Myanmar tales - part 1

We are fresh back from nine remarkable days in the remarkable nation of Myanmar. Sue and I originally visited this nation for a week in 1980 - in the days when one-week visas were issued and the nation appeared to be in a 1940's time-warp. Thirty years has changed the country a great deal, and Myanmar has since surged into the 1970's.

Pastor Nong (left) and his dad at the 3-day seminar. Nong has a wonderful spirit and a huge heart of love and mercy. Dad is like joybells on steroids!

Myanmar currency is called Kyat (pronounced 'chat'). Like Cambodian money, it is totally worthless outside the nation of issue. Here is a pretty typical 200 kyat (20c) note.

The thing that has not changed is the beauty and graciousness of a people living in extreme challenge. There is way too much to cover in a two-minute blog-read posting so I plan to dribble on for a few weeks about the time in Myanmar - but just to say, when you walk in Myanmar, you walk among giants of faith.

Phil Howan and his daughter Olivia, together with Anthony and Jenny Eggink, were our trusty Kiwi connection people for this time. Phil and Anthony are deeply commited to Myanmar, working with pastors to establish micro-businesses and bringing great encouragement and wisdom. Jenny, who had never been to Asia, 'had' to come this trip to understand what had so totally undone and revolutionised the life of her man. Now she understands.

We'll get to introduce you to some of the people and their stories in due course. Over the nine days we got to visit with children's homes, speak in churches, lead a three-day pastors and leaders training seminar (that got closed down by the powers-that-be, but without repercussions to the locals), meet the leader of a micro-church planting leader (6,381 micro-churches averaging 4-5 people in 10 years, not counting the 400 micro-churches that got swept away in the Nargis flooding of 2008) visit Bible schools and both see and do far more than what I ever could have expected.

Phil praying for Pastor Sompee, a delightful leader who also runs a children's home. In 2006 he was beaten and left for dead by a gang of 15 muslim men. He has since led three of these men to Jesus!