A Missionary Story - James Kim in Myanmar

The Spread of the Gospel through Medical Missionary Work

By James Kim in Myanmar

Hallelujah! I arrived in Myanmar in 1996. I received most of my language training at Yangon Foreign University and collected information that was necessary to plant churches while I was attending an Assembly of God Church. In 1999, I planted a church in my own home with six members. Then it increased to 20 members. Since our house was so confining, we rented a building a bit distant from our house. As our church increased to 50 through the grace of God, I felt an irresistible challenge to start a Sunday school. However, it wasn't simple because Myanmar people believe mostly in Buddhism.

One Sunday a lady whom we evangelized brought eight children to the church. Normally we would be happy to see many new children. However, we weren't in a position to fully enjoy the situation. But we began a Sunday school service and left everything to God, and presently we have 30 members.

One time the parents of a certain child came to church and called his name loudly during a sermon. The parents obstinately took the child home while I was preaching to children. They felt that the children shouldn't go to church if the parents believed in Buddhism. However, the child was able to return to church after one of our church missionaries visited the parents and explained that we teach about God and how to respect parents.

The India Jina Missionary Association led by President Elder Kun Joung Lee of Yoido Full Gospel Church together with Professor Jong Myung Kang from Hanyang University, have been doing medical missionary work in Myanmar every year since 1996. In 1996 a monk from a temple came to receive medical treatment during the medical missionary outreach in Mandalay and Yangon. For the people in the mountain village of North Mandalay, it was the first time to receive such medical treatment.

During the first year of missionary language training, I realized there weren't enough books to read for missionaries in Myanmar. So I decided to translate and publish the Fourth Dimension by Dr. Yonggi Cho. The India Gina Missionary Association helped to purchase a computer to publish the books. Through these books, the people of Myanmar have learned to have faith and courage in knowing how to live in this present world.

There are many people wanting to see Dr. Cho. In Myanmar, Dr. Cho preaches on the air every Sunday morning and evening via Far East Network (FEN). I intend to translate directly from Korean to the Myanmar language instead of translating from English to Korean to broadcast in the near future. Eventually, we plan to broadcast through the Myanmar government TV network with the sponsorship of the Broadcasting Mission of Yoido Full Gospel Church (President/Elder Chang Yeol Lee). The Myanmar government expelled all foreign missionaries in 1963. The following year General Newin took political power until now. After the coup, it was a dark period for missionary work in Myanmar. The military government declared Myanmar a Socialist country with a national isolation policy. The government restrained themselves from taking on western civilization and resources and restricted people in Myanmar from going abroad. The missionary work here in Myanmar is being done under surveillance. It is impossible to work in the name of missionaries and pastors. Since the economy of the nation was going through a difficult time, the Myanmar government expedited the opening of the nation by declaring 1996 a visiting year. However, the nation is not settled yet as the university has been closed due to college student demonstrations.

Christians are persecuted as the influence of Buddhism increases. Please pray for the opening of Myanmar and for the victory of Christians who are persecuted here in Myanmar.