Myanmar Update

The congregations and individuals of the PRC have been interested and very supportive of the work of the Council of Hope PRC in Myanmar. What follows is an update concerning our continuing efforts to promote the Reformed faith in that far-away land.

Each month Hope’s Myanmar Committee reports to the Council about the catechetical instruction and Heidelberg Catechism preaching that Rev. Titus is conducting in his congregation in Yangon. Our pastor, Rev. Laning, plays a pivotal role in this work. He does this by providing outline materials and suggestions about how to present these materials in his regular contact with Rev. Titus. The May Myanmar Committee report indicated that they are up to Lesson 13 in Book II of Old Testament History and Lord’s Day 32 in the Heidelberg Catechism. Think about that for a moment: half-a-world away fellow members of the body of Christ in a third world country are receiving the same instruction from the Word of God that we and our children receive in the preaching and catechism. By the way, if the opportunity arises you might want to ask Rev. Laning if the people in Rev. Titus’ church take a summer break from catechism.

While most of our work has been with the Yangon Protestant Reformed Church in Myanmar, we also desire to assist in providing for the spiritual needs of the PRCM congregations in other areas of the country. Recently we have approved the purchase of CD players for some of these congregations. The plan is to use these CD players as a means to have Rev. Titus convey to the members and office bearers of those congregations what he is learning from Rev. Laning. A number of those congregations have expressed an interest in receiving this instruction during mid-week meetings. This sounds easy enough, but it’s not. Concerning the distribution of CDs containing the precious teachings they desire to hear, Rev. Titus explains: "About CDs, except raining season, May to September, easier to find travellers, according to each tribes, somehow they gather in one particular place. I need to go such kind of place and ask, then find one who happy to carry CDs. Only raining season, the roads are block by landslide, not much people travel. That is the best way we do for Chin Hill. But for Kyangin, very easy, every night three buses come and go, we send CDs with those buses."

The CD program explained in the preceding paragraph is a direct benefit of the trip to Myanmar of Mr. John VanBaren and Rev. Laning last December. The laptop computer that was purchased for Rev. Titus has the capability of "burning" CDs. Thus that computer (and the instruction given to Rev. Titus concerning its use) serves to expand the witness of the Reformed faith in that far-away land. Incidentally, about the laptop Rev. Titus writes: "Laptop works very well, and I am loving to use it than desktop, and now I find small component attach to laptop through USB so that I no more need to use the extra keyboard for various Burmese words… So I like laptop very much and the Bible programme, I always read and study there. Thanks for equipping me with these very useful tools."

As for equipping Rev. Titus with these "very useful tools," money from "The Pastor Training Fund-Foreign Lands" has helped with that. This fund of our synod is specifically designated for the training of ministers and office bearers in foreign countries, and has been very helpful in a number of areas of our work in Myanmar. In a recent Council inquiry to the Contact Committee (assigned by synod to provide oversight of this fund) concerning our use of these funds, they wrote: "It is our understanding that you can use these funds for expenses involved in training Pastor Titus and other men. We believe that the uses you mention such as computer, internet hook up, etc. fit this purpose."

Until next time, keep the Council of Hope, Rev. Titus, and the saints in Myanmar in your prayers.