matt2819.com/myanmar

In this edition I’ll be sharing with you what’s been happening since the last newsletter, sharing news and events in brief, and wrapping it up with some prayer points.

Long time, no see!

My dear friends, I want to begin with a heartfelt and HUGE thank you to everyone who was praying for me during my exams. They’re all over now and I’m amazed at how much I remembered and wrote. Before the exams I was sure they were going to be too difficult and that I’d be hard pressed to even pass, but thanks to God they weren’t so bad and He helped me get through them. I’m sure I didn’t ace any subjects, but I’m confident I didn’t fail any either. So again, thank you so much, you’re an impressive and wonderful team of prayer supporters. God bless you!

Now I know you’re keen to find out what’s been happening and where I’ve been these last few months so I’ll try to fill you in but not bore you with too much detail.

The last you heard from me was back in May when Thang Bwee and I did the video update. We got some good feedback after that so we’ll definitely be doing more; the next one should probably appear around the end of October. May was the second of two months off uni (mid-academic-year break) in which I attempted to catch up on all I’d learnt in the first semester as well as do some lecture preparation for teaching at RBI/GBS. Both the catch up and the preparation went really well and I felt quite well prepared for the second semester of uni which started in June. My catch up was well worth it, but the learning we embarked upon during the second semester was more focussed on writing the language rather than speaking the language, and as it turns out there are a whole lot of new rules for writing the language compared to speaking it. For example, in the phrase, “I will go to the market for some rice”, there is a new word/grammar structure for 5 of those 9 words. A friend of mine in class said, “It’s like learning another language.” I agree, and though I was grateful for the time to catch up in April and May, I fell behind again fairly quickly and floundered my way through the semester. By mid-August I was no longer enjoying the process and was keen for it all to be over. I’m grateful for my time of learning and for the experience but I have to say again, I’m no classroom learner. I learn ‘on the job’ and through kinaesthetic/tactile (hands on) methods, so sitting through 5 hours of lectures each day listening to the talking heads didn’t really work for me. As a result, I’ve not learnt anywhere near enough to even survive a trip to the market, so more learning is a must. I’m not, however, going back to the classroom but will instead look for a language tutor. I’m not sure where I’ll find said tutor but I’m trusting that God will provide the right person at the right time.

Since arriving last December I was asked by Thang Bwee if I could preach monthly on topics of my choice. The first couple of months were random but since February I’ve been preaching on a series inspired by John MacArthur (the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church and president of The Master’s College/Seminary, both in Santa Clarita, California, also known by his ministry Grace To You) focussing on Keys to Spiritual Growth. I’m planning to put some snippets of these sermons up as blog posts once the series is is finished, but as I only preach once a month I think I’ve still got another 4 months of stuff to teach. Consider this a very early teaser.

I also preach monthly at the church where James is the minister, the Free Reformed Church of Myanmar (FRCM), but I’ve not been working through the same series. The maturity of the congregation is somewhat different to the folks at ERC so I’ve been preaching on some general principles of the Christian life and trying to aim just a little above their level as a way of encouraging them to stretch themselves and to try out a little meat amidst their diet of milk. James seems happy with the teaching so I’m continuing on in that vein. Yesterday (Sept 25th) I preached on Malachi 3:16-4:3, a seemingly strange text perhaps but one in which we find the gospel message and plenty of encouragement for believers.

Along with my monthly preaching I’ve also become a victim of my own good ideas. Around January I suggested to Thang Bwee that it’d be good if people had a way of asking questions, anonymous or otherwise, and for him to take some time after one of the church services each month to go over these questions briefly for the benefit of all. He thought it was a good idea and put it into place. The questions were slow to come in but eventually he had enough for the first round of answers. As we were talking once day he handed me a wad of note-papers and said, “Here, these are for you.” I asked what they were and he explained that he’s been answering questions and giving advice to his flock for years with little response or change. He said that if they heard answers to these questions from me they might be more inclined to sit up and listen, and maybe even change where change was necessary. Though surprised that he’d give me such responsibility I accepted, and so, on the second Sunday of the month for the last 4 months, I’ve been answering about 3 questions after the service (takes about 20 to 30 minutes including translation from English to Burmese). The questions have been challenging and have given me some great study time in preparation for answering them and I’ve really appreciated it. Thang Bwee also seems thrilled so it looks like we’ll continue this trend for quite some time. As of October I’ve decided to post the questions and answers here on the website, just one each week, and I would welcome your feedback, encouragement, correction, and instruction related to the answers I’m giving. I know enough theology to be dangerous, much like my Burmese, so I know there’s room for discussion and learning for us all. Please check out the website often to see what I have to say and post your comments whenever you can. If you know what RSS is then that’s the best way to get the posts coming to you, rather than you having to go to them. Just click the RSS link at the top of the right-hand column.

I mentioned in the April newsletter and the May video update that we were gearing up for some deliberate discipleship for the congregations of ERC and FRCM. First though we needed to put the structure of leaders in place and then train them so that they felt equipped and ready to tackle this all-too-vague subject of discipling. On each of the Saturday’s in June we had discipleship training at my apartment. There were 14 students from both ERC and FRCM plus Thang Bwee and me. We had 4, 3-hour sessions over 4 Saturdays and then let them loose on their disciples. The training went really well and all said they were ready to get started. We’ve now had 3 months of weekly discipling of almost every person in the congregation and though small, we’re starting to see some measurable growth. We knew it would be a slow process and one that we’d have to commit to for the long-haul, but we’re all still keen and still anticipating some great results from it. The leaders who attended the training in June meet with me monthly to de-brief their experiences, both good and bad, and this allows us time for some top-up training and an opportunity to iron out any kinks that may be developing in the process. A really encouraging wind of change is blowing through the congregations of ERC and FRCM, so please pray that we might continue this discipleship with vigour and enthusiasm for many years to come.

So that kind of brings you up to speed with what’s been happening. I’ve not got anything startling to report as it’s been pretty much head-down, tail-up since about May, but I trust the news of what we’ve been up to over the past few months is of some encouragement to you and fuel for your prayer times.

But I’m not done yet. Let me share with you what we’ve got coming up over the next couple of months.

Next week will see the arrival of Betty Murray and her friend Jan Turner, both from Presbyterian congregations in QLD. Betty will be leading them both in English teaching for the entire month of October. The training will take place on the RBI campus and the students from GBS will bus their way over each day to join in. This will be a great opportunity for the students to improve their English as Betty is a veteran English teacher with years of experience and expertise. I’m hoping to sit in on a number of the sessions to learn how it’s done. I might have finished my TESOL training but I’ve not had any practical training, only theory and methodology. I’m hoping to pick up some very important techniques from these ladies so that I can carry on the English teaching next year.

Also visiting in October is a friend of many, many years, David Trounce. David’s the minister of a church in Tanilba Bay, Newcastle and has a brilliant mind when it comes to theology and the practicalities of church structure and order. We’ve had some brief chats via Skype over the past few months pertaining to various ministry related topics and we’re both keen to continue our discussions. He’s not coming so much to be involved in the ministry to the churches here but rather to support and encourage me. I expect that his visit will prove most helpful in areas of biblical understanding and practical church life and order. Though he’s only here for 1 week, I think his visit will be quite the shot in the arm one needs during their first year on the field.

After the month-long English extravaganza that Betty and Jan bring, the colleges of RBI and GBS will settle back into routine with the more usual weekly schedule of lectures. This will be my first full-time role as a lecturer at the RBI college and I’m quite excited about it. Thang Bwee has put me down for 2 subjects so far (I say “so far” because he has a habit of finding ‘new work’ for me to do) which are Practical Evangelism and Post-Reformation Church History. As I’m only fresh from my final exams at uni I still have a lot of preparation to do for both, so please pray that I’d be thorough as I prepare.

December will be much the same schedule and then in January we’ll have more visitors in the form of Peter Barnes (Revesby Presbyterian Church) and Peter Barber (Townsville Presbyterian Church). They both may be bringing other folks with them but we’re not sure yet. I’ll update you in the next newsletter.

I think that brings you completely up to date with the what’s been and the what’s to come, but if you have questions please feel free to ask. And if you’d like something special covered in our October video update then now’s the time to send in your requests.

News & Events

• We’ve not had any overseas visitors since February but next week (first week of October) will see 3 Aussie visitors on our doorstep. The first two are long-time friends of the work here, Betty Murray and Jan Turner, both from QLD Presbyterian Churches. They’ll be here for a month and will be teaching English to the students of both RBI and GBS. It’s expected that there could be about 30 people in attendance for the lessons so they’ll be taking place in the lecture room at the RBI campus. The room can fit 40-50 students comfortably so it’s an ideal set-up for this group. The third Aussie visitor is my long-time closest friend David Trounce. He’ll be here for just one week and we’ll spend it together talking and encouraging one another, as well as a little sightseeing and shopping.

• The whole of October will be taken up with the English seminar so there won’t be any other classes taking place. Come November, the second semester roster of classes will kick in and the lecturers will resume normal teaching. This will be my first time as a permanent fixture of the RBI teaching team and I’m very much looking forward to it.

• There has been a lot of news about Myanmar and the progress that is being made by it’s new government. As with all news it takes a bit to digest and to sift through the spin and opinion. There’s way to much to list here (and commenting on some stories could bring me unwanted attention), but I’d like to suggest that, if you have the time, you might like to connect with some of the news sources available to keep your finger on the ever changing pulse of what’s going on in and around Myanmar. Please visit my Myanmar News page for some of the sources I suggest as good places to start.

Things to Pray for

For me:

• Thank God for his patience, grace, mercy, and loving hand upon my life.

• Thank God for the opportunity to learn the Myanmar language. I thank him for what I’ve learnt and for the encouragement of my friends here to “jaw za”, which means keep trying.

• I’m grateful to God that the university learning is over and that I can now focus on that which I came here for – teaching, preaching, and evangelism.

• I’m preparing for lectures that will begin in November. I’ll be teaching two subjects, evangelism and post-reformation church history. Please pray that I’d prepare well for these lessons.

For ERC:

• Thank God for his continued blessing upon the work and ministry of ERC.

• Thank God for the many new students this year at RBI. They’re a keen lot and, like sponges, ready to absorb everything. They’re obedient and willing to learn and follow, and they’re good students too.

• The ongoing discipleship (which started in July) is proving to be helpful to everyone with growth already evident in many.

• Pray for Thang Bwee’s translation work on Concise Theology by J.I. Packer.

• For guidance and protection for the English teaching classes to be held at RBI during October by Betty Murry and Jan Turner from QLD pressie congregations.

• And for God’s ongoing providence for all the essential needs of Thang Bwee’s family.

For FRCM:

• Thank God for some significant financial blessing over the past couple of months that has helped them out of debt.

• The injection of funds also allowed them to finally get a concrete floor put in throughout the house. This is where James and his family along with all the GBS students live. They’re thrilled to no longer be walking through the muddy, slippery floor inside and that things aren’t so dirty any more.

• Please pray that God would provide the needed funds for the daily needs (food, water, etc.) of the FRCM community.

• That the students would learn well and be properly prepared for future ministry.

• For the safety of GBS’s leaders and students as they travel around Yangon. Particularly, there is a lot of travel required during October when the students of GBS will travel about 1 hour each week day to attend the English classes being held at RBI by Betty Murray and Jan Turner (and then an hour back again).

• The financial needs of this fledgling church plant are many at this time. Please pray that there would be an outpouring of generosity toward these folks so that they may be equipped and ready to grow in number, maturity, and influence.

For some of the more regular prayer items, feel free to ask me for a Prayer Calendar. Additionally, you can visit this months Prayer Points page.

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I trust you enjoyed this edition of the newsletter; any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Remember too, if you’d like any Mission Information Sheets, Prayer Calendars, or to get in contact if you’re not near your e-mail, you can do so by using the Contact Martin page.

And finally, if there are any acronyms or initialisms used in this newsletter that you’re not familiar with, have a look at pages like “The Work” and “The Workers” and you’ll find the info you need.

Grace be with you,

Martin
http://matt2819.com/myanmar

[Note: This article has been updated to reflect the change in Thang Bwee's family's travel plans.]

Hello friends. In this edition I’ll be sharing with you what’s been happening since the last newsletter, sharing news and events in brief, and wrapping it up with some prayer points.

Learning, Growing, Enjoying

It’s 1:30pm as I begin to write this newsletter and I’m sitting at my desk feeling quite content. I have one of those office chairs that recline slightly and for the last 5 minutes I’ve been leaning back in that position thinking through what I might pen for this update. Usually around this time of year the temperatures here are “terrible hot”, as Thang Bwee would say, but lately the weather has been quite mild. As I sat reclining there was a nice breeze coming in my window, the curtain gently wafting back and forth, the trees outside swaying, and I was just totally enjoying the moment, quite content indeed. So praise God for big blessings, but praise him just the same for the small ones. His mercy is new every morning, and his loving kindness is in every refreshing breeze.

Last week was my final week at uni for first semester, which is why I’m home during the day today. It’s been a challenging 4 months for me trying to understand the language and committing it to memory, and I’ve come to realise that I need to be far more diligent in revising what I’m learning. I’m glad for the break though. Not least of which is so that I might have some time to catch up on what has been taught over the last couple of months. I’ve felt more like a spectator than a participant lately, so these next few weeks will give me the chance I need for revision. I’ve already set out a plan of action and have so far committed 40 new words to memory – memorised so that I can speak, read, and write them. There are a little over 650 words that I need to revise, many of which I still have to commit to memory, so as you can see I’ve got my work cut out or me. But each day, little by little, I’ll get there. As some bright spark once said, “How do you eat an elephant? One mouthful at a time.”

Speaking of food, I’m loving Myanmar cuisine. Nelly, Thang Bwee’s wife, has taken me under her wing as son number 3, and part of that blessing involves regular delivery of her most excellent food. Beef, pork, chicken, vegetables, all cooked traditionally and all mouth watering. It’s great stuff, and on top of that I’m losing weight, so I’m a happy chappy indeed. But it’s not just the food that’s great here. I wrote an e-mail to some friends just recently and I said to them that there’s really nothing I don’t like about being here. The food is great, the people are great, the church is great, and the ministry is great. God has been abundantly generous and loving to me, which still takes me by surprise. And I like that it does.

Up until now, life is pretty much the same from one day to the next. Monday to Friday I attend uni from 9am to 4pm, then head home, sometimes have a nap, do some study, have dinner, check e-mails, read and research, more study, and then bed. Saturday mornings I join and sometimes lead a small group at the Evangelical Reformed Church (ERC), and by midday I’m back home. I usually spend the day doing house stuff, maybe a bit of reading and a bit of study. Sundays is church at ERC in the mornings. I preach the first Sunday of every month which has been really good. I have lunch there with Thang Bwee and then it’s home for rest, reading, e-mails, study. Whatever takes my interest.

I haven’t had a lot of time or opportunity to get out of this routine, so I can’t tell you of any fantastic places I’ve been. I’m planning to take some days during this break to go and see some new things, but I haven’t figured out what yet.

February saw Peter Barber (Townsville PC) and his wife, along with Ralph, an elder from Mt Isa PC, visit for a teaching seminar at the Reformed Bible Institute (RBI), the Bible college of ERC. Minor Prophets and basic first aid were on the agenda, and by all reports it went very well. The ministers who came down from Chin State for the seminar have since returned and are now training their leaders and members. And that’s exactly the way it should work. Train the locals who can train other locals.

Just as my semester is over, so is the academic year for the Bible colleges. What usually happens is that most of the students will take the next 2 to 3 months and return home to family in Chin State, while a few will stay behind and be involved in evangelism and other local ministries. This time though, all of the students have gone home to family with only one staying behind to look after the RBI campus. The Dean of students and the Warden of the college have also headed back to Chin State, but for them it’s a few weeks of teaching at various locations, and then back to Yangon to assist with running the Church while Thang Bwee’s away.

[UPDATE, Wed. Apr 20th: Nelly's visa was not approved by the Australian Embassy here in Yangon so Thang Bwee, with the support and encouragement of Mission Partners, has decided to remain in Myanmar and travel to Australia around the same time next year, Lord willing.]

For those that aren’t aware, Thang Bwee, Nelly, and their daughter Vesta have been invited to Australia for 6 weeks which was due to begin about now (late March). There have been a few ‘hiccups’ with getting their visa and they wait patiently for the all-clear, which they expect will come any day now. If you’re keen to know where they’ll be so you can catch up with them, please contact Mission Partners’ office during business hours on 02 9792 1373.

During my five minutes of contemplation and naval-gazing before putting pen to paper (or, more accurately, fingers to keyboard) I was trying to figure out what would make the difference between existing in Myanmar and impacting Myanmar. Let me draw this out a little as question-time follows. I’m a Christian living in Myanmar (not that it matters where I live, really) and it’s easy to just get into the flow of life and go from one day to the next, attending meetings or classes, talking to this one and that one, but it occurred to me that it would be quite easy to simply ‘exist’ somewhere and not actually be making a difference. And how badly does Satan want us to be living like that!? So then I got to thinking. I can’t be sent as a missionary fully supported and prayed for and be just another Joe Sweatsock going here and there, doing this and that. I want to ‘impact’ Myanmar, not just ‘exist’ in it for the next 3 or 4 decades. I thought through the obvious ones, preaching and teaching diligently, discipling others, and of course I want to evangelise as soon as I can actually talk to them in a language they understand, but is that enough to change an existence into an impactence (I like to make up words). Not only do I want to stand before the Lord and give an account of a life that I’m not totally ashamed of, but I want to look back in my old age (God willing) and have few regrets about how I spent my time, and see that I have actually made an impact. So here’s the question. If, in many years, you could look back over my time here, what would you like to say was achieved and done? What do you think makes the difference between existing and impacting? (Please know that I’m not hoping for the praise of man in the years to come, but that people might praise God for moving and loving and saving and sanctifying a people for himself. I just want to do my part the best I can so that can come about, if it’s his will.) I’d really like to hear from you guys on this one, so please contact me with your thoughts.

—–

So I’m on this break from uni, which incidentally is for 2 months, but I’ve got a lot to do. While my classmates return to their respective countries (Vietnam, India, and China) I’ll be head-down-tail-up most of the time. I’d appreciate your prayers to get through all that needs doing. Apart from the language revision, I have 4 sermons and 3 seminar lectures (about 36 teaching hours each) to write. For the lectures I have to read through about 6 books cover to cover and skim through another 8 or so, and though I like reading, I’m not the fastest. I’m looking forward to it and I don’t see it as a burden, but it’ll require some discipline and a lot of my brain. So please pray that I’ll have clarity of mind and few distractions.

So with that said, I’d best be off. Thank you for your continued support and prayers, and feel free to e-mail me or contact me any time. A special thanks to those who have touched base recently. I love it.

News & Events

• A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck a sparsely populated mountain area in the Golden Triangle region of northeastern Myanmar on Thursday, with tremors being felt over a wide radius. News agencies reported Friday that as many as 50 people had been killed [Edit (Apr 5th): Official estimations now say 73 people were killed and 125 others injuring. A total of 225 residential houses, 11 monasteries and 9 government department buildings were also officially reported to have been destroyed]. No folks known to the partner churches in Yangon or Chin State were affected.

• Myanmar will celebrate Thingyan (pronounced thejan), also known as the Water Festival, for about 5 days starting April 13th. Thingyan is part of the cleansing ritual to welcome the new year (April 17th). Celebrations have strayed a bit from tradition with an overindulgence in alcohol consumption by many, however water is still sprayed, thrown, and poured around liberally during the festival. Here’s a page of pictures that’ll give you a feel for the festivities (courtesty of ayeyarwady.com).

• The Reformed Bible Institute and Grace Bible Seminary are currently in recess as the 2010/11 academic year has ended. All students from both Bible colleges have returned to Chin State to spend time with family before returning again late May.

• During Peter Barber’s visit, RBI held a graduation ceremony for 9 of its students. Some of these students had completed their studies in the 2009/10 academic year, but as the graduation ceremony doesn’t occur every year, they had to wait until this time to receive their degrees. Traditionally, during a ceremony like this it is very rare for the students to display any emotion, so often they appear quite stern-faced, even when being presented with their awards. However, after the ceremony there were smiles from ear to ear, and quite a celebration was had by all.

Things to Pray for

For me:

• Praise God his loving-kindness and generosity. Thank him that I’m so ‘at home’ here.

• And praise God that I’m learning the Myanmar language. Many of you have been praying diligently for me and I can assure you it’s working. I’ve been able to learn and retain more in the last week than I have in the last 3 months. This is fantastic! Please keep praying though, I’ve got a lot to catch up on.

• Have been having trouble sleeping, either only sleeping for a few hours, or not being able to get to sleep until 5 or 6am. Just a few days ago (March 29th) I think I found the culprit – MSG – (but I need to test this theory more). Please pray that whatever is the cause it would stop. I’m tired and would like to stop feeling like a zombie most days.

For ERC:

• Praise God for the graduation of 9 students in February.

• Praise God for the purchase of land for the church plant at Tada Township. Construction of a simple building for the minister to live in and the congregation to meet in (same building) is hoped to start soon.

• And please pray for that minister of the Tada Township church plant, Mr Mor Dan, who is working tirelessly in evangelism and church planting for the Lord in that place. Please ask the Lord to strengthen him, to give him wisdom and knowledge, and to be diligent in all he does, walking in a manner worthy of the Lord (Cf. Col. 1:10).

• For the ministries of recently graduated students of RBI – Than Tun, Paul, Samuel, Aung Htaik, Sein Bay, Joshua, Isaac, and Than Htay.

• For the education of Thang Bwee’s children and for new sufficient accommodation (larger apartment) for the family of 5.

For FRCM:

• Praise God for His providential gifts that they eat and drink every day.

• And praise God especially for the partnership with Mission Partners, and for their great help with purchasing a plot of land with a small house which is now used for the church building of FRCM and the residence of GBS.

• Please pray that God would provide the needed funds for the daily needs (food, water, etc.) of the FRCM community.

• That the FRCM congregation might be edified and grow strong in the Lord and his Word.

• For the funds to complete the church building and to equip it with the usual – cupboards, kitchen ware, tables, chairs, etc.

For some of the more regular prayer items, feel free to ask me for a Prayer Calendar. You might also like to visit this months “Prayer Points” page.

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I hope you enjoyed this edition of the newsletter; any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Remember too, if you’d like any Mission Information Sheets, Prayer Calendars, or to get in contact if you’re not near your e-mail, you can do so by using the Contact Martin page.

And finally, if there are any acronyms or initialisms used in this newsletter that you’re not familiar with, have a look at pages like “The Work” and “The Workers” and you’ll find the info you need.

Grace be with you,

Martin
http://matt2819.com/myanmar

Hello friends. In this edition I’ll be sharing with you what’s been happening since the last newsletter, sharing news and events in brief, and wrapping it up with some prayer points.

First Month on the Job

This last month in Myanmar has felt quite busy. Here’s a quick run-down on what I’ve been up to.

I arrived early on Tuesday, December 7th and after a day of rest I went with Thang Bwee to the university to advise them that I’d arrived and to find out the details of my classes. Though they had already started a week before, I would begin my first class on the following Monday.

Thang Bwee began the process of contacting some real estate agencies to see what was available in the area for me to rent. He found 2 possibilities, one which was quite dark and had no bathroom fittings, and though it was within walking distance of the church, it was at an intersection in a very high traffic area. The pink walls, cement floor, no windows, and squat toilet added to the “uniqueness” of this dwelling. However, we wanted to see both before deciding and so we went to visit the second place. Within moments of walking through the door we were delighted, and quickly forgot the first place.

Keeping in mind that I was looking for a suitable place to use for teaching if required (both English and Bible classes), and somewhere with at least one spare room for both foreign and local guests to stay if they wanted to, the second place was a no-brainer. It had just what I was looking for, and though not in walking distance of the church (well, not short walking distance), it was still close enough to make visiting an easy option. So we advised the real estate that we’d take the place, and within a few days the papers were signed and 12 months’ rent paid up front. I know, sounds scary, but at USD$310 per month, it wasn’t so bad, and we had budgeted for, and I’d brought with me enough to cover, this expense.

Here are some photos of the place so you can get excited too …

[ click the photo to view a larger version in a new tab ]

So now that you see how good it is, you can join me in a bubble bursting extravaganza (and I’m not talking about that always-fun bubble-wrap kind of bursting either).

After finding and securing an apartment, the foreigner is then to approach the local authorities to advise them of where they’ll be living. The local authorities will then sign off on said dwelling, and provide any extra information pertaining to the foreigners conditions of residency. Those conditions (pins at the ready?) were that I could not have anyone stay overnight, either foreigners or locals, and I would not be allowed to use the place for teaching. In addition, if I were to have people visit during the day, either foreigners or locals, it would be advisable that the number not exceed 10 people. Now I know some of you are probably thinking, “Why didn’t you find this out first?” Well, we asked, but until one has secured a place, this information is not available. Hypotheticals don’t work well here at the best of times, but getting anything to suggest that we would encounter these sorts of roadblocks simply wasn’t available. We haven’t lost hope completely though, as we’re hoping for some favour from the authorities which will allow us to at least have some training here. Please pray with us about this. Should nothing change, then I’ll be downsizing considerably at the end of the year. Until then, I have a living room suitable for indoor soccer or cricket, so if you’re planning to visit let me know which you prefer. But sorry, you’ll have to leave when the sun goes down.

Along with securing the apartment came a flurry of shopping to kit the place out. I managed to pick up a few bargains as it was a good time of year to shop. The fridge came with a free microwave and many of the other smaller items were discounted due to the silly festive season. This has been very helpful, actually, as the US dollar is weakening by the day here and so our exchange rate has been a lot lower that we budgetted for (about 20% lower). Thanks to these specials though, the lower priced, larger-ticket items have helped keep me within my budget.

Around all of this I’ve been learning the language. Classes begin at 9am and finish at 2:30pm, and this is Monday to Friday. I have a speaking teacher, a grammar teacher, an economic terms teacher, a writing teacher, and none of us are really sure what the fifth teacher is, as she doesn’t speak English and talks in Myanmar at a hundred miles an hour. Today she revised some of the vowel sounds, of which there are dozens, tomorrow it could be something completely different. In keeping with tradition I’m struggling to keep up. In 5 weeks they’ve taught us about 120 words of vocab, and this after teaching us the 200 (probably more, I’ve lost count) consonant and vowel sounds. I’ve pretty much been in overload for the last 2 weeks, and have been discouraged a few times at how much I don’t know. A few of the other students are doing really well, but I’m a definite stand-out, only for the wrong reasons. The other students are: 2 from China, 7 from Vietnam, and 1 each from Malaysia, and India. Add me to the mix and there are 13 of us. Please pray that I might be able to catch up and then keep up. I’m drowning in words at the moment.

I’ve preached on 2 Sundays since arriving, and am down to preach the first Sunday of every month. I enjoy this very much, and have covered the first 10 verses of 2 Cor. 5. On the first Sunday of Feb I’m planning to finish off 2 Cor. 5, and then I’m not sure what I’ll do for March. You could please pray for ears to hear what the Lord wants me to preach each month. Thang Bwee thinks it better that I preach on topics rather than through a book as there are many weeks between each of my sermons. I agree, but as a relative newcomer to preaching that can make it a challenge to come up with something new, meaningful, different, and relevant each time.

So like I said, it has seemed quite busy this last month. I guess it’s more that there’s been so many things to do rather than actually busy. E-mailing has proved to be a challenge too. There were a few weeks where I didn’t have reliable Internet, so my Inbox had more unread messages than it’s seen in years. Then, when I did have more reliable Internet it took me ages to reply to everyone. I was really grateful for the contact though, so please keep them coming. I now have Internet at home, and although the speed is like dial-up most of the time it’s good to have it on tap whenever I need it.

I’d better finish up here. Maybe one day my newsletters won’t be so lengthy. I get news from others who manage to keep it to a page, but it seems I’ve not acquired that ‘gift’ yet.

News & Events

• Aung Sang Suu Kyi was released from house arrest on November 13th. There was a lot of cheering and celebration, and it went off without incident. Since her release she has been busy, but out of the spotlight.

• RBI and GBS will break at the end of this month. February marks the end of the academic year here, and so most of the students will return to family in Chin state, whilst some will stay on to look after ministries around Yangon. The next academic year begins in June.

• Rev. Peter Barber from Townsville PC and 2 other folks from QLD pressie churches will be arriving on February 8th for a few weeks of teaching at a special seminar organised by ERC. Many ministers from Chin state will be attending thanks to the generous support of Mission Partners.

• Thang Bwee, his wife Nelly, and their daughter Vesta look set to head to Australia during April and May this year. Many things still to arrange, so I’ll keep you posted.

Things to Pray for

• Praise God for health. I had a bout of fever and a bout of ‘loose movements’ during my first couple of weeks but I’ve enjoyed good health since.

• Praise God that the culture hasn’t shocked me and that I’m enjoying all that is my new home.

• And to mention again those items listed in the main body
  • Praise God for some great bargains whilst shopping (which has helped keep me within the budget),
  • please pray for favour with the local authorities,
  • pray also that I might catch up and keep up with my language learning,
  • and that the Lord would guide me and that I’d hear him regarding what to preach each month.

For some of the more regular prayer items feel free to ask me for a Prayer Calendar or download one from this page.

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I hope you enjoyed this edition of the newsletter; any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Remember too, if you’d like any Ministry Information Sheets, Prayer Calendars, or to get in contact if you’re not near your e-mail, you can do so by using the Contact Martin page

And finally, if there are any acronyms or initialisms used in this newsletter that you’re not familiar with, have a look at pages like “The Work” and “The Workers” and you’ll find the info you need.

Grace be with you,

Martin
http://matt2819.com/myanmar

Hello friends. In this edition I’ll be sharing with you what’s been happening since the last newsletter, sharing news and events in brief, and wrapping it up with some prayer points.

I’ve just finished typing this up and it’s a doosy (meaning it’s quite long). So I’d suggest you grab a cuppa … or two. I know I did.

I’m still in Australia … but not for long, I hope

Yep, I’m still in Australia. Can you believe it? It’s almost 5 weeks since I thought I’d be landing in Yangon but as yet I still don’t have my visa. But that’s ok. I worship a sovereign God whose timing is perfect so I’m completely content and ready to go when it’s the right time. But more on that later.

What have I been up to since the June newsletter? Quite a bit actually, let me walk you through it.

Yangon: Young lad selling flowers at night for income

The day after I wrote the last newsletter, back in late June, I drove to Belgrave Heights, just outside of Melbourne, Victoria, to take part in a 3 week Transition Training course run by Missions Interlink. I’m sworn to secrecy re the details about what goes on, but essentially they walk us through various aspects of transitioning from one culture to another. Check out the link if you’d like to know a little more. I met some terrific people there and made some new friends, all of whom are on, or heading to, the mission field in various parts of the world. For the most part the training was beneficial and I’m glad I had the chance to experience and think through some of the issues I’ll face in a new culture.

After Transition Training I stopped off on my way home to spend a week with Paul and May Lynn Reilly in Broadford, Victoria. For those who don’t know, Paul, Rev Norman Shellard and I went to Myanmar in 2006 and we had a terrific time of ministry, encouragement, and fellowship, not just with our Burmese brothers and sisters, but between the 3 of us. Every trip I’ve had to Myanmar has been a real blessing, but that year seemed extra special. So it was good to spend time with him again, and with his Burmese wife and their son who’s just over a year old. It was a good week of relaxation and a regeneration of the batteries, which was quite timely considering what was to come.

After spending a week at home (in Newcastle) I drove to sunny Queensland for the start of 7 weeks of deputation. Deputation, for the uninitiated, is basically visiting various churches and small groups and sharing with them about the work the Lord is doing in Myanmar. More often than not it involves a slide show of various Myanmar pictures with me explaining along the way. At the end the group is encouraged to support the work prayerfully and, if possible, financially.

I won’t mention all the places I went to but it started off with the Presbyterian churches at Scarborough and Woody Point (Moreton Bar area, about half way between the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast). From there I stayed in Morayfield with John and Lyn Tucker (and Suzie, the dog) who were absolutely wonderful hosts. They let me use their home as a base for a few weeks and it really felt like home during that time. I visited numerous churches and groups in the Sunshine Coast area as well as some around Brisbane, and did a trip to Gayndah and back to share with the Pressies out there (about 300km west).

Worship service at RBI campus

I was to visit Toowoomba and Cooparoo, but I went and hurt my back really badly whilst playing with Suzie. I spun around quickly without moving my feet accordingly and felt a sharp pain in my lower back. I went inside and lay down but I knew I’d done something serious. I ended up sitting in a recliner for the next 4 days just resting my back. Everything was agony. Sitting in a normal chair, lying in bed, standing, and everything else in between. The recliner was the only place I got any real relief. So again, the Tuckers were very understanding and accommodating during this time. For a couple of days I thought I’d have to call off the rest of the deputation trip, of which I still had 4 weeks and numerous visits remaining, but the day before I was to fly north to Townsville I was feeling ‘well enough’ to press on. God’s healing hand was at work, and within a week after arriving in Townsville my back felt about 90% better.

To cut an already long story short, I travelled about 3000km whilst up in North QLD, as far north as Cairns, and as far south as Monto (almost back to the Sunshine Coast), before returning to Townsville. Essentially a round trip from one end to the other and then back again. It was a great trip and I met so many warm and friendly people from all walks of life. What an amazing family we are, eh?

After all that, I flew back to Morayfield to pick up my car (stayed another night with the Tuckers, thank you both so much!) and then headed home to Newcastle via Tamworth one day, and Nambucca Heads the next. Again, great people, not least of whom were the Turners in Tamworth. What a wonderful family, and Carrie, the mum, has been a terrific support, encourager, and advocate for the work in Myanmar for years. It was great to see the Tamworthians again and to be encouraged by their corporate enthusiasm.

Martin's Commissioning service September 26th 2010

So with 6000 kms of driving behind me I was home for a couple of days before heading to Sydney for my farewell/celebration dinner and commissioning service on the 25th and 26th of September. The dinner was great and I was both surprised and really chuffed to see so many friends and well-wishers. My commissioning service the following day was truly a significant event in my life. My immediate family were there and many others came to stand with me in this important work. Norman Shellard, whom I mentioned earlier, was there and he prayed a very nice and meaningful prayer over me. Bill Lutton, the current director of Mission Partners and the man who’s supported, encouraged, loved, facilitated, and motivated me along this 6 year journey led the commissioning part of the service. Peter Barnes, my minister, preached one of the best sermons I’ve heard, and together, these men, the elders, and significant others from supporting committees and the like surrounded me for the laying on of hands. It was an amazing experience and blessing, and very moving for me and my family, who’ve walked this and other journeys with me unwaveringly. I now feel, quite profoundly and significantly, the weight of responsibility that has been placed upon me by the Presbyterian Church of Australia for the work we’re about to do.

Now I say “about to do”, but since my commissioning service, and with the exception of a week in Mandurah, WA, with family, I’ve felt a little like I’m treading water waiting for the all-clear from the Myanmar embassy in Canberra. I did expect, and would have told many of you reading this, that I would leave sometime mid-October. I’ve amended that a couple of times to the end of October, but here we are in the second week of November and still nothing. But it really is all ok. Though I might sound frustrated, I’m not at all. Sure, I’d like to have been there by now, but I don’t want to do anything outside of the Lord’s timing and plans (as if I could anyway) and I don’t want to grumble against them either. When he’s ready, I’ll go. Until then, even if ambiguity abounds, it’s all good.

Studying TESOL

It’s not like I’ve been bored or idle either. Not at all. I’ve been filling my time with the occasional activity and/or trip to Sydney, but most days I’ve been chipping away at the remaining correspondence study for my TESOL qualification. Though I’m not done yet I’m so close I can smell it. What with the continuing delays getting a visa, it looks like it’ll all be done by the end of next week (except maybe for a final exam). For those who’ve been following my TESOL progress and praying for what has seemed like forever, we’re almost done! How good is that? I’d like to take a sec to thank some people for helping get me over the line. Two TESOL experts in particular – Barbara Geddes, the wife of Jonathan, one of SMBC’s best lecturers and disciplers, has helped greatly with some lesson plan ideas, and most recently Judy Rowlands, whose e-mail signature says “ESL Ministry Co-ordinator, Cross-Cultural Ministry, Ministry & Missions, Presbyterian Church in NSW,” has been helping me work through all aspects of lesson planning, writing instructional objectives and teaching practice preparation. Her and I still have a bit of work to do, but as I said, I’m almost there!!! So a HUGE thanks to these two wonderful ladies.

I should wrap this up shouldn’t I? I imagine your cuppa’s probably long empty.

Here’s how I think the next month will go. Myanmar held elections on Nov 7th, and I think/speculate that all the activity over there has contributed to the visa delay. Now that they’re all finished and things are settling back to normal (that’s Myanmar ‘normal’) I expect the authorities in Yangon will tell the embassy in Canberra that they can issue folks like me with a visa now. So I expect I’ll get a call early next week, send my passport, as usual, to Canberra to have the visa inserted and the appropriate stamp applied, and once that’s returned to me I’ll book a flight, pack my bags and be off. If all goes according to my estimates I should be away some time around December 1st, give or take a week. Once in country I’ll be spending a week or so in a hotel whilst I try to find a suitable long-term residence. Once I’ve found that, I’ll be shopping like a spendthrift on speed getting the place set up with furniture, kitchenware, and the like. I should have about 3 days to get all that sorted before I begin a 12 month course at the Yangon University of Foreign Languages studying Proficiency-level Burmese. I expect December to be quite crazy.

I really should stop now, but I plan to get another newsletter out in about 6 weeks, once I’ve moved into my new place. I’ll take some photos and let you know how it all went. Please keep praying, and thanks for hanging in there and reading to the end. I hope you enjoyed the catch-up.

News & Events

• Burmese Elections took place on November 7th and the Union Solidarity Development Party (UNDP) has announced a landslide victory. You can read many stories about it at Google News.
• Aung Sang Suu Kyi is due to be released from house arrest on November 13th.
• ERC and FRCM continue their ministries, evangelism, worship, and outreach unhindered.

Things to Pray for

For me:

• Praise God for an uplifting, encouraging, and fruitful time of deputation through Queensland, Tamworth, and Nambucca Heads
• In answer to our prayers, financial pledges have been coming in now for many months and my support has now reached 100% of what’s required. This is such a blessing and indeed praiseworthy.
• And praise God for his healing and restorative power over my lower back injury. I experience no side-effects from the injury.
• Pray that I’ll transition well into a new culture.
• For safe travel.
• To quickly build good relationships with folks in the ERC congregation.

Harvesting Rice

• For second semester study of RBI students and lecturers.
• Pray for the farm that God will bless the harvesting of rice and they would be able to meet all the needs associated with this work.
• For the booklet translation work being done by Thang Bwee.
• For Thang Bwee’s father to maintain good health (he is more than 90 yrs old). Sadly, at 7:15am (AEDST) on November 16th, Thang Bwee’s father passed away. Please pray that the Lord would comfort them all at this time.
• For little Lazarus who is in need of good health as he suffers with a type of Cerebral Palsy called Athetoid (more details about Lazarus will come in later prayer letters).
• Pray for Rev Dr T. Bwee who is fully engaging with teaching and pastoral ministries.

For FRCM:

• Praise God for his grace. James writes, “We enjoy the life of FRCM and GBS. We thank God for His helping us up to this day with every blessing we need.”
• Praise also for His providential gifts that they eat and drink every day.
• And praise God for guiding and sending Pastor Bawi Ling (Samuel) to the mission field.
• Pray that all believers attending the FRCM would grow spiritually and have good health.
• For the extension of FRCM’s mission fields and the many things which are needed to do this work.
• That God would provide the needed funds for the completion of the FRCM church building.
• For the process of digging a well for drinking water at the new church/house.

For more prayer items please visit this month’s Prayer Points page.

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I hope you enjoyed this edition of the newsletter; any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Remember too, if you’d like any Ministry Information Sheets or Prayer Calendars please just let me know by using the Contact Martin page.

Grace be with you,

Martin
http://matt2819.com/myanmar

Hello friends. In this edition I’ll be sharing with you what’s been happening since the last newsletter, sharing news and events in brief, and wrapping it up with some prayer points.

From Learning to Yearning – The Final Stage

View from the balcony of the Evangelical Reformed Church (ERC)

Well I almost can’t believe it. On Friday, June 18th I handed in my final assignment for Bible college which brought me to the completion of my Associate Degree of Theology. Many of you may already know that I’m not much of an academic, so Bible college was not all smooth sailing but I would certainly say I’m better off for the experience. Living in community at SMBC, loads of reading and in-depth research for nearly 40 written assessments, plus exam preparation definitely stretched me. What a blessing to be immersed in that environment though, and to learn from experts in their field.

So now that it’s all over what’s in store? Well my focus has changed, as the title suggests, from learning to yearning. I’m yearning to return to Myanmar and begin the next stage of my life and I’m yearning to immerse myself in the culture of the country which I’ll be calling home for the foreseeable future. But before I can do any of that there are a few more things to do here in Australia. Firstly, I’m booked in to do Mission Interlink’s Transition Training. I’ll spend 3 weeks in Belgrave Heights, Victoria, experiencing many things, not least of which is how to effectively transition from one culture to another. After that I’ll spend a relaxing week with friends in Broadford, also in Victoria, and then it’s home to Newcastle for a week. Then, a week later, on August 1st, I’ll start 6 weeks of deputation (also known as Partnership Development) in Queensland. I expect to go as far north as Cairns but won’t get too far inland; at the moment I’ll be visiting Toowoomba and perhaps Stanthorpe near the NSW Border.

Shopping centres are common but much more expensive than the more common street markets.

Something that I’ve been learning more about recently is the issue of wasting time; so many of us struggle with it and I’m certainly out the front of that pack. It’s interesting how we perceive the things we’re involved in and how very important they seem to us. Of course there are things we do which are very important, but how many of them aren’t? It’s difficult though to be objective when we’re so close. One of the things which has helped me take a more objective look at my own life has been through the reading of John Piper’s book Don’t Waste Your Life.¹ In the book he talks about existing to make Christ appear in the world as what he really is – Magnificent. He says that God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives. We struggle in this though because we are “fallen, comfort-loving creatures. We are always on the lookout for ways to justify our self-protecting, self-securing, self-pleasing ways of life.” (72) The opposite to a wasted life is to “live by a single, soul-satisfying passion for the supremacy of God in all things.” (43). He suggests we ask ourselves some helpful questions by which to measure our behaviour: “How will this help me treasure Christ more? How will it help me show that I do treasure Christ? How will it help me know Christ or display Christ? The Bible says, ‘Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’ (1 Cor. 10:31). So the question is mainly positive, not negative. How can I portray God as glorious in this action? How can I enjoy making much of him in this behavior?” (119) It’s a challenge, that’s for sure. Please pray with me as I take my self-focussed life with its aroma of wastefulness to the feet of the only one who can do anything about it. Please ask me how I’m going with it next time you see me.

News & Events

Students learning English using "The Hope" on DVD

• Both RBI and GBS, the Bible colleges of our 2 partner churches have begun their 2010/2011 academic year.
• In my last newsletter I mentioned Kyaw Htin, a severely ill student of RBI. His recovery had been very slow and full recovery was expected to take at least another 2 years, however at 8pm on June 22nd he departed us to be with the Lord. This came as a surprise to us all and is very sad indeed.
• The Free Reformed Church of Myanmar (FRCM), the second of our 2 partner churches, has been able to purchase land thanks to the very generous support of the Presbyterian churches in Australia. This will allow them to settle down in the one place, a luxury they have not had for many years due to the difficult rental market in the area in which they minister.
• National elections, which were initially expected to take place in May, have been postponed. Media pundits are speculating that it might be around October or November but the ruling Junta has not set a date.
• Aung Sang Suu Kyi, still under house arrest, celebrated her 65th birthday on June 19th.

Things to Pray for

For me:

• Praise God that he has been strong and faithful in keeping me and encouraging me since returning from Myanmar in February. He has also equipped me and given me the ability to complete all my assignments (11,000 words in total) during the Bible college semester just gone.
• And praise him for the opportunity to speak about the work in Myanmar and preach at a few churches in NSW and QLD during the last few months.
• I’ve busied myself so much lately that I’ve neglected spending time in the Word and regular prayer. Please pray that I would make these a priority and keep them as such regardless of my schedule.
• Beginning August 1 I’ll be in QLD for 6 weeks visiting numerous churches and church groups talking about the work in Myanmar, requesting their financial and prayer support. Please pray for safety while travelling as I’ll be driving to most of the destinations, and please also pray for the Lord to move in the hearts of the church folk there to support the work.
• And please pray for financial pledges and promises to come in soon. Without them I’ll not be able to leave as planned in October. We, Mission Partners and I, are looking for pledges and promises of support totalling $25,000 per year.

Rev Dr Thang Bwee in his church office (Jan 2010)

For ERC:

• Praise God for the sending of rice to Chin state for famine relief of those affected by the rat plagues of the last few years.
• Praise God for and also pray for the 9 new students who have started Theological training at ERC’s RBI.
• Pray for the urgent need of Tada Myo mission. Thang Bwee writes, “We need to find a regular sponsor for Mor Dang [(the graduate pastor who has been put in charge of that church-plant)] and also the need to buy a single block of land for building. Presently I have rented a house to live. Things there seem to be going well in the mission. I might be able to manage for house rent but need some donors to buy land there and for the building.“
• Pray for Rev Dr T. Bwee who is fully engaging with teaching and pastoral ministries.

For FRCM:

• Praise God for He has guided them all the way in their church ministry. The Lord is surely gracious and able to deliver them from all the struggles in ministry to this today.
• Praise God for being able to purchase a plot of land for the FRCM church and GBS (Bible seminary) building.
• They request you “in Jesus Name to please pray for FRCM church ministry. The children’s ministry in South Dagon is needed to return as well as pastors needed for many ministries.“
• And please pray for a telephone for the new premises.

For more prayer items please visit this month’s Prayer Points page.

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I hope you enjoyed this edition of the newsletter; any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Remember too, if you’d like any Ministry Information Sheets or Prayer Calendars please just let me know by using the Contact Martin page.

Grace be with you,

Martin
http://matt2819.com/myanmar

===============
1 – John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life, (Wheaton, Illinois: 2003). You can download a free copy of this book here (link sourced from this page).

This is my regular … long awaited … occasional newsletter. In it I’ll be sharing with you what’s been happening since the last newsletter, sharing news and events in brief, and wrapping it up with some prayer points and some photos.

My Life in Myanmar

On December 3rd last year I headed off to Myanmar for my fifth short-term visit. A few days before that I was at my graduation ceremony of SMBC, and only a couple of weeks before that I was sitting exams. Second semester last year was my busiest and also my most successful. I had four very demanding subjects and a total of sixteen thousand words to write for my seven assessments. Thanks only to the grace of God I managed to get all my work in and pass my exams. I was quite relieved to be able to go to Myanmar with all of that work successfully behind me.

I arrived in Yangon around midday on December 4th to the welcome arms of Rev. Dr. Thang Bwee and his wife Nellie. Straight away we began to talk about our plans and hopes for the coming weeks as well as some of our more long-term plans. It was great to get stuck into things right from the get-go and to be involved in the work he is doing. The entire time I was there Thang Bwee was keen to include me in everything and all the while nurturing me and shepherding me like the wise pastor he is.

In the past I have gone to Myanmar for somewhere between two and four weeks to teach English or assist others in their teaching, however this trip was quite different in many ways. The most obvious difference was that I would be in Yangon for nine weeks straight, which would involve overstaying my twenty-eight day tourist visa. Prior to leaving Australia I had spoken to the Myanmar embassy in Canberra and e-mailed Thang Bwee to double-check, and according to everyone we spoke to it was quite normal to overstay. The only penalty would be a $3 per day fine payable at the airport on departure. A small price to pay for the convenience of being able to get more done in one trip. And it was as they said – hassle free for just $3 a day.

Late August 2009 Thang Bwee had e-mailed me asking if I could please teach a subject on Ephesians when I came in December and January, but as college was so busy I didn’t have a chance to start preparations until after my exams in November. And even though I made a start, I didn’t get very far before having to leave on December 3rd. But I still had some time up my sleeve. A few days after arriving in Yangon, Bill Lutton (the director of the mission organisation that is sending me) and his son Will arrived to teach English for one week. During that week I stayed in the hotel and continued my Ephesians prep. I managed to get about four lessons finished in that week, and although I was ahead of myself, I didn’t feel too good that it was only a few days’ worth of teaching. As a consequence, I spent almost every afternoon and evening over the following 7 weeks preparing the next day’s lesson. It turned out ok though and I learnt a lot from my preparations and really enjoyed the process of burying myself in one book of the Bible, surrounded by commentaries and of course, a constant supply of my much loved Jasmine Green tea.

The schedule was the same each week after Bill and Will headed back to Australia. I taught Ephesians to the Bible College students from 10am to midday, then had lunch with Thang Bwee before returning to the hotel to prepare for the next lesson. Wednesdays and Saturdays were ‘free’ days, but I found myself either preparing more Ephesians lessons or preparing a sermon. I was asked to preach two sermons every two weeks, and even though it added to my busyness, I really enjoyed the time in the Word and the learning that comes with sermon prep.

So that was “My Life in Myanmar” for the nine weeks of December and January and I loved every single bit of it. So much so that leaving to come home was difficult. Thang Bwee and I joked about how maybe there would be a problem with my overstay and I’d be stuck in Yangon for weeks. We were both overjoyed at the idea and laughed at the other problems it would cause – like not being able to finish my Associate Degree course at college.

There were a number of things that made it such a great trip. Being amongst the believers of Thang Bwee’s church is always an encouragement. They’re lovely, humble people, and so keen to know more of the Lord and be involved in what he’s doing in the church’s ministry. Teaching is something I enjoy, so that too was an enjoyable experience as well as the preparation. I got to talk at length with some Buddhist monks about Jesus and his death and their perceptions of that – this was part of some research I was doing for a college project this semester. But I think what made the trip so great was that I was living the life I’ll be living when I move there as a resident. Granted, I was living in a hotel and not having to cook and clean for myself, but every other aspect of my week resembled that which Thang Bwee and Mission Partners have come to see as my role there. After the first twelve months of learning Burmese at the Yangon University I will be primarily involved in teaching at the Reformed Bible Institute (RBI), the Bible college of the Evangelical Reformed Church (ERC) – Thang Bwee’s church. Among other subjects this will include English teaching, but in addition to that I’ll also be teaching English to some of the non-Christians in my community. As has been our plan for a long time, this will be done using a Bible-based curriculum and will be one of our many works of evangelism. I will also be involved in preaching at ERC and working with and mentoring some of Thang Bwee’s young leaders.

I realise that some of the people and places mentioned might be new to some of my readers. If that’s you, please visit “The Work” and “The Workers” pages to learn more.

News & Events

• Both RBI and GBS, the Bible colleges of our 2 partner churches have finished for the 2009/2010 academic year and almost all the students have returned to their families in Chin State (see a map of Myanmar at http://www.5starmyanmar.com/MyanmarStatesMap.jpg).
• For the few students remaining in Yangon they will be involved in various ministries including pastoring churches, children’s ministries, and evangelism.
• Kyaw Htin, a severely ill student of RBI is still in intensive care. In 2008 he was hospitalised with an unknown illness which had him in a coma for many weeks. When he came out of the coma he was paralysed and continued to require assistance with breathing. He has since regained consciousness but remains mostly paralysed with only limited head movement and still requires a machine to assist with his breathing. Fortunately the doctors were able to diagnose his condition a few months ago and operated on a bone tuberculosis in his neck. His mother and sisters remain by his bed 24/7 and ERC provides food and financial assistance. His recovery to date has been very slow and full recovery is expected to take at least another 2 years.
• The health of all others known to our 2 partner churches (ERC and FRCM) has been good. Tuberculosis (not bone tuberculosis), which is normal for at least one member of these churches to have has not been reported in many weeks. The only person reporting illness is Mor Dang who has been recovering from Hepatitis C. He is about 95% recovered but still gets tired very easily. Mor Dang is in charge of Sunday School coordination for all ERC churches in the Yangon area and one of the main pastors at ERC’s most recent church-plant.
• ERC continues to plant churches around the Yangon district and though the congregations are small they are strong. Repentance has been a noticeable factor in many who have come to know the Lord, and although this brings tensions within some Buddhist families, the believers are standing firm and looking always to the Lord for comfort and guidance.
• National elections are set to take place in May and many people are hopeful that they will be a positive turning point in their country’s history.

Things to Pray for

For me:

• For my final two subjects at Bible college this semester (11000 words to write)
• To finish the correspondence TESOL course I’m still working through
• For God to prepare the way in Myanmar for ministry
• That I would be obedient to the Lord, patient in all things, always humble and always striving to know and glorify God more and more. (1 Pet 1:14-15)

For ERC and FRCM:

• Pray for Rev Dr Thang Bwee (ERC), Pastor James Mang Khen Thang (FRCM), and their eldership teams – that they facilitate the ministry of the Gospel and be wise with finances and management. (Eph 5:15-17)
• Pray for Thang Bwee, James, the directors, lecturers and visiting teachers, college wardens and other staff – for wisdom and faithfulness to the Gospel and the Scriptures. (2 Tim 2:15)
• Pray for the students as they prepare for service, that the Lord would sustain and encourage them as they learn. Pray also that they would retain what they’re learning. (2 Tim 3:16-17)
• Pray that the Partner Church congregations of ERC and FRCM would be people who are committed to thinking and acting with Jesus as Lord of all, living out his Lordship in all aspects of life. (Jude 24, 25)
• Pray that each of the Sunday services would be effective for the building up and encouragement of the saints. Pray that they would be welcoming, loving, and seeking to always spur each other on to love and good works. (Heb 10: 24, 25)
• Pray for all those involved in teaching, that they will be examples in speech and conduct, love, faith and purity and that they will rightly handle and explain the Word in truth. Pray for the children and for their growth in Christ. (2 Tim 4:5)
• Pray that through faithful and Bible-centred ministry, God’s community at ERC and FRCM will grow in numbers and influence. Pray that they might be known as being passionate about people, lovers of the truth, and eager to serve Christ. (Acts 2:46-47)
• And pray for Kyaw Htin’s speedy recovery from bone tuberculosis and also for and his family as they tend his needs.

Photos

This is the street outside the Evangelical Reformed Church (ERC).
I will walk down this street almost every day whilst in Yangon.

Some food and tobacco stalls in the street outside the ERC.

After each chapter of Ephesians we would get together like this
to discuss what we had been learning. The students found this helpful
for cementing some of what they had been taught.

On Christmas day the church folks got together
for a fellowship lunch.
On the menu — A VERY spicy Thai noodle dish.

This is just a very small portion of the rice grown from Thang Bwee’s
11 acres of rice paddies. He uses the rice to feed his family,
the college students, and his friends. What’s left over he
sells at market to help pay for the next year’s seed.

Tea shops are very common in Myanmar.
This is an outdoor one and is very popular with the locals.

——

I hope you enjoyed this edition of the newsletter; any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Remember too, if you’d like any prayer cards, or better still the prayer calendar, or any information cards or support cards then please just let me know by using the Contact Martin page.

Grace be with you,

Martin
http://matt2819.com/myanmar

This is the June 2009 edition of my “Mission to Myanmar” newsletter.

What’s News?

Another semester of Bible College almost finished, which leaves just one more to go. It’s not been an overly eventful semester which is why you haven’t heard from me – nothing much to say really. I’ve been chipping away at my college work since February plus our annual “mission trip” in April. I enjoy the more hands-on ministry learning (as opposed to classroom learning and essays) so the mission trip was a highlight for me.

This year our mission team of 14 went to Blaxland Presbyterian Church in the lower Blue Mountains where we engaged in all sorts of ministries including Scripture teaching, hospital and nursing home ministry, commuter handouts, community surveys, preaching, Sunday school, and a “Backyard Bash”. The Bash was aimed at getting the community to come and visit. We had activities for the kids, a coffee shop for the adults, a photo competition, and a free sausage sizzle. Then afterwards we had a bush dance with a great live bush band. Everyone had a great time and it was a good outcome for the church-folk.

Each member of the team was billeted out around the area with different members of the congregation. I was blessed to stay with Harry and Elizabeth who were so welcoming and looked after me like family. A terrific granny-flat style setup for me, great meals and even a packed lunch every day. I was spoiled, which is always nice.

After our mission week we had our 2 week semester break which saw me working on college assignments, and also a weekend up in Newcastle visiting my Mum which is always nice and relaxing. After the holidays it was back to classes and more assignments which has kept me busy up to now. We have exams coming up in a few weeks but I have a couple more assignments to get finished before that.

So not a lot out of the ordinary for me, but what about the folks in Myanmar? Well, between February and May it’s holiday time for students so some of Thang Bwee and James’ students head back to Chin State to visit family, but the majority of them stay in Yangon and do other ministry work like evangelism, and some even get part-time work. A couple of them have been laid up with illness too, with one in particular being in hospital for many months now. No-one seems to know what’s causing his illness but it has been very serious, almost fatal. He’s still recovering and Thang Bwee expects it will take at least another year before we see any significant improvement. The lad’s name is Kyaw Htin (pronounced Chore Tin) so please remember him in prayer especially.

Early May was the anniversary of cyclone Nargis which devastated parts of Myanmar last year. Much has been done by way of aid for the millions affected but there is still so much more to be done. Blame can be laid in the usual place and we can only hope and pray that things will improve more speedily.

On a completely different note, I sent a package of calendars to Thang Bwee earlier this year – not expecting it to get through due to mail going “missing” – however I’m happy to tell you it made it. And just so you know, in case you ever want to send anything over, it took 10 weeks to arrive.

In the Media

Child soldiers still common in Burma: UN Report

The Burmese military regime’s army and nine other armed groups, including ceasefire groups and active anti-government forces, are still recruiting child soldiers, according to the latest Annual Report of the UN Secretary-General to the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict.

Referring to official reports shared by the junta, the UN report said the Burmese government continues to screen and release under-age children found in its armed forces during the training process. The junta reported that 68 children were detected in various military training schools and were released to their parents and guardians.

The 68 cases included 12 children who were released through the International Labor Organization (ILO) mechanism, one released and reported to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and two released and reported to the ILO and ICRC.

The ILO, through its mechanism to eliminate the use of forced labour, has verified the release of 23 children, mostly from involuntary military enrolment, based on complaints filed by parents and relatives. An additional 14 cases either await government response or remain open while the process continues, it said.

The report also said that even as the regime has informed the UN country task force that it has put procedures in place for the rehabilitation and reintegration of under-age recruits, the UNICEF has not been given access to children who were released through the government’s mechanisms for follow-up purposes.

Please Pray

Mon: Praise God that a dear friend has helped me understand how to more effectively study and prepare assignments.

Tue: Our partner churches in Myanmar. Pray for the leaders (Thang Bwee & James) and their helpers.

Wed: Severe drought and famine in Chin State due to a devastating rat plague.

Thur: Evangelism of Buddhists in Yangon and Chin State. Pray for opportunities and also for wisdom and boldness.

Fri: The Myanmar government. Pray for the Lord to change hearts and to bring justice, peace, etc.

Sat: Sick students, especially Kyaw Htin. Others suffer from recurrences of Malaria, and tuberculosis is common also.

Sun: Pray that God would continue to lead all those involved in the Myanmar work (in AU and in MM)

And praise God daily for the opportunities he’s opened up in Myanmar and for his constant blessing and abundant provision thus far.

Grace be with you,
Martin

This is the January 2009 edition of my “Mission to Myanmar” newsletter (previously called “Myanmar Musings”).

New Year, New Start, New Look

It’s almost 12 months since I sent out my last newsletter so I’m thinking of calling this the “Anniversary Edition” (ha ha). When I started the newsletters it was my intention to send one out every couple of months. I amended that to every few months, and now … well, I’m not making any more promises. I would like to say sorry though. Sorry for not writing, and sorry for not letting you know what was going on.

What was 2008 like for you? For me it was up and down. First semester was very busy with many assessment tasks plus a college mission trip to Tasmania. The mission trip was a great learning experience and I really enjoyed my time with everyone down there. Upon return though, there was a lot of work to do before the end of semester which brings with it exams.

I’m happy to say that, by the grace of God, I managed to get all the work in and passed all my exams. It was a great relief and encouragement to me, and I was looking forward to second semester.
The mid-semester break saw me working on TESOL (yet again) plus an overdue visit to the dentist (“he didn’t have to drill”), and an even more overdue visit to the optometrist who has provided me with a nice new set of reading glasses (I left him an arm and a leg as payment).

Then came second semester – one I’d be happy to forget. I never really got on top of it and, as a result, can’t boast of first-semester-like success. Suffice to say I’ll be re-doing some of those subjects this year.
End of year break, the one I’m at the end of now, was spent in Newcastle at my Mum’s house. It was a great place to be and afforded me, not only some much needed rest and recuperation, but also an environment conducive to catching up on things like TESOL (yes, there it is again).

So, it’s a new year and a new start. I’m in the process of simplifying things and pushing aside distractions so I can focus almost entirely on Bible College. Lord willing, I’ll be finished my studies at the end of this year and ready to head off mid-2010.

There have been some changes
You’ll have noticed a change in the design of the newsletter. The reason is to simplify it and make it easier to compose (and therefore send out more regularly).

The website has changed too, which some of you will have already read in an e-mail I sent out.

What you need to know …

me.malleeblue.com is now being redirected to

matt2819.com/myanmar

which will be the new website relating to my efforts, and the efforts of Mission Partners, in Myanmar.
My 2009 Myanmar prayer calendar is also available on the website or by requesting a copy, or copies, from me.

The new website address is more relevant I think, and the new design will hopefully make it easier for everyone to find the information they’re looking for. I hope you like it.

There are other changes too with the prayer and support cards, and also with the “Learn of the Lord’s work in Myanmar” brochure (now a double-sided card). If you’d like some of these new cards please let me know how many and I’ll have them in the post ASAP.

In the Media

There has been much concern about news that came out on January 8th about…

Christians in Burma’s former capital of Rangoon find themselves in a precarious state as local authorities on Monday banned the holding of regular church services and threatened to seal off churches if congregations failed to comply.

In short, our partner churches are not affected by this, though that may change. Please pray that the Lord would give them guidance and wisdom, and that He would look after them as He always has. Please also pray for the people in the churches which have been affe