At left: what’s left of the wooden cross that once stood above a prayer house; at right: Kenneth Chan Hmung, a national missionary faithfully serving the Lord

Dear Friends,

Let me tell you an amazing story that I learned from Kenneth Chan Hmung. (Kenneth is a Heaven’s Family-supported national missionary who faithfully seeks to win his mostly-Buddhist countrymen in Myanmar to Jesus Christ.)

Near the end of 2011, a group of Buddhist villagers demolished a Christian prayer house in Kenneth’s home village of Chindwe. After the attack, the group’s ringleader was suddenly stricken with total paralysis. As soon as his daughter heard the news, she immediately died of heart failure! These events filled the local population with fear, which soon turned to hatred towards the Christians and their God.

Then came heavy rains and flooding, which washed away most of the village’s crops. Next, sickness and diarrhea disabled everyone—except the Christians. Finally, near the end of 2012, the man whose home was used as a base of operations for those who destroyed the prayer house was mysteriously murdered and decapitated. His head was found inside his home on the family’s Buddhist shrine.

And the persecution continues. Local leaders and sorcerers of Chindwe Village continue to persuade many of the local people that the Christians bring very bad luck. They have convinced their people that the Christians are the cause of all their misfortunes, and that their continued presence will ultimately bring destruction to their village.

Their house of prayer destroyed, Kenneth and other Chindwe Christians now cry out to God in the jungle

In attempts to drive the Christians out, the villagers have also repeatedly cut off the electricity to Kenneth’s house to prevent them from meeting at night. But the Chindwe believers have responded to their persecutors in righteousness and love, and are standing their ground, refusing to retaliate or give in to intimidation. Just like their Lord, they have been reviled but are choosing to not revile in return (1 Peter 2:23). And, after seeing their godly testimony, some of their persecutors have given their lives to Jesus Christ!

Me (Jody) standing alongside Kenneth during a recent visit to Myanmar

Kenneth asks that we remember them always in our prayers. He says that many of the Chindwe Christians fear that one day the nonbelievers will attack them in misguided retaliation for all their misfortunes. Pray that they will continue to stand firm in their faith.

There are several worthy national missionaries, like Kenneth, who need monthly partners. Would you prayerfully consider linking your life with one?

On their behalf,

Jody Walter