History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Appendix 372
Asian Report
March/April 1993
21000 BY YEAR 2001
by Dr. Sai Htwe Maung
Burma, a nation of 52 million souls, is
ruled by military dictatorship for over 34
years. The Shan tribe is a minority people that
inhabits the Northern part of Burma, Northern
Thailand and South-west China.
The Shan have until recently exhibited
a natural resistance to Christianity. The few
who have embraced it have been shunned by
their communities. Despite the fact that the
first Christian mission was established among
them in 1861, there are still only 10,000 Shan
Christians out of a population of 4 million.
One of the biggest hindrances to the growth of
the Church is the lack of trained, full-time
Christian workers. Although there are close to
100 Shan Churches, many are without pastors
or trained leaders.
“The 21st Century Shan Mission Project”, was established in 1986 to combat this problem, to
train new evangelists and pastors, establish new Churches and to strengthen the Churches that already
exist. The project goal is to have by the year 2001, 201 evangelists, 201 new Churches and 21,000 Shan
believers.
In 1992, the short-term evangelists training program trained 19 virtually illiterate Shan people.
Seven of these “Barefoot” evangelists, as they have been dubbed, were sent into seven selected areas
and after only three months, many have given their lives to Jesus. In one small village alone, all 20
families accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. In another village under communist control, 19
communists were baptized by a courageous ex-communist who shared the Gospel with them.
In June 1992, 12 people were baptized in a small Buddhist village. One of the evangelists
reports that he was approached one day by a farmer who had lost his pregnant pig. “If your God is
almighty and can do all things,” challenged the farmer, “Can He find my lost pig? If you get my pig
back home, I will believe in Him..” The evangelist had no choice but to pray. A few days later, the pig
returned with four piglets! Four new Churches have been planted and another evangelism training
program is planned for 24 people in March.
Dr Sai Htwe Maung, a member of the Shan, has been working as a medical doctor in Hong
Kong for the past 13 years, while working on a voluntary basis with Asian Outreach. He has recently
finished a new volume of Shan Hymns and scripture readings, which have been printed by Asian
Outreach and are to be distributed among the Churches in the Shan territory. Plans are also afoot to
produce a copy of the Shan children’s Bible. Dr Sai gives his testimony:
“As a native Shan myself, I have a tremendous burden for the millions of people who have
never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, living and working in Hong Kong, I was unsure as to
what service I could be to the Lord in winning souls for Christ among the Shan. I prayed fervently that
the Lord would provide me with an opportunity to serve Him and He graciously answered my prayer in