A Dream Come True

August 4 was a very special day for us in Thailand. We witnessed something for which we have been praying for the last fourteen years! 

On that day in August, we celebrated the licensing of eleven Myanmar pastors and the registration of seven Myanmar churches under the Thailand Mennonite Brethren Church Association. Maybe that doesn’t sound very exciting, but that day was far more than simply the signing of a legal document—we believe it was a historic and prophetic day for the Church in Thailand!

During the past fourteen years, as we have worked with Myanmar churches in Thailand, we have seen how difficult it is for them. Because these people are from a neighboring country, they live as a marginalized people group within Thai society. Furthermore, Myanmar Christians sometimes face double discrimination because they are neither Thai nor are they Buddhist, which is the dominant religion. 

Over the years, as Myanmar believers have gathered for worship, we have seen how they often endure police intimidation and questioning because their churches are not legally registered. That reality has resulted in even more fear and uncertainty for these people, as many of them are refugees and undocumented workers who have fled their homeland in Myanmar because of civil war or economic hardship. 

I remember an incident twelve years ago when Joshua, one of our first Myanmar believers, was attacked with a machete by a Thai neighbor while we were at church. Thankfully, Joshua lifted concrete for a living, so he simply took hold of the machete and slowly twisted the long knife away from his neck until the agitated Thai man dropped it. 

Unfortunately, this kind of violence is not uncommon in Thailand. Fortunately, Joshua chose to forgive. Later, he said, “It was the first time in my life that I did not retaliate. Jesus loved his enemies, and knowing that gave me strength to pause, and to decide that I would spare this man’s life.” 

Indeed, forgiveness and love are the only foundation for hope and change, in both Thai society and in Thai churches. 

That’s why August 4 was so special for us. On that day, we witnessed a new beginning. The old narrative of prejudice was challenged when Pastor Bank, one of the Thai MB Conference elders, asked the Myanmar believers for forgiveness on behalf of the Church. He said, “We have not loved and protected you, our Myanmar brothers and sisters, from abuse, oppression, and the many injustices you have suffered as migrant workers here in Thailand. Please forgive us.”

Pastor Bank’s humility was unprecedented. As a Thai MB Conference board member, his declaration that we are all one body in Christ Jesus was revolutionary for the pastors and interns who were gathered there. “We must love and care for the foreigners and the oppressed in our country,” he told them. “It is not the teaching of Thai culture that we must follow, but the teaching of our Lord Jesus.”

In response, the Thai pastors all committed themselves then and there, before God and before their Myanmar brothers and sisters, promising to protect and serve one another as partners in God’s kingdom. By God’s amazing grace, we watched the Thai pastors humbly wash the feet of the Myanmar pastors and, in turn, the Myanmar brothers and sisters did the same for them. It was a dream come true. As foreign missionaries watching this moving exchange of confession and prayers of blessing, we were left completely undone. 

We witnessed Pastor Naat, a radical Thai evangelist and church planter, wash the feet of Pastor Janu, a Myanmar woman with the same gift set and calling. We watched them intercede for one another with deep emotion, not understanding each other’s language but understanding everything in the Spirit. As single mothers, both had a deep appreciation for how much the other had sacrificed for the Gospel. It brought tears to the eyes of everyone in the room.

It was an answered prayer and a dream come true. At that moment, Dave and I felt so thankful for the years of faithful partnership that we have experienced with our fellow missionaries, our supporting churches, and our national leaders in Southeast Asia. Those years of investment are now yielding the glorious fruit of a partnership of mutuality between the Thai and Myanmar churches. These two people groups are ready to serve together, in fields that are white and ready for the harvest!

PRAY

Please pray for the Church in Thailand, that intercultural partnerships would bring glory to God and lead to effective ministry. 

Pray also for Multiply’s partnerships around the world, that they would be characterized by humility, unity, and love.