Sooo I came out to Myanmar for Expeditions debrief with my itinerary saying 8 days. God had other plans. Let me give you the time line of the church God started here in Myanmar.
The morning I left my apartment to fly to Myanmar I heard God say he wants to plant a church during debrief. I didn’t know what that looked like, but I took it and kept my ears open.
-On the plane, Clint, the coach for the squad, asks me what I think God wants to do during debrief. I tell him somewhat hesitantly that I think God wants to plant a church in Myanmar. We counted up that we would have 5 fulls days in country. We share a laugh that said ‘What are we about to witness?!’.
-When I was filling out my visa app, it asked my duration of stay. I put 8 days, but as I was writing the number I knew in my spirit it would be longer.
-We get to Yangon, Myanmar and the first couple days it’s barely talked about. There is mention of being open to finding a man of peace, a local we could work along side and empower to lead the church.
– On day 2 of debrief we had an hour of contemplative prayer. I was sitting in the park and all of a sudden God dropped this word in my lap that the park is where the church will meet. I begin to walk around the park claiming the ground when I stumble upon this tree. The tree our church would be under. I walk up to it and almost begin to weep as I envision this church.
– I walk up to Clint and tell him I think I know where we are going to plant this church.
– From this day till the last day of debrief there isn’t any movement. I have to admit my spirit was full of expectation but my mind was full of uncertainty of this happening.
-The last day of debrief rolls in…
– At 9:30am Josie, a girl on the squad, is at the park reading her bible when this lady walks up, and asks if she is reading the bible. Josie replies with yes, and around that time these ants crawl all into Josies hair as she is sitting on the ground. This lady begins to pick out these ants out of Josie’s hair. During this time they begin to bond.
-At 11am our squad is meeting in the park. This lady walks up and shares with us how she ran into Josie this morning. She begins to share with us how she is a Christian. How she came to the park on a whim to kill time.
-Her name? Zion. Her desire? Evangelism. WHAT!?
-Clint asks her if we were to gather people in the park if she would be willing to share the gospel with them. She says of course and she will call her other evangelist friend. We agree on all meeting back at the park around 3 to start.
-Around 1:30 this random group rolls into the park carrying this beautiful white piano. Our first thought: that’s random. Second thought: Let’s help! We run over to give them a hand moving. Once the piano is placed we see that one of the guys has a shirt with Jesus on it. Are you Christians?? Yes we are!
-What are they doing there? Setting up a piano for a woman named Pyuh Pyuh. Who just happens to be the most famous Christian singer in Myanmar! WHAT?!
-She is filming a video around 3 pm. So she begins to usher the Spirit in this park. She begins to draw a crowd.
-I HOPE YOU ALL ARE LAUGHING BY NOW! This is just crazy.
-Around 3:30 we begin to gather a crowd to start our gathering.
– When we started I asked if anyone needed healing. A man raised his hand and came up to the front. He had pain in his side, we prayed. His pain went from a 10 to a 5. We prayed again and it went from a 5 to 3. He shares his testimony of the pain Jesus just relieved him of.
– From there we worshiped, danced, clapped, prayed for each other who had sick family members, and Zion and Ning shared the gospel and gave an invitation.
– A few people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We ask if we were to come back tomorrow and share more about Jesus who would want to come? Many raised their hands. We ask if we brought Bibles tomorrow who all would want one? Many raised their hands.
-’Okay’, we said. See everyone tomorrow at 3.
– In the crowd that day was Teacher Mang who had actually discipled Zion! He was excited to come back tomorrow.
-As I mentioned earlier this was the last day we were all suppose to be in Myanmar. The squad was leaving the next day to go to India and Clint and I were suppose to head back to America.
-BUT GOD HAD JUST PLANTED A CHURCH.
-We invite the squad to pray about some staying back in Myanmar to begin to disciple the people who are learning about Jesus. The offer goes out and myself and 4 others decide to stay for a couple more weeks. We didn’t want to leave these people as orphans after they just heard about Jesus.
-Our prayer in staying? Start discipleship and find a Burmese person to lead these people.
– The next day we show up at 2. Pray and sit at the park. Honestly wondering what we are even going to do when people come.
– At 3:30 Teacher Mang shows up and has brought friends to lead worship.
– Next thing ya know we have a crowd of 25+ and it’s a mix of new faces and ones from the day before.
– They lead worship, Lacey shares her testimony, and Mang gives an invitation. Again we said who wants to come tomorrow and hear about Jesus? Many raised their hands. Many also raised their hands to receive a Bible.
– Afterwards I walk up to Mang and ask him about his church on Sunday. He says he would like us to come. ‘Where is it?’ I asked.
-ITS IN HIS HOUSE! HE HAS JUST STARTED PLANTING A CHURCH IN HIS HOUSE! You mean this guy is planting a church? Their first official Sunday as a church was the previous Sunday. We’ve been praying and needing a man of peace to pastor these people. Wow.
-He then tells me that our group staying is crucial to this church planting. He explains how Myanmar people don’t often think outside the box and go out to the people, but our boldness is showing them new things.
-One guy who came that day was named Peter. I asked him if he had heard of Jesus before today. He says to me, “Oh yes, Jesus has appeared to him 4 times in dreams.” WHAT?!? He then explains each one of them to me.
-Starting today I am going to begin to meet with Peter, Ephraim, and Saul to disciple them. Three men who have come to our previous gatherings.
-Clint and I had wondered how God was going to plant a church in 5 days. God planted it in a few hours the last day of debrief. Wow.
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I wrote this time line up about 2 weeks ago. Much has happened since this point and I will post again here in the coming days.
He is claiming his people!
