You might have known the situation of my country, the military coup in the country on 1 February 2021, and arrested all leaders and put them to jail. Opposition to the military coup, all hospital workers, all government workers stopped working and formed the Campaign of Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) and the civilians joined People Defense Force (PDF). The military forces killed thousands of civilians and tortured and put those who opposed them to jail. The military forces burned down after clashes the whole villages with helicopters and many churches as well are burned.
The population in Myanmar is estimated to be over 53 million, of which 87% is Buddhist, 4% Muslim, 5% Animist, 1.5% Hinduism and 4.5 % Christian. There are more than 100 ethnics groups in Myanmar. The largest people group being the Burmese. Being the majority with 33 million people, the Burmese usually form the religious, political and economic leadership in Myanmar. Culturally, to be Burmese is to be Buddhist, therefore only 4.88% of Burmese are Christians. The country of Myanmar is split into seven divisions and seven states having 135 people groups the main ones being Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon, Bamar, Rakhine and Shan. Persecution is very prevalent in Myanmar. Churches are under constant watch and are often pressured to conform to cultural norms and expectations. The importing or printing of religious materials is prohibited.
Christians suffer persecution at the hands of Buddhist leaders in Myanmar. Local government officials, especially those in rural areas, show bias towards Buddhist leaders. This means that Christians, who often happen to be both religious and ethnic minorities, are often discriminated against. Christians who come from Buddhist, Muslim and tribal families experience this persecution within the home because family and community see their conversion as a betrayal of the family and of the community. In most public schools before classes begin, all students (including non-Buddhists) are required to recite a Buddhist teaching or prayer. Converts are discriminated against in a number of ways making live very difficult for many Christians. Meanwhile, the mission situation in Myanmar is undergoing a process of change. The rise of nationalism together with the resurgence of indigenous beliefs and practices has made it much more difficult for evangelization. ‘The fields are white for harvest…’ but there is a need to find those who will take up the challenge to reach the nation for Christ. The church however rejoices in the challenge faced and looks forward with assurance that God will sustain whatever the future brings as He has proved His faithfulness in the past to those who diligently follow and serve Him. Hope Christian Church’s mission fulfils an important role in the ongoing work of Gospel presentation in Myanmar.
