It was a considerable honor that our small team of four young women was allowed into the nation of Myanmar (also called Burma.) This closed country has been ruled by an authoritarian military regime known as the Tatmadaw for nearly 50 years. The regime suppresses all expression of opposition to its rule. God has been whispering to me personally about this nation for over a year, and it became a beautiful mystery in the hearts of the four of us leading up to our trip. We knew that Myanmar was known for its ongoing conflict, but we possessed very little knowledge about the actual land or people. As soon as we stepped off the plane into the capital city, Yangon, we felt the peaceful magic surrounding our sandaled feet clicking on the marble floor. If you have read The Chronicles of Narnia you will understand what is meant by ‘Aslan is on the move.’ Aslan is on the move in Myanmar.
Directly east of India, sharing The Bay of Bengal, Myanmar is one of the poorest nations in Asia and has the highest recorded numbers of active child soldiers. Children in armed conflict, the lack of education and closure from the outside world are all results of military rule. However, this nation’s devotion to Buddhism has placed an immense value on humility and respect for others. Never have I had so many doors opened for me and umbrellas held over my head by strangers. In urban areas, especially the capital city, effects of the Tatmadaw rule seem almost invisible, but if you stay long enough you will begin to notice the deep oppression hidden in the hearts of those who are being ruled.
I was struck by how soft-spoken the Myanmar people were. The more I spoke with them, the more I learned that these quiet words and gestures weren’t all out of respect, but rather a sad result of many years of oppression. Uprisings against the Tatmadaw since the 1980’s have been crushed with an iron fist, leaving citizens disillusioned, displaced and hopeless. It seems as though many of the people do not believe they have voices or have forgotten that their voices are valuable. The people of Myanmar are thirsty for freedom and have the humility to listen, creating fertile soil for those who go to share Christ.
Although there is much suffering, Myanmar is called ‘The Golden Land.’ One look at the thousands of luminous golden pagodas that are sprinkled all over this nation and you will understand why this name has been given. I believe that the naming goes much deeper – God himself has crowned Myanmar with this title, and He is going about making it happen. I would play a game as we walked the cracked city walkways – smiling as wide as possible as at many people as possible. I loved doing this because the joy would instantly suffuse the golden faces around me. I could not out-smile the people of Myanmar.
These people are an expression of God that longs to meet its full potential. Jesus dances and cries over the Myanmar people as they quietly live with their loud stories in their hovels, temples and streets. I learned many lessons of deep love and grace during our time in Yangon. One of the most distinct was when I was sitting next to a Buddhist monk. God spoke to my heart that he was just as madly in love with the Buddhist monk worshipping Buddha as he is if the monk turned and worshipped Jesus.
During a long conversation over tea with new friends in Myanmar, we began to discuss just how much this kind of grace and acceptance is needed, especially among the church. All three of our friends had become believers in recent years and after hearing about this need they almost laughed. They questioned how one could know Christ and not know grace. As we described the dismal repercussions of legalism that seem so prevalent in the Western church, we realized just how well these believers grasped and understood the entire point of the Gospel. I left that conversation incredibly encouraged to share the truth written inside of me knowing that my brothers and sisters across the world claim it as their freedom as well. Aslan is truly on the move the world over.
