Catapults and Clay Balls:
It has been many, many long years since as a child I held a rudimentary home-made catapult in my hand and my prey being any unsuspecting rodent in the vicinity of the farm where I was brought up.  Some windows may have somehow become broken around the same, but on that I plead the Fifth!

Mission International partners in Myanmar however have had to resort to this simple defence mechanism to protect their property.   On 1st February 2021 the Myanmar Military enacted a military coup detaining all elected leaders, this has caused demonstrations across the country bringing a severe crackdown, using live ammunition on the protestors killing more than 280 protestors and detaining more than 2500 people (at the date of writing).  Around 23,000 prisoners have been recently released from prison, creating havoc and fear in local communities, after being instructed by the military to burn the homes of any in opposition.

In order to try to protect their homes, especially at night Burmese citizens have had to employ rudimentary means, like the preparation of simple weapons such as catapults.  Groups of neighbours keep watch on their streets overnight hoping to fend off any unwanted suspicious intruders. One very telling comment coming from MI Myanmar partner was “We don’t have an army to fight for us to protect us, our army is fighting against us”.

Please continue to pray for Myanmar.   It is important that the democratically and duly elected government is reinstated.  Please pray for MI partners and the many Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering right now in Myanmar.

Hugh Henderson MBE
CEO Mission International
 


     
 
Simple Weapons:
 
The image shows one very simple form of defence that has been employed by Myanmar’s people in an attempt to protect themselves from those with ill intent.

The unsettling situation in Myanmar is causing fear and sleeplessness making the community very anxious, wondering if they will be next to be fire bombed or be ’disappeared’ in the night.   Arrests during the hours of daylight are officially recorded, but those that take place at night are not.  Many have been taken in the night and have not returned, some having been beaten to death whilst in custody.

During previous military coups Christians were targeted and so it is of great concern that already some Christian leaders have been arrested. Please pray that God will protect our brethren in Myanmar and that they can be faithful to God during this difficult time.
 
Fear on the Streets:
 
The public response to the Military coup has been immense.  Many thousands of ordinary  Burmese people have taken to the streets in protest to the ‘stealing of democracy’ by the military.  They see this action by the military junta as being criminal especially since Aung San Suu Kyi and the government won a landslide victory in the recent elections, and the international monitors were happy with the results.
 
 

Back to the village:MI partners in Myanmar who currently run a church and an orphanage there and have been responsible for helping so many during the Covid-19 pandemic are being forced to return to their Chin State village.  The pastor’s wife, children are going to travel backhome to Chin State very soon since it is becoming too dangerous for them to stay.  The pastor and a friend will remain to guard their house which doubles as a church and orphanage.
 
Help is required:If you can help the people of Myanmar during this difficult time then please donate on-line here:https://www.give.net/MyanmarProjects/oneoffYour support will provide basics of food and medical care during the course of the Military Coup as well as help those that are struggling because they have lost their jobs.Currently in Myanmar the hospitals, schools, banks and other government offices are closed.   Mission International has managed to find a way of getting funds to those in need.   Please help if you can.
If you would like to receive an email containing a video report from Myanmar then please get back to us at the office mail@mission-international.org