January 3-12 once again found IGo-MTM on the Matt 28:19 discipleship trail……go ye therefore and teach all nations. The country this time was Myanmar or better known as Burma. This country is made up of primarily 8+ different national nations (ethnic people groups). Myanmar is one of the poorer countries in the eastern hemisphere although it is rich with natural resources like gold, silver and precious stones. Due to reasons beyond normal societies control this wealth does not filter into the social economy. An average citizens daily wage is only approximately $.87-1.75 USD. Out in the country side most all of the people live in bamboo homes with grass thatch roofs. The country is primarily Buddhist with only 4% Christian. The Buddhist Shwedagon Pagoda is a good example of the wealth of this country. That pagoda is pure gold plated from the square base to the very top. It also contains 3,154 pure gold bells and 79,569 diamonds and precious stones.
The Myanmar Shwedagon Pagoda
There is a bamboo scaffolding around the pagoda to repair the damage caused by cyclone Nargis.
It is illegal for more then five (5) people to gather for a public meeting on the streets. But we had 42 pastors, evangelists, church planters and Bible students gather in the back room of a small Inn for the MTM Bible conference. The windows were closed and the curtains were drawn for security reasons. I am sorry but due to security reasons I can not post a picture of our dear brothers and sisters in Myanmar. Please pray that each of these dear students would not only be hearers of the word but doers of the word…and thereby taking the gospel to their own unreached people. Brother Lamar Stoltzfus traveled all the way from Lititz, PA USA to serve as a second teacher. He did a great job and the Myanmar students loved him. May the Lord richly bless brother Lamar for his labor of love here in SE Asia.
