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7 years in Canaan

In late 2013, Me and my wife landed in Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta. Ei Ei was pregnant for almost 8 month. It was like landing on a planet Mars. Everything was new for us. We had to learn Language, try foods, practice new culture and tradition, and experience new systems. Our plan was to get some training and raise funds for our ministry in Burma, such as orphanage, missionary training and church planting. In 2012, the political movement was complicated in Burma. All Christians wanted to have democracy in the country from the military Junta. Persecution has been extremely hight for Christian and ethnic minorities. Our ministries have been reaching people who are blind and deaf, and we help people with politics, education, health, and more. We opened pre-schools in villages too. Many Buddhists and Animistic people follow Christ through our movement.


 We focused on Unreached, Undeveloped, Underserved, particularly Asho tribes for development and for Christ. In 2015, there were about 80,000 people who were able to vote for an Asho representative in the Government. We won the Asho people to Christ, and we wanted to have a representative who is Christian, who would allow us to worship in our houses, build the church building, do Christian activities, and run charities across the state-wide. The military blinded people and we opened their eyes through education ministry. However, the USDP (Military) party, became our rival. They have power and money, but I had people’s vote.


 During our trip to the US , I was labeled as an agitator. My people started going missing, were taken, and imprisoned. I myself, was imprisoned many times for being a Christian and participating in missionary activities. My sister, Neli, was imprisoned and five of our missionaries were missing. Some of our missionaries also ran to Thailand, Malaysia and India. My father ran to India and to Malaysia. In the election of 2010 and 2015, USDP- Mr. Hla Tun won and is still a representative of Ashi Chin in Magwe Division now.


 My wife and I believe that we need to remain in the USA for a little longer, until the situation calms down. Our passports and visas were about to expire. I visited to World Reliefs Atlanta and was referred to another agency and to another agency. We needed help for seeking asylum, but i didn’t know who can help us. We had no friends, we had no money. I was told that GAIN (georgia asylum and immigration network) can help. I contacted them and the process of my asylum application begun with them. However, i still need to prepare to put together about my case on paper in English. I was distressful because my English was not good enough to put my case/story together on paper. We prayed for asking God’s help. that I need someone to help me on this matter. God sent Travis Lacy, a missionary in Clarkston but now in Africa (Hope Remembered). After i put my story together, Travis help me edit in real English (mine was Bur-lish, Burmese English) and also connected with many more brother and sister in our life. Once the editing was completed, i submitted it to GAIN and they started looking for attorney who will represent us to the government for my asylum case.


 We stayed with a refugee family in apartment complex in Clarkston for a year. We did not have work permit, SSN, Driving license… so no job, no income.,…passport and visa was about to expire. How can we remain in US like this. My wife had to deliver baby soon but how? She had no pregnant medicate, no doctor visited. Would she deliver at apartment? We have HOPE in God alone. The family that we lived wanted us to move out since we could not pay for rent, foods and too crowed. When i looked at sky, it was too far to escape. And when i look at the ground there was nowhere to hide my distress. How can i encourage my wife? At night, we hold hands prayed, cried, and many secret tears fall. With doubts, our future was dark but with faith, we experience God Faithfulness. He never lates to send His people!!! Right people at the right times.

One day, a man show up in apartment we stayed. Mr. Craig Bertschi – attorney at laws (McRae Bertschi & Cole LLC) He told me that he will pro-bono for my asylum case. I was not sure what pro-bono was… am i to say thank you or how much i have to pay… no… don’t blame me because the lawyer i know in Burma- they squeeze out money from their client. After we have conversation, i can related that pro-bono is helping without charge. Craig help me out all my paper work, case, interview … not all that… there were more…

Craig understood my hardship. He provided us foods and he toke me to the Friday Morning Men group at DBC, where i found a group of Disciples. I got an opportunity to talk about myself. And they even gave me some money which was the first time i got donation! Some of those men become my potential partners in ministry. After the meeting, i was introduced to Nelson and Bayo Otiti, a Nigerian Missionary. He became a hero of my life too and through him, i got more brothers and sisters in the Lord. After 1 year, Bayo and Chris Hively helped me out of the apartment we stayed and get us our own apartment in Brook Haven, GA without charged, we stayed another 14 months there. We still couldn’t rent by our own for lack of proper document and money at that time. Craig helped me to get my Work Permit after 180 days of my asylum application submitted and waited about another 4 months for work permit approval.

My Attorney Craig helped me get my 501(c)(3) JMA Ministries, Inc as non-profit organization in 2014, and start ruled in 2015. Like other Refugee, we were not eligible for work, food stamp, medicaid but through our new non-profit organization God walk-through with us in the hardest times of our life. Bayo passed and we were sent a notice by the leasing office for termination of tenancy. ‘Are we gonna be homeless in a stranger’s land?’ No,God never allow. There is a man that i never met (but God work in him already) willing to support us for our rent after we needed to move from apartment where we stayed in Brook Haven. With his help, we moved to the recent home we were living today, the landlord family is missionary who serve in India. They allows us to rent and move in to their home on August 2016…and allow to use the property for our ministry! Amazing…is it not? God sent His People whenever we need help for His Glory. God lined up His people in our life for His Kingdom work.

Now, God has given us new brothers and sisters who walk alongside with us for our missionary Journey.   Some of you had take-care of us as our own parent. YOU ARE missionary, you have shown us God love, care and kindness. Through you, we feel love. Your words of encouragement, giving and sacrifice give us strength, hope and it keep us going. 

What happen with our Asylum Case…? After interview, i kind of scare to get a call from my attorney because i don’t what to hear bad news. On that day, my phone rang while i was holding. And I was paused, scared, and exciting at the same times for what he would tell me. My Attorney told me that my asylum has been approved. And we received approval letter from USCIS in the evening too … even though it took almost 7 years… God is faithful, God provides, and God never late!
What is next? I believe that God answer our prayers. He want us to work more for His Kingdom in United States and from United States. We praise God and We will obey for His Calling. 

Thank you for all who have been part of our Journey!

7 years in the desert

On this day, it was wonderful. No rain, but cloudy and warm. I walked on the the left side of the road that day, heading to the house of a friend. But no matter how nice the weather was, it didn’t change the fact that my family were in desperate need of small and simple things. Things such as water to drink and clean ourselves with, along with rice to cook for dinner and feed us all. Further more, we needed money to pay for the rent. The things we needed were simple. We just needed water, food, and a secure shelter.

Two weeks without a shower and no longer were there any clean water to drink; Nothing but chaos for our bodies and mind. On the way, I thought about different stories of my family’s past, looking for some comfort in my lonely walk. I hoped to ease the pain I felt as the burden of responsibility for my family weighed heavily on my shoulders. I thought back to how relatives and friends came to me and suggested that I go to another country for employment. They believed it was the best way I could support my family and the twenty-six kids who we were taking care of. I refused to believe that that was the only solution.

It didn’t bother me knowing the fact that I would have to walk about three hours to get to my friend’s house. My will and my hope to get help was strong enough to urge me on that path. So with that, my imagination surged forward.

‘Where is mom?’

The question I ask more than twenty times each day, especially in the darkest times of my life. But there she was. She who contacted the living God from her prayer room. And her prayer room, the place where neighbors threw their trash at night time, which was close by the railroad. It really makes you think, doesn’t it? Only some people, like my mother, are willing to get dirty to be able to get cleansed spiritually by God.

The kids, my parents, and my sisters were so dry, dark, and skinny. I knew that we all needed nutritious meals and enough clean water. But where could we get those? Our resources were limited, and it seemed like we almost wouldn’t make it.

The land lords never allowed us to rent after six months of contract. Sometimes, it was because of our extra large family; Too much kids worshiping the same living God. It was hard enough to pay at times, and on a few occasions, we would still need to pay double rent. But now, if we couldn’t pay by the next two days, we would have needed to move somewhere else!

Where were my friends? Where were my relatives? I needed their help desperately, but my mom would always say, “No, we don’t,” and she usually continued by saying,”Look at the above, not the problem.”

Morning and afternoon, we would follow what my mom had said; We didn’t ask for help and looked for our own meals.

The mornings were taken care of by my father, who went to the market to get free vegetables left to be thrown away.

The kids and the other parents also helped, as they would always take time from their afternoon on the roadside to scavenge and forage for some good-to-eat vegetables.

Even though the thought of going to work abroad was something I didn’t agree with, there was one evening where I seemed to lose all hope in myself. But without making any rash decisions, I sought wisdom from my dad. That evening, I asked, “Should I go abroad for employment, so I can support all of you here?”

To which my father replied,”You have clear vision and call, even if you go abroad for employment, God will bring you back home with bigger storms.”

And my mom continued, “Remember, the story of Jonah? There is no where to run from God,” She said. “No one is around us in the darkest hours of our life, but if we continue with faith, He will rescue us for his purpose. We need to be like Job. As for us, as parents, we are so blessed you serve the Lord.”

My mom always hoped for a better life year after years, praying in her prayer place, where she remained unseen. Six years and still, nothing had changed in our lives.

All my thoughts came to a stop when I realized I had already arrived to my friend’s house.

I knocked on the door.

My friend opened and welcomed me in. As I entered his house, I asked him for help. I had hoped as much as I could, but I didn’t receive any good news.

Before I left, I drank a cup of water and set afoot back home, restarting those three hours all over again. But after about forty minutes, I sat on a rock at the bus stand as the need to talk to God overwhelmed me.

“God, my father, now my family must move from our house if we don’t have the rent, and we do not know where to go. I don’t know where I can get the rent or a proper meal to feed everybody. My children are sick, hungry, thirsty, and need to clean themselves. We need your help, Lord. How can I lead and nurture these beautiful children without you? You keep so silent, Lord… I need the wisdom that you gave to Solomon. I need the vision that you gave to David,” I prayed.

In my head, God showed me the story of Moses and the people of Israel.

‘Forty years in the desert!’ I remembered. A two week journey but forty years…

And after Moses came the story of Abraham!

“Praise God, thanks be to God! But please Lord,” I whispered. “Not that long.”

The weight on my shoulders, gone. I felt refreshed. I wasn’t tired, but I had needed to walk about two hours more to get home…

The next day, the land lord brought some young men and threw out all our blankets, the kid’s clothes, the kitchenware, etc.

The kids were crying.

My mother and sisters kept all of them safe, but they couldn’t says words to encourage the kids because even they had tears flowing down on their faces as well.

At noon, we carried all our stuff and went to the nearest bus stand. When we arrived, we let go of the materials and let them drop on the dirty floors of the bus stand.

We all sat.

Silence clung over us like wet tissues. Even the kids were silent as they looked from one adult to the other.

But all kept quiet. All our words seemed to be stuck at our throats and they refused to be spoken.

Now four in the afternoon, I left the bus stand and headed towards no particular location. I just needed some time and an even heavier silence by myself.

As I walked back, I saw my family looking at me with hope and excitement to hear good news from me.

It almost broke my heart that I had no news, but I still tried to smile. I told them to pray and that God would send His angels to us.

At six, it started to get dark.

My baby girl asked me where we would sleep. I was going to carry her all night. Her bed would be my back.

My dad saw someone riding bikes from afar. I wonder sometimes. How did my father see them with his farsighted vision?

“I look up to the mountains-

does my help comes from there?

My help comes from the Lord, who make heaven and earth!”

Psalms 121:1-2

 

Fishing the souls

What tools do you have for fishing? What do we need to fish the souls? Jesus simply told his disciples that,’you can do nothing without me’. All we need is Jesus, isn’t?

Mission is the main word behind the Bible but you will never see the word of missions. However, for fishing the souls it is important to know the biblical strategy. Jesus told Peter that He will make him a fisher of men. Peter became the fisher of men since the day of Pentecost.

Would you interesting to learn from practical tools that i wrote, a book- ‘a complete understanding of missiology’. Please do not hesitate to contact me, if you want to receive the hard copy of the book.