Myanmar (MNN) — April was a tough month for believers in Myanmar.
Officials released more than 3,300 people from prison, including a Baptist pastor, in mid-April to mark the Buddhist New Year. On the night he was released, police re-arrested the pastor, his wife, and a Christian colleague.
It is not an isolated incident. “This re-arresting of innocent people, like this pastor and other Christian leaders, has been a practice they’ve been doing ever since the coup,” AMG International’s Brian Dennett says.
“The intent is to cause fear and insecurity among the church congregations and local citizens.”
Junta leaders believe the Christians have power and influence over their villages and congregations. Four days after the Buddhist New Year arrests, Myanmar’s army attacked a Christian-majority village.
“[At] two o’clock in the morning, they dropped the bombs, injuring many [and killing] a Sunday school teacher from an AMG church and a child. That teacher’s mother was also injured; [she] lost her leg in the bombing,” Dennett says.
“This is the second time they’ve targeted this village since January. They want to show people they have power over your life and that only when the population submits and obeys the government will there be hope for them.”
The Light ASEAN Hostel focuses on meeting the deepest spiritual and physical needs by providing aid, relief, shelter, and educational support for displaced children from Myanmar.
(Photo, caption courtesy of AMG International)
Pray for AMG International as it provides help and hope in the name of Christ. “Every time we reach out, we are looking to share our hope in Jesus,” Dennett says.
“The hope is not in any government, particularly not this military junta, and we also meet their very deep physical needs.”
You can financially support AMG’s work here. AMG and its church partners are supporting a refugee community from Myanmar in Thailand.
“We have built homes and a school and are attending to people’s medical needs [through] a clinic. It’s a bustling, busy community,” Dennett says.
“One thing we’ve had a particular concern for is all the unaccompanied children and youth. These are kids who have been separated from their families and are living alone in this refugee community,” he continues.
“We are trying to expand and build more housing for these kids and a school. We already have one school there, and we need another desperately.”
Header image depicts tanks associated with the Myanmar military. (Wikimedia Commons)
