Fighting the Good Fight
Thu Htoo Kyaw and Man Tok are the two Myanmar National Ministers currently serving in the Mandalay-Sagaing border region. We began partnering with them based on the recommendation of Ps. Ray Kar Naing. Through their faithful service, we have witnessed many people hearing the gospel and having their lives transformed. These two brave and resilient young men have a great passion for the mission. Their mission field is in the midst of the most intense battlefields of Myanmar. They have faced oppression and been forcibly brought into fighting to carry ammunition and weaponry. Despite these persecutions, the two young men did not back down and have successfully built a local church in the area. In December 2023, Thu Htoo Kyaw was arrested while going out to declare and share the good news to neighboring villages. The tragedy he faced is unimaginable. The video we have is the testimony Thu Htoo Kyaw himself gave when we visited him last March
There has been intense fighting between the Myanmar Military and the People's Defence Force (PDF) in the PaPo village (Man Tok & Thu Htoo Kyaw’s Mission Village) since 28th April. The fighting has resulted in the death of the 2nd Major of the Military, and the area is now occupied by the PDF. Many villagers are seeking shelter at the church. Every time a clash starts, all the church members and villagers come to the church for shelter. The church has to provide food and drinking water for them. The greatest challenge is that the food resources are running low, and it is not easy to send food to the village due to several military checkpoints and posts along the way. Thu Htoo Kyaw and Man Tok are doing their best to keep food available for the people seeking shelter. Ps. Ray Kar Naing is also trying to send resources as much as possible, even though it is difficult and dangerous. As the village is now occupied by the PDF, they have taken up positions just in front of the church and are requesting to sleep in the church at night.
This is the current situation in Papo village. The church building is at risk of being destroyed due to the ongoing intense fighting. Despite this, two young men have chosen to stay and protect the church. They are providing shelter to the church members and villagers, and through their actions, they are glorifying God.
Urgent prayer is needed for Thu Htoo Kyaw, Man Tok, and Papo village Mission field. There is still a significant threat from the military junta. If they find out that the church is allowing the rebel to stay overnight, it will create a huge problem for the church.
Church members and villagers taking shelter in the church building
