000 people have died in a day. The death toll rises each day, with a number of Pastors who were to perform funerals among them. In the meantime, one of the most tragic things which has taken place all over Myanmar was not having a supply of oxygen. The military juntas controlled the oxygen plants and restricted the supplies. Hundreds of people queued in front of the plants and agents for 24/7 to buy oxygen for their dear and loved ones who were struggling for life.
46 INSiGHT MARCH 2022
