I had to cross the Yangon river and travel by motorbike to the outskirts of a small Burmese village. Dodging unattended nearly naked babies, anorexic looking puppies, and all sorts of debris, my driver skillfully navigated a narrow pathway first through a crowded marketplace, then between ramshackle huts, and finally alongside open fields with partially constructed shacks littering the landscape.
That's where I met them. 90 Burmese men and women living together on the Alatchaung Baptist church compound. Tender, open, sincere believers so eager to learn and grow in their new relationship with God. Materially, they have very little, and almost all have been rejected by their families because of their faith in Christ. Yet, spiritually, their newfound joy and hope told a different story. The reality of God's loving presence in their life was almost palpable.
Almost everyone had become a new Christian within the past year. In January, they gathered for 40 days of foundational teaching in the Christian faith. They get up at 4:30 or 5:00 a.m. every morning for prayer. The days are spent worshipping God and studying the Bible. I was invited to teach them on a wide variety of topics, including the multi-faceted role of the Holy Spirit. Step by step we went through many biblical passages, stretching back to all the ways the Spirit worked in Old Testament times. Then we talked in detail about the Spirit's role in establishing the church, bringing people to faith, giving spiritual gifts for Christian service and mission, and empowering believers to live fruitful lives.
I was on holy ground. The work of God in these people's lives was undeniable and absolutely inspirational. What's more, there are 5000 more like them! Over the past five years, the Alatchaung Baptist church has grown from 25 people meeting in a rented room to over 5000 baptized believers. Now, many of these new believers are traveling throughout Myanmar to bring God's love and Jesus to those who have never heard of him before. They really know, firsthand, that they have good news to offer others.
Thank you for helping to make possible our teaching and training of Christians here and elsewhere around the world through your support of Faith, Hope, and Love Global Ministries.
In Christ's service,
Tim Geoffrion
President and Teaching Minister
|
