Myanmar Reports - October/November 2016

From the Council of Hope PRC (Grand Rapids, MI) come these two reports from Rev. Titus from the end of 2016 (October and November).

Monthly Report from Rev. Titus – October [2016]:

Dear, brethren

Greetings in our sovereign covenant Lord's name. I believed that for His mercy you are doing well in this cold winter there. Here still not changed, hot, I hope soon a little cold weather will arrive, that might be on December.

It was quite wonderful that, our covenant Lord controls all the affairs of our live spheres that in your country, the least except person was elected as your president. I tell you a funny story about that, in my country, almost all believed that Hilary will be elected, so many publication companies prepared so many books on Hilary, and as soon as the election result comes out they will sale those books, but the result is not as they thought, they do not know what to do with those books. For us who believed absolute sovereignty of our covenant Lord, we just smile at them.

Our country's peace talk with various rebels groups is still on paper because, at border area, especially Chinese border, all sorts of fighting going on again, to reach peace agreement is far away yet, only God can give us peace. And fighting with Islamist extremists also going on at Bangladesh border, Rakhine state.

But one thing, we benefit in new government is freedom of worship, which we treasure very much. Previous government we never felt that way. And one more benefit is loud-speakers sickening sounds, in previous governments, they backed Buddhism, so the monks used those loud-speakers, especially on Sunday, so loud that we even could not hear preaching. But in new government, a new law on sound decimal level, we can stay quitter as well as worship time. Last time, one of visitors from among you made a remark on too-loud Buddhist monks loud-speaker, "Its not a quite religion!" I fully agree on that, but now quite changed.

In His providence care we can still have Tuesday Bible class, and we still discussing "Essentials of Reformed Doctrine." We reached lesson 10.

I am still very busy, editing my KJV Burmese translation, I started editing the book of Philippians and I preached every week from out of that editing. And I reached translating chapter 15 of the book of Deuteronomy. Evening services Heidelberg Catechism, now I start seventh time of preaching on it.

And every week put out Sunday Digest, I am still translating "For They Truth's Sake" by Prof. Hanko, now I am still translating "The Image of God in Man," from the chapter of "The Covenant with Man." And I reached "Come, Ye Children," by Gertrude Hoeksema, "Two Spies Go to Jericho." Catechism classes, younger one, we started HeidelBerg Catechism, by Rev. Wilbur Bruinsma, this week we reach lesson 5. Older youth, I am teaching "Essentials of Reformed Doctrine, A Guide in Catechetical Instruction by Rev. Herman Hoeksema, Revised by Prof. Herman Hanko," we reached Lesson (27).

About my health, I start suffering, nervous breakdown again, so, I have to slow down half of my works, that suffering was obvious only in night time, trembling, sweating, dizzy, fear. I one time suffered quite the same, about 8 years ago. Please pray for my health also.

Thank you very much for supporting my ministry till today, without your help I cannot do all the things that I do for His people. Please, continues to pray for us, so that the name of the Lord will be glorified here in this land. I and my family also pray always for all of you and your families and congregations. The Lord's blessings to you all.

Your brother

Rev. Titus

Monthly Report from Rev. Titus – November [2016]:

Dear, brethren

Greetings in our sovereign covenant Lord's name, blessed Christmas to your all and blessed New-year. I believed that for His mercy you are doing well in this cold winter there. Even here a little cold now, I give thanks to our faithful Father in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Crookedness of our political system

Sometime, people wonder why we Burmese Christian interested so much in politic? There are good reasons for that, that is the crookedness of the system. I have to begin from 1950s. Our country got her independence at 1948 from British colonization. From that day till 1958 we had a very good democratic government and our country was the most advance country in Asia. And from 1958, the first military coup happened and every thing changed, at 1962 second military coup happened and all those progress and funs were just a dead history. After that the military government took Burmese-way-socialism, then every things dead, nothing was in progress. For that reason, at 1988 national demonstration broke out, and another more severe military rule started, the system of the rule is like this:

1) At the bottom, there is 10 homes chief, (whether in small village or town, or city)

2) then, 100 homes chief, so under this chief there are 10 lesser chiefs, so what ever happen to each family these 10 lesser chiefs must report to that chief.

3) then, county chief.

4) then, administrator.

Besides that, you have,

1) police, police detective department

2) secret-police department

3) military, military police, military anti-riot police

4) military intelligence

5) Socialist party cadre informants

So, what every you do in the backyard of your house, they are watching and ready to report and what ever confession they want they will torture you to made one. Then, you are sentence to whatever they want. So, you are all the time watched.

Besides, the military government blinded the people with so-called national solidarity, by false propaganda of, "Buddhist-Burmese race," so, like us not Burmese tribe, not Buddhist people were treated as second-class-citizen and ever area of life we are look-down.

Besides, all schools are government controlled, no private school, no Christian-Parental-school, no home-school. So, we all have to go to those government controlled schools where Buddhism prayer is every day duty, then we Christian people do not want to do, then teachers angry, we are looked as out-casts, many young children afraid to those Buddhist teacher, participated those religious things.

And at school, Socialist party came and by-force teaches Socialism to all youth, and we all must follow their instructions of military drill, and all sorts of rubbish things. I and some friends are so angry and did not want to do that, we are punished spanking with bamboo stick.

And all factories and businesses are controlled, you have no choice only what this "Buddhist-Burmese race" so called "Burmese-way-Socialism" government willing to give you, and you must work. And there were so much forced-labors as well, when the government people came and shout with a-loud-speaker, when you were in your bed, middle of the night, tomorrow one person from each house must come out to work for this and that, you have to go with your own, and work otherwise you are in big-troubled.

Besides, the government claimed that all the land of the country is government-own, so even if you have you own paddy-field from generations, that do not count, all your lands are government's, so crops you cannot choose to grow whatever you like, but the government prescribes this crop and that crop to grow, no talk-back to them, you will be put in jail and die inside. And after you grow, from the harvest you have to pay the government that prescribed to all the farmers. So, city people no escape from the government, as well as country side people as well, the only people enjoy life then was, the military chiefs and their associates. They became very rich by manipulating the people under the name of socialism and jingoism of "Buddhist-Burmese race."

Under that kind of rule, politic comes into even your bed-room, you cannot say what happen to politic, I have no business with them, because even what you eat they control. I remember, when we were young, we have to queue very early in the morning, at the so-called "co-op" shop, to have rationed rice. Though the leaders are too much to live luxuriously, we the people are every thing rationed.

The result was as many as can run away from the country they run-away to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Europe, America. But like us, who love the Lord and know we have to stay where the Lord put us, every day in a struggle, to escape from spies, to have enough food to survive. On Sunday, when we worship, every time worry, whether or not military police come, are we informed by our own neighbors or 10 home chief. When we send our children to school, will they be treated by teachers badly? We pray with tears all the time.

So, when the system is changed, by our Covenant Lord's providence, we are so happy, and so keen to know what is going on. And what more changes the Lord bring to us? we like to know. Not because, we are so much on politic, but as you see the system squeezed us so much.

Even now, the so-called 2008 Constitution was very bad, yet we can breath a little fresh air already from 2015 election. Now, the civil government is elected by the people, but all army, police, fire department, and crucial posts in the government are controlled by army still, e.g in the parliament 25% seats are army people, without election they come and sit there, to show-off army power. So, the civil government that lead by Lady Aung San Su Kyi, has to make a lot of twist and turns to cross-over all sorts of blocking make by army people. Yet, we have quite freedom of worship now for His mercy and covenant faithfulness. During those years, your friendship, your encouragement, your fellowship with us and all kinds of support and prayers are so crucial for our stand for the truth, we treasure them very much, especially by me personally.

In His providence care we can still have Tuesday Bible class, and we still discussing "Essentials of Reformed Doctrine." We reached lesson 11. I go quite slow, so that we can discus the material in our country's setting.

I am still very busy, editing my KJV Burmese translation, I started editing the book of Colossians and I preached every week from out of that editing. And I reached translating chapter 19 of the book of Deuteronomy. Evening services Hidelberg Catechism, now I reach LD 7.

And every week put out Sunday Digest, I am still translating "For They Truth's Sake" by Prof. Hanko, now I am still translating " A Particular and Unconditional Promise," from the chapter of "The Covenant with Man." And I reached "Come, Ye Children," by Gertrude Hoeksema, "Israel Wins the Victory at Ai." Catechism classes, younger one, we started Heidelberg Catechism, by Rev. Wilbur Bruinsma, this week we reach lesson 9. Older youth, I am teaching "Essentials of Reformed Doctrine, A Guide in Catechetical Instruction by Rev. Herman Hoeksema, Revised by Prof. Herman Hanko," we reached Lesson(30).

Since, I have translated "Essentials of Reformed Doctrine," and its explanation book, which I received from Rev. Kortering many years ago, the Lord willing, I will start translating a new book, "Unfolding Covenant History," by Homer C. Hoeksema.

About my health, the nervous breakdown, start recovering again, I sleep more, reduce a lot in reading, more talking with my wife and family. And eat some medicines which Doctor gives, for His mercy and your prayers fear at night milder now, there is still but not very severe as before.

Thank you very much for supporting my ministry till today, without your help I cannot do all the things that I do for His people. Please, continues to pray for us, so that the name of the Lord will be glorified here in this land. I and my family also pray always for all of you and your families and congregations. The Lord's blessings to you all.

Your brother

Rev. Titus