Chin Miphun Ni ah Lai Nusal Paih Um Ve Sehlaw! **

Chin Miphun Ni ah Lai Nusal Paih Um Ve Sehlaw!

******************************************

WWE ah nu sal aa timi cu an i ṭhua hna i Noami Glow, Charlotte Flair, Shasa Bank te hna zoh an nuam kho taktak. 

UFC, Heavyweight, Light Heavyweight, Middleweight Welterweight le Lightweight tibantuk ah nusal aa timi cu an i ṭhua, an thi zong chuak dih in an thong ve ko, Ronda Rousey, Holy Holm tibantuk hna an i ṭhuat ahcun pa nakin ka zoh huam deuh bak hna pheh lo te.

Football Club kip nih women team an ngeih hna i Chelsea nu pawl le Arsenal nu pawl le bang cu an thiam ning khuaruahhar ngaingai si. Zoh an dawh/nuam kho taktak hoi!

Boxing zongah nu an i ṭhua i Khuk-ki kan u nau nu Mary Kom hoi hna kha a lar kho taktak, India min ṭhattertu ah aa chuah i Holywood minthang vawlei cungah mui dawh bik a rak si balmi Priyanka Chopara nih video hna a chuah piak. India mipi nih an hngalh dih, an upat i an i uangthlar pi.

North and South America ram ahcun nusal aa timi cu ram an vai i sa an kap ngai hna i an kahmi sa an mah tein an i puak i an hnuh khawh ko. Zoh an dawh ngaingai!

Thantlang peng Khuabung ahcun nusal pawl nih va an pel i voikhat ah pali nga an chaih khawh ve ko.

Congthia ah ka far nu pakhat zong Rangcit thiam taktak mi a um ko. Chin miphun nih nusal tampi kan ngeih hna.

Ka Bia Fun Ning Law

******************

Cucaah Chin Miphun Ni ahhin Lai pasal paih lawng si loin Lai nusal paih zong um ve sehlaw 2017 ah Lai nusal Nungak/Leng- Iang Hlei Sung nih Lainu ṭhawng paih ( Women Wrestling) ah champion a lak tibantuk, 2018 Chin Miphun Ni USA Indianapolis tuahmi nusal zuam cawh paih ah Leng- Dawt Za Tling nih Champion a lak tibantuk theih a nuam ngai ve lai ka ti. Cu lawng hlah 2020 CND  i nu zatlang paih ah mi tambik a teimi cu Leng- Ṭial Za Thluai a si i minung 16 bak vual ko in a fuai dih ko hna nain a tha dih tuk cang caah Leng- Sun lian Par nih a chuah hnawh i voikhat ve ve an i tei hnu ah a voihnihnak cu Leng- Sun Lian Par a tei i buar a co beh timi hna a theih nuam ngaingai lai nan ti cio dek maw.

Chin Miphun chung ah nu le pa kan i tluk ve ko timi a langhtertu (prove) ṭha ngai pakhat zong si kho men awh.. Kap thum in ruat usih law kap hnih nih cun ṭhat lei a sawh kolai dah.

David Thlacam le Kan nih Thlacam

David Thlacam le Kan nih Thlacam

===========================

2 Samuel 7: 18-25, 1 Chanrelnak 29: 10-16

* BAWIPA ka innchung khar hi zeidah kan si i hi tluk hin na kan dawt. Pathian cu thangṭhat si ko seh, Bawipa na lianngan hringhran, nangmah bantuk in Pathian dang an um lo. Na min cu a lianngan hringhran. (Pathian sin ah a hal lo Pathian nih a pek cia mi cungah lawmhnak a chim). 

*1 Chanrelnak 29: 10-16, Bawipa zeizong vialte hi na sin in a ra, na sin in kan hmuh cia mi na sin ah kan rak put ṭhan mi a si, Na min cu zungzal in zungzal tiang thangṭhat si ko seh, rumnak le lianngannak hi na sin in a ra, nang cu zeizong vialte a uktu na si, na kut in ṭhawnnak, thilti khawhnak kha na pek hna, ka miphun le ka fa Solomon nih na nawlbia an zulh i nangmah lawnglawng an lungthin dihlak in an i bochannak hnga cawnpiak ko hna. Pathian cu thangṭhat si ko seh.

Kannih Thlacam Ning

=================

Bawipa, kan i lawm, lam kan hruai ko, motor kan hawi nih an ngeih kei cu ka ngei lo motor ka ka cawk khawhnak hnga thlachuah ka pe, khua chung ah sifak bik kan si rumnak kan pe, facang kan pe, vaṭha le nupi ṭha ka pe, etc kan pe, na fa Zisuh min in kan in hal Amen..(hal kan ti rih)

Kan Zoh Hmanh lai

===============

David nih cun Pathian nih a cung i a tuah mi cungah khan lawmhnak biachim kha a biapi a chiah i hal lo in Pathian thangṭhatnak le conglawmhnak, hlorhnak, faaknak bia kha sau pi a chim, a hal mi pakhat cu "Ka miphun, ka tefa, le keimah nih na nawlbia cu kan lungthin dihlak in kan zulh khawh nak hnga fim kan chimh" timi a si, a miphun le a tefa nih Pathian an i tlaih i an thlah lonak kha a biapi bik ah a chiah, a si nain kan nih nihin zumtu cu lawmh bia chimnak in hal ah caan tamdeuh kan hmang.

Kan Bia Fun Hmanh Usih

====================

A ngai te kan ti a si ahcun thlacam timi hi hal nak in lawmh biachim tu a rak si deuh, (Bible ah Pathian mi hman pawl thlacam ning zoh chih in) kan hal ding cu amah Pathian ah kan i benh i Pathian ah kan i senghtlaih khawhnak tu kha hal awk kan si, Pathian he kan um Pathian ṭihzah buin kan nun ahcun thlachuah cu hal hau lo in kan hmu tinak khi a si 

Cu caah thla kan cam tik ah halcin, pekbawh, ṭhenh to, cawm awr, si lo in Lawmhthiam, thangṭhat thiam, Pathian thluachuah relthiam, nitin kan hmuh mi thluachuah Pathian sin chim ṭhan tu kha a si awk a si..

Nun Le Bia aa Zulhdawi a Hau!

Nun Le Bia aa Zulhdawi a Hau!
*************************

Mah nih tuah ve ṭung lo i mi tuah dingin va cawnpiak
Mah si ve ṭung lo i ma cu si na duh maw tiah mi va ti
Mah nih zulh khawh ṭung lo i na zulh lo ti hman
Mah nih hngalh ve ṭung lo i na hngalh lo..
Mah nih hmuh ve lomi, hmuh a hau eh tiah va au,
Mah nih pemh ve lomi, na pemh lo eh, pemh hau heiti, 

Mah ṭhat ve ṭung lo i ṭhatnak kong va au pi,,a ṭha ko, cawnpiak cu a sual hrimhrim lo NAIN ("nain" ka hman hih) kanmah nih kan tuah khawhmi, kan zulh khawhmi, kan sining a si mi, kan hngalhmi, kan hmuhtonmi, kan pemh i kan fianmi te kha midang nih an zulh i an tuah ve khawhnak hnga bia he nun he cawnpiak ah hmual a ngei deuh ving teh. Kanmah nih kan tuah ve ṭung lomi tuah dingin mi va cawnpiak len hi cu ṭhathnemnak a ngei hrimhrim lo hi teh timi fiang taktak in ka hngalh, a chungril tiang ka hmuh dih. Nun, sining, tuahmi le bia hi a rak i zulh hrimhrim a hau ko. Na tuah ve ṭung lomi mi va cawnpiak hna hlah na kaa lam baa men, zeitik hmanh zongah na bia a nung in mi thinlung ah rian a ṭuan lai lo. Naa nunpi vemi na chim ahcun na bia nung lai i nai thihpi vemi bia na chim cun na bia a thi peng lai. Cucaah na sining a si ve lomi, na tuah ve lomi bia na chim cun bia thi ka chim ti hngal ko..Nun le Bia aa Zulh a Hau,,

Kan Dawtnak

Kan Dawtnak

Na ka daw lo, na ti sawh i si ,Kan dawtnak hi

Hmathak sisehlaw, Manipure hmathak nak in a thak deuh lai

A ei cu chim hlah, na liah ahkhin na thin tiang a lin lai

Voksa sisehlaw, a thautuk nak ah na ei kho lai lo

Vom siseh law,  a hnik cuai 20 tlai mi si lai

Tlang hei si sehlaw, Everest tlang nak in a sang deuh lai

Rili hei sisehlaw, Pacific rili nak khin a ngan deuh hnga

Tiva hei si sehlaw, Nile tiva nak khin a ngan,sau deuh hnga

Rel thiam siseh law, na relthiamnak nih a phan hnga lo

Tlangval siseh law, na duhtuk lai i na ka kaltak diam hnga

Dawhnak khi sisehlaw, kum fachial miss universe a ngah peng lai

Phone si sehlaw, Diamond Rose iPhone 4 nak in a man faak deuh lai dakaw......

Hitluk kan dawt ko mi hi dakaw na ka daw lo na ti cu..

Tuak hmanh a mak awh..

Sipuazi in Kan i Daw

Sipuazi in Kan i Daw

Minung a tamdeuh hi a kan daw kho ve te ding lawng dawt kan hmang. Kanmah nak sifaak deuh cu dawt aa hlawh lo kan ti hna. Kan dawtmi hna, thil kan ṭhenh/pekmi hna poah cu kan duh ningin umter dih kan duh hna, an duhnak kan hmuh piak kho hna lo. Kan rak dawtmi hna nih an si thiam lo ruangah kan bia a kan el sual hmanh ah dawtnak hngal lomi minung tiah kan zai. Dawtnak hi a cawih in kan i cawi, kan dawtmi hna poah nih kan cham ve hnaseh ti kan duh. Sifaak nak in bawi le mirum kan dawt deuh hna, mihrut nakin mifim kan dawt deuh hna. Laimi cheukhat kan i dawt dan zong hi  sipuaizi dawtnak a si ko.

A ngaingai ahcun dawtnak kan timi cu kan dawtmi hna sin in ruahchannak ngei lo tein dawt khi a si. Dawtnak taktak nihcun dawt ai hlawh mi le hlawh lomi a zoh hrim lo. Kan bible ah Genesis in biathlam tiang an daw kho ding lawng va daw hna uh ti um ballo, nan dawtmi hna cu va uk hna uh ti zong um lo, dawt aa hlawh lomi cu va daw hna hlah uh ti a um bal lo. A ummi tu cu sifaak le khualtlung, nuhmei le ngakṭah va daw hna uh ti hi prophets le Moses nawlbia nih a chim cem mi a si. Thawngṭha pa 4 ah Jesuh dawtnak fiang taktak in kan hmuh.  Cucaah a fiang ngaimi cu mi kan dawt tikah a kan daw kho ve ding lawng dawt ding a si hrimhrim lo, a lohlak/thathut ruangah a sifaak mi zong dawtding, an lohlaknak kha biaceih piak ding kan si lo zeibantuk minung poah anmah lei thil ruahchannak ngei lo tein dawt dih ding kha Pathian duhmi a si. Kan i ruahchan awk pakhat cu kan tuahmi thil poah kha Pathian nih a philh lo i mi kan dawt hna ahcun a kan daw ve ṭhantu Pathian a um timi hngalh bu tein mi daw hna usih.

History of Christian Mission in Myanmar

History of Christian Mission in Myanmar

By

Za Biak Cung Nawl

1.      Introduction

Myanmar is a country that produces more rich natural resources than any others country among the Southeast Asia, there are a lot of historical places and public attractive cite in Myanmar where international tourists are enjoyed. This research will attempt to bring out the history Christian missions in Myanmar, and give an introduction to the land and its people, regarding socio-economic, religious, and political condition of Myanmar. However the prime focus will be the Christian mission.

2.      Overview of Myanmar

a.      Geography: Myanmar is the second largest country, after Indonesia, in Southeast Asia with 262,000 sq. miles of land area and a population of 53.7 million according to 2016 cencus[1]. Interestingly, Myanmar, a member of ASEAN (since July 23, 1997), is strategically located between South Asia and Southeast Asia and is geographically sandwiched between the two most populous nations in the world - China on the North and Northeast, and India on the Northwest. Other neighboring countries are Thailand on the Southeast, Laos on the East, and Bangladesh on the West.[2] The ethnic Christian minorities are located on all frontier or border areas.

b.      Economic: Myanmar’s economy, based on the kyat (the national currency), is one of the least developed of the region and is basically agricultural. Much of the population is engaged directly in agricultural pursuits. Of those who are employed in other sectors of the economy, many are indirectly involved in agriculture through such activities as transporting, processing, marketing, and exporting agricultural goods. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing together constitute the largest contributor to Myanmar’s economy.[3]

c.       Politic: As of 2014, the government of Myanmar is officially a unitary presidential constitutional republic under its 2008 constitution. Myanmar's government has a bicameral assembly of two houses and a president. In Myanmar's legislative houses, three-fourths of the seats of government are elected by civilians, and one-fourth are appointed by the military. Although the country's constitution was ratified in 2008, the first general election was not held until 2010. The first nominally civilian government was not installed until March 2011, with Thein Sein sworn into office as president. For the previous 50 years, Myanmar had been under military rule by a junta that wielded near absolute power.[4]

d.      Socio-Religious Context: Myanmar comprises of 135 national ethnic groups with eight major national ethnic groups: Kachin, Kayin, Kayah, Chin, Mon, Bamar, Rakhine and Shan. Bamar, the largest national ethnic group, constitutes 70%, Karen 9%, Shan 8%, Rakhine 5%, Mon 2.5%, Chin 2.5% and Kachin 2%.[5] Most Christians in Burma live in the ethnic Areas rather than the center division. In terms of population of religious adherents, the estimated percentage of Buddhists is 89%, Christians 6%, Islam 2.5%, Hindus 0.5%, and animists and others 2%. Among the Christian minorities, the Chin ethnic group is the largest, with 98% Christians of 473,000 Chin population on the hills in the Chin State and about 90% Christians of all Chin population of 1.5 million both in the Chin and other states. The Karen group comes second with 55% Christians of 1,431,377 Karen populations; Kachin group comes third with 36.4% Christians of 1.2 million. Although there is an increasing percentage of Christian population among non-Burman ethnic minorities such as Shan, Wah, Lahu, Lisu and Kayah, due to varied socio-political pressures, there is a decline in the number of Christians and churches especially among the Karen Christians today. Many from the predominantly Buddhist ethnic groups such as Burman, Mon, Rakhine, Shan and the majority Karen still strongly adhere to Buddhism.[6]

3.      History of Christian Mission in Myanmar

The existence of a Christian community in Myanmar can be traced back to the early 16th century. The first Christians who arrived in Myanmar were the Roman Catholic missionaries who came in 1554 to serve the Portuguese mercenaries. But they were rejected by the monarch and the people of that time. The proper history of Christian mission goes back to the appointment of two Italian Catholic priests in 1720. It was estimated that there were approximately 2,000 Christians who scattered all over the country by the last quarter of the 18th century.[7] Though the Catholic missionary came first in Myanmar, they fail in converting the Myanmar people and evangelizing the land that no much of their work is found in the history of Christianity in Myanmar. Therefore the work of Catholic missions would be omitted in this research here after.

a.      Protestant Mission in Myanmar 

The Protestant Mission was pioneered in 1807 by the English Baptist Missionaries, Richard Marden and James Charter, who came from Bengal (Serampore) in India to see the possibilities of a mission in the country. Marden did not stay long in Myanmar and was replaced by Felix Carey, son of William Carey. He and Charter studied the Burmese language, translated extracts from the Old and New Testaments into Burmese and compiled a Burmese dictionary and grammar. The London Missionary Society sent three more missionaries, Pritchett, Brain and the one whose name was not known.  After Brain died of illness, Pitchett abandoned the mission and left the country. Charter too gave up the mission activity and left for Ceylon.[8] Only Felix Carey remained in the land of Myanmar. Carey married an Anglo-Burmese woman, the daughter of Portuguese father and Burmese mother, and had two children. He was offered a position in the government affair to serve as a physician and a negotiator with England in India by the king of Myanmar Bodawpaya. Carey eventually gave up his missionary career and entered into the service of King. He moved out of the mission house in Yangon and left for Ava where the King lived. With his departure English Baptist Mission work was terminated.[9] The next Protestant group to arrive in Burma were Lutherans and Methodist churches. Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventist, Assemblies of God, Church of Christ and Presbyterians came in the early part of twentieth century. Regarding the Anglican Church though there were Anglican chaplains in Burma as early as 1825 the founding of the church was dated in 1877 when the first bishop of Rangoon was appointed. The United Society for Propagation of the Gospel began its work first among the Burmese and then extended it to Karens and Chins.[10]

b.      American Baptist Mission

The most successful mission in Myanmar was the American Baptist Mission (ABM). The first American Baptist Missionaries in Myanmar were Adoniram Judson and his wife Ann; they started their journey by ship from United Sates of America on February 19, 1812 and arrived on July 13, 1813.[11] In the mind of Myanmar people, Adoniram Judson is the most important person the one who work hard the most for Burma people. Though there are some others missionaries beside Judson, there is none like him in term of his mission approaches and contribution.

4.      Profile of Adoniram Judson

Adoniram Judson, Jr. (August 9, 1788 – April 12, 1850) was an American Congregationalist and later Baptist missionary, who served in Burma for almost forty years. At the age of 25, Adoniram Judson became the first Caucasian Protestant missionary sent from North America to preach in Burma. His mission and work with Luther Rice led to the formation of the first Baptist association in America to support missionaries. On September 19, Judson was appointed by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions as a missionary to the East. Judson was also commissioned by the Congregational Church, and soon married Ann Hasseltine on February 5, 1812. He was ordained the next day at the Tabernacle Church in Salem.[12]

a.      Judsons Mission Approach

Judson used various means in his approach to mission, such as literacy, personal evangelism, educational mission and medical mission. Judson and his wife learned first Burmese language from a Hindu Scholar who left in July 1815 and later he found a new teacher, 47 years old Burmese native U Aung Min. Judson began to translate the New Testament into Burmese in January 1816. He also produced pamphlets, religious tracts, and booklets for his mission. He completed his translation of the entire New Testament into the Burmese language on July 12, 1823. This printing of New Testament was completed on December 19, 1832. The translation of entire Bible into Burmese was completed on January 31, 1834 and the first copy of the whole Burmese Bible came out of the Press on December 29, 1835. Judson also produced English Burmese dictionary which was completed in 1843. His commitment to literature was one of his great achievements to bring the gospel to the Buddhists.[13] In 1819 U Naw was baptized by Judson and the Lanmadaw Baptist Church in Rangoon was build and called later U Naw Baptist Church in honor of the first Christian convert in Burma. The first school was opened by Ann Judson in 1821 and in the same year the first medical missionary Dr. Jonathan Price and his wife also arrived from USA. [14]

His mission target was to win the Burmese King in order to convert him to Christianity. He hoped that the conversion of the King would pave the way for the people to become Christian but he fail and changed his method to others. Judson learned Burmese culture and wore a yellow gown in Yangon to indicate that he was a religious teacher, as were the yellow gowned Buddhists priests. He built a small zayat (public gathering) in Burmese fashion near public road where pedestrians and visitors could stop and hear the gospel. The Zayat then become a place where he could converse with visitors. He held first worship service at Zayat on Sunday, April 4, 1819 and fifteen adults and some children came for worship. Judson had so many visitors at the Zayat that he did not even have time for study. Even though Judson changed his mission approach he did not gain many converts from Buddhism. As he remarked later, “To gain a convert from Buddhism is like pulling the tooth of a tiger.” Judson and the Baptists missionaries began focusing on education in mission activities. They established mission schools. In 1823 the Burmese king invited the missionaries to settle in Ava, the then capital of Burmese king in Mandalay. The King was very much impressed by Prices medical skills and requested him to stay in Ava, the capital city of Myanmar. Medical work became one of the great contributions of early missionaries in Myanmar and medical practice was a great instrument of evangelism at that time.[15] Soon after their arrival at Ava the first Anglo-Burmese war broke out and Judson and Price were taken into imprisonment.  After 18 months Judson was released to act as interpreter in the Anglo-Burmese peace talks.[16] Adoniram Judson was unforgettable powerful man of God for the people of Myanmar for his contribution toward Burma Society, his mission approach or strategies are applicable even in the status quo, the way how he changes his mission method when he fail in doing missions is one of the best example that he left for the modern missionary.

b.      Adoniram Judson's Missionary Principles

• He devoted himself to fully grasping the language and making the message of the Gospel (especially the abstract terms that that involves) understandable to the people of Burma.
• He began to print tracts and Scriptures in the language of the country.
• He worked on faithfully even though it took him six years to win his first convert.
• He even visited a Buddhist service to learn how the meetings were conducted.
• He tried to gain the approval of the Emperor to preach the Gospel in his country, but when that was refused he carried on regardless as best he could.
• He recognized the importance of having a complete Burmese Bible that would not have to be revised within a few years.
• He translated from the original Greek and Hebrew, not from a translation.
• He saw mission work as a job for life, not for only a few years.[17]
• He adopted the customs and way of thinking of the Burmese.

5.      Church Growth in Myanmar

By 1852 the Baptist Mission work in Burma was forty years old.  During this period Burma has passed through the three Anglo-Burmese wars.  First Anglo-Burmese war from 1824 to 1826 brought Arakan and Tenessarim under the British control. With the second 1852 to 1853 Lower Burma was added to the British section and the remainder of Burma came under the British rule in the third Anglo-Burmese war of 1885.  These wars and political changes caused hardships as well as opportunities for the missionary work in Burma.  During this period the church was consolidated in many areas.  Missionary convention was held and ideas on methods of evangelism were discussed.  Medical practice or the establishment of dispensaries was included as a means of evangelism.  The use of tracts in evangelistic work was considered to be of great use.  They also agreed that preaching should be held at stated times in the chapel, or in the rooms used for the chapel, but that this formal preaching should be supplemented by preaching in the zayat and from house to house in the villages.  Another important discussion was that there were then 117 churches connected with the Burmese and Karen Missions, with a membership of some 10,000 converts.  Yet there were only 11 ordained pastors.  Besides 11 pastors there were more than 120 national workers. So the ordination of more pastors was recommended to serve every church.  Also the need of more mission schools was also felt.  During this period the new Baptist compound was also secured in Rangoon and the center office was shifted from Moulmein to Rangoon again. The Burma Baptist Convention comprising all the American Baptist related Christians was organized in 1865 and was resolved to meet annually to transact business and to have fellowship with one another.[18] In spite of Christian persecution, the church in Myanmar grow rapidly by the grace of God that there are now more than three million Christians in Myanmar, making up 6.2 per cent of the population, compared to just 4.9 per cent in 1983 and it became the second largest population among others religious groups.[19] As mentioned early, Christian in Myanmar mostly belong to the ethnic minority groups and face a lot of persecution from the Buddhist Nationalists, sometime Christian are not allowed to worship, destroy the secret place such as where the Christian erected the crosses and the hull areas.[20]

6.      Christian Challenges in Myanmar

• Christians in Myanmar have not found a way to communicate the gospel in a way that Buddhists readily understand. Therefore, we need to find a way to distinguish clearly between the teaching of the gospel and some Western accessories of Christianity. We must show grace and love in action.
• ·         To make the gospel accessible, it must be presented in Burmese thought forms of life. This does not mean compromising the Truth; rather it is being sensitive in presentation when providing evangelism tract.
• ·        Poverty, sickness, separation, alienation and deprivation are rampant among the people of Myanmar. The immediate needs of the people include: Where can they find the next meal? How can they avoid sickness? How do they get a job? How do they escape oppression?
• ·         Until the Church understands the Buddhist mindset, they will not be able to play a significant part in the culture of Myanmar.
• ·         All missionaries and expatriate Church leaders left Myanmar since 1962. Thus the training of national leaders for the churches is crucial to bringing the kingdom of God to the country.
• ·         There are no employment agencies. Many people leave the country to work in neighboring countries. Installing Job Training Centre or Multipurpose Training Centers would be helpful to provide employment opportunities to young people in Myanmar and abroad for their lifes career.
• ·         Burmese Buddhists are hospitable and generous by nature. Charity is a very strong value in their worldview and its ministry therefore to the Buddhists can be one of a good means of evangelism.
• ·         There are many social development programs established by the intellectual Buddhists. Being involved in social work as a Christian is acceptable service for the Buddhists
• ·         Churches in Myanmar, geographically remote and politically isolated, have long felt the pain of isolation. Christians in the country need to cooperate with churches abroad in witnessing gospel to the Buddhists.
• ·         Medical work and educational ministry in small villages are still an effective means of evangelism to the Buddhists.[21] There are many more Christian challenges remaining in Myanmar, however those mentioned above are the major challenges that facing by Myanmar Christian today that need to give immediate respond.

7.      Prayer Requests

• ·         Pray for the government to allow freedom of religion so that the church will be deeply involved in mission and evangelism to the Buddhists.
• ·         The military regime seeks to destroy Christianity (which it calls “the C-virus”), yet faith keeps spreading.
• ·         Christians are generally kept out of positions of power and influence. Military campaigns against Christian minorities are well publicized, and over 3,000 Christian villages have been burned out in the last 10 years.
• ·         Churches are not given permission to register and are thereby considered illegal and subject to harassment.
• ·         The expulsion of foreign Christian workers in 1966 left a young church to cope on its own with little mature leadership or infrastructure. Adversity, persecution and isolation have helped shape a resilient, enduring faith.[22]
• ·         Pray for ongoing civil war between ethnic aims groups and Myanmar army, so that there might be peace, reconciliation, tranquility, equality in Myanmar.

Conclusion

There are several missionaries, who also came to Myanmar at the same period of Adoniram Judson and contribute their effort to the Myanmar people, however they work in a particular place and people that their name are not much describe in term of writing history of Christian missions in Myanmar. Adoniram Judson is the key person who motivated the people of Myanmar and revives the people both in spiritual and civilization. He contributed a lot to Myanmar society. It is interesting to study the history of Christian missions in Myanmar formerly known as Burma, because it teach the important of contextualization and how to do mission among others people and country and enrich the knowledge of Mission strategies. There are many missions’ methods and approach that used by Judson in Myanmar still applicable and appropriate to apply in the present context.

Bibliography

Bailey, Faith C.  Adoniram Judson: Missionary to Burma 1813-1850. Chicago: Moody Press, 1955.

Bawi Lian Mang, and Salai Za Uk ling. Religious Persecution, A campaign of Ethnocide Against Chin Christian      in Burma. Canada: Chin Human Rights Organization, 2004.

Dengthuama, and Theodore Lim.  An Overview of Christian Missions in Myanmar. Myanmar: Tahan Theological             College and Seminary, 2016.

Johnston, Julia H. The Life of Adoniram Judson: Missionary to Burma. Toronto: Publishers of Evangelical   Literature, 1887.

Internet Sources

Gin Tawng, Htoi. The Growth of Christianity in Myanmar, Posted on May 22, 2010. http://htoigintawng.over-            blog.com/article-the-growth-of-christianity-in-the-myanmar-50861672.html Access on January 13, 2017,             (2:00PM)

Gledhill, Ruth.  “Number of Christians in Myanmar growing in spite of threats from nationalist Buddhists”,             http://www.christiantoday.com/article/number.of.christians.in.myanmar.growing.in.spite.of.threats.from.n            ationalist.buddhists/92259.htm Access on January 13, 2017.

Ngun Ling, Samuel.  “A Voices of Minority Ethnic Christians in Myanmar”   http://www.cca.org.hk/resource/ctc/ctc02-02/ctc02-02e.htm Access on January 2, 2017. (9:00 AM Hours)

Za Go, Khup.  “A Brief History of Christianity in Myanmar”, https://sialki.wordpress.com/the-stories-of-zomi/a-            brief-history-of-christianity-in-burma/ Access on January 13, 2017 (1:35 PM Hours).

Myanmar Population 2016, http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/myanmar-population/ Access on January   2, 2017. (10:00 AM Hours)

Myanmar Economy, https://www.britannica.com/place/Myanmar/Economy Access on January 4, 2017. (10:00 Hours AM)

What type of government does Myanmar have? https://www.reference.com/government-politics/type-            government-myanmar-850127c4b3bee6d0# Access on January 13, 2017.

Myanmar country profile, http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/myanmar.htm Access on January 2, 2017 (9:30 AM Hours)

Prayer Challenges for Myanmar, Operation World.

History of Christianity in Thailand

   History of Christianity in Thailand

By

Za Biak Cung Nawl

 1.  Introduction

Thailand is one the most beautiful land among the Southeast Asia countries due to its historical place and beautiful beach and mountain, valley and decorated it capital city. Thailand became a country of the world tourists interesting place to visit in the world, especially its capital city Bangkok was regard as one of the most beautiful city and comforting place among the Southeast Asia. The former name of Thailand was Siam, in 1939; the kingdom of Siam changed its name to kingdom of Thailand. Christianity comes in to Thailand through the European colonizers especially from the Portuguese invasion of Southeast Asia in the beginning of 16^th century, Roman Catholics are the first pioneer who bring the gospel into the land of Thais or formerly known as Kingdom of Siam. After around 250 year of Catholics missions, protestant missionaries are also arrived in Siam. Therefore, the aim and objective of this paper is to investigate the origin of Christianity in Thailand and the pioneers of Catholicism and protestant church in Thailand with Geographical, socio-political, economic and religious information or profile of the country.

2.   Demographics of Thailand

The population of Thailand is about 67.2 million. Out of this, 36% reside in Central Thailand, 32% in the North Eastern Thai or Isan or Lao region, 8% in Northern Thailand and another 8% in Southern Thailand. [1]Thailand covers a land area of 513,115 square kilometres (198,114 square miles), extends about 1,620 kilometres (1,007 miles) from north to south and 750 kilometres (482 miles) at its widest point from east to west, or approximately the same size as France, with a coastline of approximately 2,700 kilometres (1,143 miles) on the Gulf of Thailand and 865 kilometres (537 miles) along the Indian Ocean. Life expectancy at birth: male 73.83 years; female: 76.33 years; total population 71.45 years (2012). Official language of the country is Thai and the capital city is Bangkok.[2]

a.    Political Condition

The Thailand government is based on a constitutional monarchy quite similar to that of the United Kingdom, in which a Prime Minister serves as head of a parliamentary government and a hereditary Thai king functions as head of state. This form of Thailand government has been in place since 1932 following nearly 700 years of outright rule by various lines of Thai kings; the current Thai King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Aduyadej (Rama IX) is the reigning monarch of the Chakri Dynasty that has ruled Thailand since the fall of Ayutthaya and the founding of the Rattakosin Era. The widely revered Thai King serves as spiritual leader of the country as well as head of state, but wields no outright political authority. The Thailand Government is formed by a coalition of political parties headed by a Prime Minister.[3]

b.    Religious Condition

About eighty-five percent of the people are Theravada Buddhists, and the monarch must be a Buddhist. Thai Buddhism, however, is a syncretic religion that borrows from earlier animistic beliefs, Hinduism, and Christianity.[4] Approximately ten percent of the population is Muslim, primarily ethnic Malays in the south. Although Christian missionaries have been active in the country since the nineteenth century, only about one percent of the population is Christian. The Christian population consists primarily of non-Tai ethnic minorities in the north and ethnic Vietnamese and Chinese. There are small numbers of animists, Confucianists, Taoists, Mahayana Buddhists, and Hindus.[5]

c.       Social condition

Thailand’s population is relatively homogeneous, with more than 85% speaking a Tai language and sharing a common culture. This core population includes the central Thai (33.7% of the population), northeastern Thai or Isan (34.2%), northern Thai or Lanna (18.8%), and southern Thai (13.3%). Thailand is also a multi-ethnic country with more than 30 distinct ethnic groups, including the Chinese (about 14%, mainly Min and Hakka), engaged in business and commerce throughout the country, Malays, in the southern peninsula near the border, and Khmers, all along the Cambodian border. There are also numerous hill tribes, living primarily in the mountains of the north (Akha, Hmong, Karen) but also in northeastern and central lowlands (Kui, Mon), and in southern Thailand (Moken, Semang). Official language of Thailand is Thai.[6]

d.      Economic Condition

Thailand’s economy remains export-dependent, with exports accounting for 60% of a GDP that stood at roughly Thai Bakh 7.7 trillion (approximately USD 270 billion) as of 2008. This positions the economy of Thailand as the 2nd largest in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia, a distinction it has held for many years.  Thailand’s exports, worth approximately USD180 billion per annum, consist primarily of agricultural products, including fish and rice, the latter of which Thailand is the largest exporter of in the world, as well as textiles, rubber, automobiles, jewelry, and computers/electronic appliances[7].

     3. History of Christianity in Thailand

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Thailand in 1518 and they were allowed to open a Christian mission. In fact the Thai king gave a large donation to build the first Christian (Roman Catholic) church in the country. English traders who arrived in 1612 were agents for the East India Company and were more interested in building a factory than a church. Under King Narai, who was interested in the West, European missionaries and adventurers exerted considerable influence at court. However, when King Narai died in 1688, members of the government, fearing the missionaries proselytizing efforts, killed or expelled all Westerners from Thailand. It remained a closed country to the Europeans for the next 100 years. In 1780, King Taksin allowed French missionaries to enter Thailand, and like a previous Thai king, helped them build a church.[8]

     a.      Arrival of Catholic Missionary

The first catholic missionaries to Thailand were Dominican fathers or Friar Hieronymus of the Cross and Sebastian of  Canto, they arrived in Ayutthaya former capital city of Thailand in the year 1567 and they were killed only two years of missionary work in 1569.[9] Franciscan missionaries first arrived in 1582, and the first Jesuit reach Thailand in 1607. By 1662, there was a Christian community of roughly 2,000 people in Ayutthaya, served by 1 Spanish and 10 Portuguese priests. In August 1662, Paris Foreign Mission or Missions ÉtrangEeres de Paris (MEP) sent three missionaries to Ayutthaya, including Pierre Lambert de la Motte, who was an apostolic vicar as well; and in 1664, a second apostolic vicar, François Pallu, also was sent to Ayudhya along with a group of companions. Also, in 1664, the French missionaries in Ayudhya held a synod in which it was agreed, among other things, to open a seminary.[10] Those mentioned above are the main catholic pioneer missionaries in Thailand.

    b.      Catholic Church Growth

In 1669, a papal bull, Speculatores, was issued giving the apostolic vicars full authority over all Catholics in Ayutthaya, which they had not had before. That same year the mission opened its first hospital, and in the ensuing years the work of the mission prospered so that by 1674 there were roughly 600 Thai Catholics. There were many more Catholics of other nationalities in the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, including Vietnamese, Portuguese, and Japanese Christians. In 1688, however, the apparently pro-Catholic King Narai of Ayudhya was deposed and the new king, Phra Phetracha, engaged in a severe oppression of Christianity. From that point onwards, the church suffered under several periods of repression and Catholic missionaries were closely regulated in their work. Matters improved with the establishment of the Chakri Dynasty in 1782, and in 1785 King Phra Phutthayotfa (Rama I) invited Catholic missionaries to return to Thailand. Catholicism began to grow, slowly, with about 2,500 Catholics in Thailand in 1802 and roughly 3,000 by 1811. In 1838 Msr. Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix was consecrated as bishop for Thailand, and in 1841 the Vatican established the Mission of Oriental Thailand, including Thailand and Laos with Pallegoix as its apostolic vicar.[11] By 1875, the Thailand Mission had roughly 10,000 Christians, 20 European missionaries, and 8 Thai priests. From this point onwards, the mission's work continued to grow rapidly. In 1885, it established its first modern Western-style school in Bangkok, Assumption College. St. Louis Hospital was founded in 1898. After 1910, Catholic work began to spread quite rapidly into new areas of the country, particularly in northern Thailand. Catholicism in Thailand expanded in a number of other ways, including the establishment of many new dioceses, and the entry of numerous religious orders. In 1965, the Vatican established two archbishoprics in Thailand, Bangkok and Thare-Nongaseng, and in 1983 Archbishop Joseph Kiamsun Nittayo was consecrated by Pope John Paul II as Thailand's first cardinal. By 2005, there were roughly 300,000 Catholics in Thailand.[12]

     4.      Arrival Protestant Missionary

Ann Hazeltine Judson, the wife of Adoniram Judson was the first missionary who brings the gospel of Jesus Christ to Thai people in Myanmar. Ann became interested in the Thais prisoners of war and began to work with them. She studied the Thai language and translated a Burmese catechism into Thai; the Baptist Press in Sarampore, India, published her work in 1819. The first Thais believer was Moung Shway-pwen, a young man converted to Christianity in Myanmar through the work of Mrs. Ann.[13] The first Protestant missionaries who arrived in Thailand were Carl Augustus Friederich Gutzlaff, a German medical doctor and the Rev. Jacob Tomlin, an English man from London Missionary Society arrived on August 23, 1828. After three years of labor, a Chinese, Mr. Boon Tee, was converted to Christianity, and then the two missionaries left for China due to inconvenience, because, Edict of Religious In toleration in October 1730, that stated 1. No Christian literature can be put into Thai and Pali languages. 2. No one is permitted to teach the Christian faith to the Thai, Mon and Lao peoples. 3. No one is allowed to convert the Thais, Mons, and Laos to Catholicism. 4. No one is allowed to criticize the Thai religion.[14] As mentioned above, the first protestant missionary who first encounter with the Thai people are Mrs. Ann, Carl and Jacob, hence they could be called as the pioneer of the protestant Christianity in Thailand.

  a. American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM), Missionaries

Jointly supported by the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches in America sent out their first American missionary to Thailand, David Abeel, M.D; he reached Bangkok on June 30, 1831. Dr. Abeel’s initial work involved the distribution of medicine and Christian books to Chinese boarding ships returning to China. His failing health forced him to leave Thailand permanently on November 5, 1832.

Charles Robinson, Stephen Johnson, and their wives arrived in Bangkok from America on July 5, 1834. Johnson focused on the Chinese. Robinson concentrated his work on the Thais. In 1836, Robinson printed the first publication in Thailand on a wooden and stone press brought from Singapore.

Dan Beach Bradley, M.D., and his wife arrived in Bangkok on July 18, 1835. He is described by Wells as the greatest American Board missionary and the one who served longer than any other missionary to Thailand; his term of service lasted thirty-eight years. Dr. Bradley opened a dispensary and began treating people with all kinds of illness. He treated up to one hundred patients a day; most were of Chinese descent.

A most influential American Board missionary was Jesse Caswell. Caswell arrived in Bangkok with his wife in 1840. Caswell’s relationship with Prince Mongkut significantly contributed to Thailand’s tolerance of the Christian faith. The work of the American Board ended in December 1849.[15]

    b.      American Baptist Missionaries

John Taylor Jones, D.D, and his wife reached Thailand on March 25, 1833. During the approximate time of Jones’ arrival, significant progress was being achieved in the international relationship between the United States and Thailand, resulting from the first American treaty between the two countries. This resulted in protection for the Protestant missionaries who were residing in Thailand. In July 1835, William Dean, D.D., arrived in Bangkok to work with the Chinese of the Chiew dialect and assumed the Chinese work started by Jones. Jones concentrated on the work of translation and was credited with the first completion of the Thai New Testament translation in 1843. Dean was recognized as the first church planter to organize the first Protestant Church in Thailand. The church had eleven charter members, three of whom were Chinese. Dean was the first pastor of the church. After five years of mission work in Thailand, they gained a significant number of converts and had thirty to thirty-five Thais regularly attending Sunday worship services. The first Thai Baptist Church was organized in April 1861. By 1867, after thirty years of missionary effort, the American Baptists had won and baptized a total of forty-five converts. In 1882, the number American Baptists had grown from fifty-three members to an approximate total of five hundred members. By 1893, the work of the American Baptists, practically, came to an end due to a lack of missionary reinforcement.[16] By looking at the activities of ABM, they are more successful than ABCFM.

    c.       American Presbyterian Missionaries

The American Presbyterian Church formed their own missionary agency in 1837 and sent out their first missionary couple to the Chinese, Robert W. Orr and his wife. Orr was stationed in Singapore and visited Thai-land in the fall of 1838. Upon his recommendation, the American Presbyterians started a work in Bangkok in August 1840 with the arrival of William P. Buell and his wife, their first missionaries to the Thai people. Buell was able to master the Thai language. He preached in Thai and witnessed to local Thais, using Bibles, Gospel tracts, and Christian books. However, as a result of his wife’s failing health, they returned to America on February 24, 1844. Thus, the work of the American Presbyterians was suspended. According to McFarland, the work of the American Presbyterians really began three years after this suspension on March 22, 1847 with the arrival of Stephen Mattoon, his wife, and Samuel House, M.D. Mattoon became the first United States Consul in Bangkok. After nine years in Thailand, the American Presbyterians were still struggling to gain even a single convert. Missionary reinforcements began to reach Thailand in 1858 with the arrival of Daniel McGilvary and Jonathon Wilson and his bride and, in 1860, with the arrival of Samuel G. McFarland and N. A. McDonald and their wives. Hence, began the transition in Thailand’s missionary history from the pioneer to the expansion era. These new additions were permanent additions to the missionary force in Thailand. Wells describes these new laborers as “consecrated men and women of vision and In September 1878, the first Presbytery of Thailand was organized with four members: Mattoon, House, McGilvary, and Wilson. The true pioneers of the American Presbyterians were the Mattoons and the Houses. From the base of the Presbytery of Thailand in Bangkok, Protestant Christianity spread out in every direction.[17] Due to the perception of Thais on Christianity, many of protestant missionary were not very successful in their mission, the Dr. Chansamone Saiyasak “The Thais people thinks Christians as colonizer, who want to change Thai culture, literature, religion, and etc.” Most of the missionaries served to the Chinese rather than Thai, due to edict of religious in tolerance. As already mentioned, most of the protestant missionaries are medical missionary. Therefore, medical ministry is more emphasis rather than evangelizing.

  5.      Mission Strategies of Protestant Missionaries

1.      Personal Evangelism, Preaching the gospel

2.      Bible and literature distribution

3.      Providing medical treatment and caring the sickness of people

4.      Educational ministry, educating people

5.      Bible Translation, printing and Newspaper[18]

   6.      Church Growth in Thailand

After World War II there were lots of new missionaries coming into Thailand. Overseas Missionary Fellowship (an international and interdenominational Protestant Christian missionary society with an international Centre in Singapore) was one of the agencies that deployed many missionaries in Thailand. Most of these workers went to places and people where the gospel had not been shared. This was tough work but fruitful as churches were established in more places throughout Thailand. After 1975 the migration patterns changed and rural people started to migrate to Bangkok. Along with Buddhists migrating into the city, Thai Christians were also migrating. The Christians shared their faith and started churches in the city. Most of the churches started in Bangkok since 1975 were started by migrants, among migrants. Migrants are more open to the gospel and other changes. At the same time ethnic minorities in the mountains were opening up to Christ in significant ways. The growth of the church among these minorities has been twice as fast as among the Thai. These animist peoples faced lots of pressure on their way of life due to communism, war and modernization. The gospel has spread through families and clans. The most significant factor in someone becoming a Christian is a family member who has already been converted. Many who have believed in Bangkok have taken the gospel back to their villages. This trend is increasing at this time, especially as the ease of travel to and from Bangkok is improving. According to Christian protestant population statistics in 2014, there are 407,685 members in Thailand.[19] By seeing the church growth in Thailand it was only after WWII that the church in Thailand was started to growth rapidly.

    7.      Present Missional Challenges of Thailand

   Since Thailand is predominantly Buddhist country, evangelization of the Thai people is one of the biggest missional challenges for Christians. And it is hierarchical society that Thailand thirst social justice. Almost all the young people in Thailand live in worldly desire, spending time in the night club, addicted by drug and alcohol that they need to be free from such bondage. Thus, mission to the youth and establishing youth ministry is the challenges that Christians have for the youth of Thailand Socio-economic and political corruption hit Thailand for many year, in order to destroy corruption social justice gospel is need for the people of Thailand, that is the challenges.[20]

   Though the constitution of Thailand give the freedom of religion in the country there are still discrimination against religious minority in the mindset of the major Buddhist, in order to settle down such problem, Christian have the challenges to make inter-faith relation and peace between the religious groups.

·  Most of the earlier missionaries in Thailand fail to win the soul of Thais people to Christ due to lack of knowing social and cultural context of Thai people, the missionaries could not contextualize the gospel in Thailand, therefore, process of evangelization was too slow. Hence we have a great challenges to know about the social and cultural, historical background of the people in order to approach the Thai people and bringing them to Christ.

8.      Prayer Request

The people of Thailand are in very need of Christ now, therefore we have to pray for them that, Christ may reveal himself through his followers in Thailand, Christian, so that the entire people of Thailand may became to know Jesus Christ and accept him as their personal savior and LORD. Let’s pray for evangelization of Thailand, youth of Thailand, the Christian in Thailand so that they could stand as an example for their Thais friends and win the people of Thais for Christ through their example living.

9.      Conclusion

By looking at the church history in Thailand, the first pioneers of Christianity in Thailand were Catholics, and second protestant. Catholics missionaries are more successful than Protestants. Most of the Protestant missionaries were not much successful in their mission due to edict of religious in tolerance which announce by king, most of the protestant missionaries were only allowed to ministers among the Chinese inhabitant. The first Christian in Thailand was mostly Chinese rather than Thais. Medical missionaries are more in numbers than evangelical ministers that is one of my observations that made slow to grow Christian population in Thailand. However, the main reason that hampers evangelization process to Thais people was their perception of Christianity as, colonizers, foreign religion, difference culture and etc. and lack of missionaries understanding of Thais context and fail in contextualization of the gospel was also one of the causes that led unsuccessful mission. However, it was by the grace of God that the church in Thailand was rapidly growth in term of members and spirituality after the World War II through the missionary enterprise such as OMF and others.

Bibliography:

Evers, George.  The Church in Asia. New Delhi: ISPCK, 2005.

Saiyasak, Dr. Chansamone. The History of Christian Interactions with Buddhist: Thais during Pioneer Protestant             Missionary Era in Thailand, 1828-1860. Belgium: Evangelical Theological Faculty's Doctoral             Colloquium, 2003.

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