Stories of Pain and Provision from Myanmar

People in Myanmar experiencing crisis and displacement want to encourage you. 

They want to open their hearts to you to share how they have seen God working. And they want to do this even as they continue to face daily injustice, destruction, and loss in their own lives.

On February 1, 2021, Myanmar’s military staged an attempted coup and detained democratically elected leaders, leaving Myanmar in a state of chaos. Airstrikes, gunfire, torture, and arson are continuous occurrences with millions of people displaced, thousands killed and tens of thousands arrested, charged, or sentenced by the military. 

The cruel actions of the Myanmar military have had catastrophic physical, emotional, and socio-economic impacts across the country. One Myanmar national writes, “Running away from the conflict and being displaced in the jungle brought so many challenges to each of us… We did not have enough food, water, or medical supplies to survive in the jungle… We felt like our lives were already [over] because most of our houses were destroyed by the artillery, and some of our relatives were killed during the conflict.” 

Jobs lost, homes destroyed, families separated, loved ones arrested or killed, humanitarian aid denied—these are realities for countless Myanmar civilians at this time living under the military regime. In such a protracted state of distress and trauma, one might expect Christians in Myanmar to give up on their belief in a loving God who cares for them. Even for those who haven’t faced this type of violence and injustice, it’s not difficult to imagine the feelings of disbelief and hurt that undoubtedly accompany trauma like this. 

And yet even as their country is experiencing so much tragedy, story after story has surfaced from Myanmar Christians that reveals their persevering belief that God continues to work in this crisis—that he continues to provide rivers in desert-like conditions.

Hearing these stories of bold and defiant faith became the catalyst for publishing a book called Desert River: True Stories of Pain and Provision in Myanmar. This book contains firsthand accounts of how believers in Myanmar have seen God’s faithfulness displayed in their lives. And found at the heart of these accounts is the inspiring resilience of the book’s contributors, as they continue choosing to trust in God’s character, even when all life circumstances seem to discourage it. 

Below is an excerpt from Desert River that further portrays the heart of the book’s contributors:

“Through their stories, the authors claim that they have experienced a ‘desert river’—a place of God-shaped life, growth, and change in the midst of desolation. This term is taken from Isaiah 43:19, which says, ‘Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert’ (ESV). It’s hard to believe that one can experience life and provision in the face of tragedy and overwhelming destruction. And yet, these authors claim that they have seen it, that they have been to the water’s edge. They claim that a desert river is there even when sight, smell, taste, and touch declare it is not.”

Not all the stories in the book are from Myanmar’s present situation or related to conflict, but in each story, we see the authors’ choice to reflect on how God has been faithful in their lives—both in the past and the present—as well as their choice to share these experiences as an encouragement to others.

One of the book’s Myanmar editors writes, “I want people to be in awe of God when they read this book. I want them to clearly see how good God is, and how much he loves our people.”

There is so much to learn from people around the world living through crisis. The sharing of their stories and wisdom is such a gift. What a beautiful opportunity it is to be invited in to receive this gift. In closing, below is another excerpt from Desert River—a direct word of encouragement to you from a Myanmar national currently living through a country-wide crisis.

“Dear friends, what burden are you carrying in your life? Is it a job? Is it health? Is it livelihood? If you can’t fix it yourself, don’t despair. Put it in God’s hands. Remember that God can do all things. God will give you peace and depth of life… I want you to believe that God has great love and a great plan for you. I pray for all of you readers to receive God’s joy, peace, and hope in your life. Amen.”__________________________________________________________________________________

Everflow: Su L. N., Nay Dar, K.T. Par, N. San, Soon Tar Ni, Lian Sandy, Allison McKnight, Kalina Davis

We are a group of like-minded volunteers who believe that God is still active and moving in Myanmar. We are a team of eight—six of us are from Myanmar and two of us are from North America. It is our prayer and desire to partner with God in what he is already doing and look for ways to physically and spiritually support Myanmar communities in crisis. 

Desert River has just been released and can be found on Amazon. All profit from the sales of the book will go back to Myanmar to assist conflict-affected communities.