Myanmar 2012 to 2016
In November 2012, I visited Myanmar for the first time at the invitation of a local pastor. I spent ten days in Yangon. While there, I visited the home of the pastor who had invited me. We visited some other pastors who held church services at their homes. Some of them have adopted children from distant villages to provide them with an education.
We held a three-day seminar on biblical equality for men and women. This was a new message for the believers in this nation for, in their culture, men are considered superior, and women inferior. That view is still very prevalent in the churches. Some of the pastors had come from distant villages, which meant that they had to walk for two days and thereafter take a bus ride of 15 hours in order to attend the seminar! My book, "God's Perfect Design", had been translated into Burmese so everyone could take a copy home to study this subject further.
We visited a bible school for one day where I had a delightful time with a group of young students.Once again, we taught on biblical equality for men and women. After graduation, these students will go all over the country to teach and plant churches.
View More I visited Myanmar once more in January and February 2014. I spent around ten days in Yangon and held a seminar on biblical equality for men and women. It is such an important teaching for this nation where men are considered superior and women inferior, which has a huge effect on the way women are treated. View More
I returned to the bible school I had visited in November 2012. It was a real joy to spend an afternoon with the students teaching them on biblical equality for men and women. Some of these students were about to graduate while others are to continue their studies for another year.
I spoke at a house church, where I was warmly welcomed by the couple who lead it, and their children.
I also returned to the orphanage/house church where I had spoken in November 2012. This time, the number of children had increased from 12 to 22. They all seem to flourish. The couple who take care of them are truly amazing people. Their simple faith and trust in the Lord to provide for their daily needs is an example to us all. View More
I also went to a town in Northern Myanmar, called Lashio, which is approximately 100 miles from the Chinese border. While there, I held a two-day seminar on biblical equality for men and women. It was the first of its kind and the teaching was well received. I have been asked to return and plan do so sometime in 2015.
In January and February 2015, I returned to Myanmar once again, and visited a number of orphanages/house churches in Yangon.
Again, I held a seminar on biblical equality for men and women. The teaching was very well received and pastors intend to share this teaching in places beyond Yangon.View More
I also returned to Lashio where I held a seminar on biblical equality for men and women again. Afterwards, everyone received a copy of my book on biblical equality in Burmese, so they can continue to study the subject.
In January and February 2016, I visited Myanmar once more. This time, I visited three cities. The first one I spent some time in was Yangon. There, I held a seminar on biblical equality for men and women. I have written a bible study on this subject, and pastors were able to take copies of it with them, so they could study this subject together with their congregation.
I also visited Lashio again, where I held a another seminar on biblical equality for men and women. Again, pastors were given copies of my bible study on this subject, so they could study it along with their congregation. View More
I visited a city named Tachileik for the first time where, as in the other two cities, I held a seminar on biblical equality for men and women. Here too, pastors were given Burmese copies of this bible study on the subject for their congregations.View More
This ne
wly-built home is being used as a place of worship in a village just outside Yangon.
Some believers have gathered to celebrate the opening of this new little church.
Young and old have gathered for this special occasion.
I am very grateful for the opportunities the Lord has given me to serve Him.
So far, it has been very exciting and rewarding to meet so many of His people wherever I go, and to see hearts touched and changed. My prayer is that the stories above will encourage you to do and to be all that God wishes for you.
Loes Tam