“There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.” CHURCH PLANTING ♦ TRAINING NATIONAL PREACHERS ♦ CARING FOR ORPHANS ♦ PROVIDING BIBLES
My wife and I have just returned from Myanmar after thr ee weeks with our beloved Bur mese people. This was my wife’s first trip to the Golden Land and she has said that it was indeed a life-changer. We literally flew around the world in opposite directions and met in the city of Yangon. I know that this sounds like a strange arrangement and it was. But Carolyn’s cousin is a long-time United Airlines employee and because of this they were able to fly most of the way for free. We actually arrived in Old Burma at approximately the same time and stayed the first night in the city of Yangon (or, Old Rangoon). Early the next day we took a Burmese bus six hours to the city of Malawmyine where GLBM Missionary Peter Judson is starting a church. The Judson family is seeing souls saved and baptized almost ever y day. The church membership is growing very rapidly and they are looking for property on which to build. One of the purposes of this trip was to prepare for January’s upcoming open-air crusade in that city, a historic landmark event that, to our knowledge, has never been done in Burma’s history. The whole country has been “closed” and isolated from the rest of the world for fifty-plus years and many people are hungry for the truth of the New converts growing in Christ Gospel. We are praising the Lord that last month two businessmen from North Carolina gave $10,000 to buy a large gospel tent and send it to Myanmar. When we did this just a few years ago on the Thai side of the Burmese border thousands turned to Christ as Saviour. We are praying for yet another great harvest of souls inside Myanmar. Yet there are many preparations to be made and there is still a great financial need. Please pray that God will supply the needs through His people here in American churches.
While in Malawmyine we visited the Leprosy Hospital where, during several other trips, I have preached, led many to Christ, and made many friends. As has been my own repeated experience, my wife and her cousin were visibly moved and they admitted, “It was very difficult and a lot to take in.” There was the stench of rotting flesh, soiled and bloody bandages, skin and limbs cut off. But more than twenty souls there came to Christ, believing in the pr omise of sins for given, a brighter future, and a Land Beyond the River. Among them was the wife and daughter of a Burmese Army officer, a sixteen year old girl and her mother, many hurting men and women, a man and his pregnant wife, and a ten year-old boy. We held short services, singing, preaching, loving on people, in each of the many ulcer, amputation, and surgical wards. When we saw the young boy, who had already lost a huge of chunk of one foot, we all wept and wrapped our arms around him.
One of Judson’s new preacher boys leading a leper to Christ.
After several days in the city of Malawmyine we stiffened our upper lips for another difficult bus ride on the punishing roads of Old Burma. But this time our journey would be eighteen long hours long. I wondered if my wife could physically do it. But my greatest wish and prayer to God was that Carolyn could see the ministry of GLBM Missionary Htein Win Ei and the Aunglan Baptist Church. Pastor Htein was my ver y fir st contact in Myanmar in 2008 and the one who originally asked me to come there. His ministry includes a Christian School and orphanage and it’s basically located outside the village in jungle huts. When you visit there you feel like you are having a “Mount of Transfiguration experience” and you want to build three tabernacles and stay. God is there! You sense His presence in both the staff and children. Their singing at times seems to transport you to a spiritual place where you can see the shores of heaven itself. As in my past visits there, I wanted to do something special for the 55 children. At the orphanage, there is no place for recreation. So I rented a bus and took everybody outside the village, down a country road, passing farmers, oxcarts, and herds of water buffalo, to a playground along the famous Irrawaddy River, which is the Mississippi of Old Burma. The children played games, sung songs, and waded in the muddy river water until almost dark. My wife got to know the people who literally captured my heart, those who became the very reasons why I have given the rest of my life and ministry to Myanmar. A ministry of Lighthouse Baptist Church, 209 Gardner Rd. Horseheads NY 14845 Office: 607—739—9062 ♦ On the web: www.lbchorseheads.org ♦ www.goldenlandbaptistmissions.com
After four days in Aunglan and a tearful departure, we boarded yet another bus for an all-day ride through the Myanmar countryside to travel back to the city of Yangon where we would visit GLBM Missionary Thaung Lian and the Bethany Baptist Church. They are trying to complete their new four-story building that will house the church, college, dormitories, and orphanage, as well as the pastor’s first residence. Through GLBM, American churches and individuals have provided most of the funds to erect this very needed structure. It is being built especially strong to withstand storms like “Cyclone Nargis” that killed literally hundreds of thousands of people back in 2008. Thaung’s brother, “Mung,” and his wife take care of the dozen orphans. As I did years ago, my wife fell instantly in love with them and wanted to bring them all home to America. But most of these children have no birth certificate, no record of their existence. So they cannot get a passport until they are eighteen. If these children were not being cared for by the Bethany Baptist Church, I shudder to think what might happen to them. The world is full of such children being used and abused. But these children are learning the Word of God and growing up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ. GLBM has a part in helping them and I thank you for your sacrificial giving and prayers. I decided that these children, like those in Aunglan, needed an escape from school and the city. I love blessing the children! They are the future of ministry in Myanmar. So I hired two taxis, crammed them all inside, and took them to the Yangon Zoo where they were able to hand-feed elephants and hippos. None of the children had ever been to the zoo. But it was so hot that everyone became soaked with sweat and we all desperately needed to cool off. So we hailed two more taxis and traveled to a restaurant where the children had their first taste of pizza before we finally went back to the church and orphanage. It was a great experience and blessing for all and my wife and I were able to spend some quality time with the children. My wife and her cousins flew out of Yangon on October 17th and I had several more days before my flight back to America. That same day Pastor Thaung and I traveled to Mingaladon Township to visit GLBM Missionary “A Lin” who has a growing church ministry, located an hour outside Yangon. They are renting a house and property for the ministry which includes fifteen orphaned children. Pastor A Lin started his church by faith with no financial support from anyone. He has won many people to the Lord in his village and the house has become too small for the crowd that attends the services. The landlord has sold the property and given them a deadline to move out. But he has also warned them not to conduct any further meetings for their “pagan religion” (referring to Christianity) on his property. This is not the first time A Lin has had to move and most of our pastors in Myanmar have experienced similar persecution. Because of business growth in that area of Yangon Division, property values have increased greatly. But Pastor A Lin has located a good-sized lot which he can purchase for $10,000 US. We are praying with him and his people and trusting God to supply this great need. I wanted to spend more time with Pastor A Lin and his orphans. So, as I had done with the Bethany Baptist children, the next day I took Pastor A Lin, his wife and daughter, and all his orphans to the zoo. And it was still hot! Perhaps even hotter. But we had a wonderful time and then I took them all to a restaurant before saying “Goodbye.” I had a really wonderful time; I think they did also. And I didn’t spend a $50.00 dollar bill to do it all. By faith we can make a big impact for Christ in Myanmar.
On this trip we visited four GLBM preachers and ministries: Peter Judson, Htein Win Ei, Thaung Lian, and A Lin. Each man is doing an amazing work for God. They are making a difference in many people’s lives. They are building church ministries and leading many people to Christ in what is still a tough mission field. When my wife and I contemplated her going with me to Old Burma, we knew it would be costly. We asked God to give us the money to do it. Without touching GLBM funds at all, God provided every penny we needed for the trip and I was able to help each of these preachers with a significant gift for the needs of their worthy ministries. I praise the Lord for His faithfulness and I am grateful for those who gave sacrificially to help us go. According to the teachings of the Apostle Paul, those souls won and touched for Christ’s sake is fruit that abounds to your account (Philippians 4:17). On the last day, before my flight later that night, I was restless and I felt as though I was not ready to leave my beloved Myanmar. After breakfast in my hotel, I sat in the lobby reading my Bible and getting my e-mails. I asked one of my Burmese taxi driver friends to take me to Chinatown, a very busy section of Yangon City. I walked the vendor-lined streets filled with thousands of people and talked to many about Christ. It feels natural to me now. I am at home in Myanmar. I thought to myself: “I’m supposed to be here!” I love being among the Burmese people. Please pray for souls in the Golden Land to come to our Saviour!
“BaGyi Bob”