Escalating violence could threaten progress

Cover & story image courtesy of
 Vision Beyond Borders.

Burma (MNN) ― Violence could threaten so-called "progress" in Burma. The country is under a state of emergency following rising unrest between majority Buddhists and minority Muslims in central Burma.

"It's just continual upheaval for the people over there, and there's little protection for them from their government," says Dyann Romeijn of Vision Beyond Borders (VBB).

At least 20 people have been killed and more than 6,000 driven from their homes in Meikhtila, Burma. The conflict began Wednesday after a disagreement between a Muslim business owner and Buddhist customers quickly turned into a rampage.

Mobs are setting fire to mosques, homes, an Islamic religious school, and many businesses as thousands of minority Muslims take to the streets in fear. About a third of Meikhtila's 100,000 residents reportedly follow Islam, and before the violence started there were some 17 mosques in the city.

Concern grows as the scene begins looking more and more like last summer's violence in the Rakhine state. Sectarian violence between the Buddhist Rakhine people and the predominantly-Muslim Rohingya killed hundreds and displaced around 100,000 people.

When asked if the Meikhtila unrest could develop into a similar situation, Romeijn replies, "Absolutely. That's always possible in Burma. There have been over 2 million displaced over the last 25 years-30 years of the civil unrest."

Over the course of his presidency, Thein Sein has ushered in a series of reforms to move the country toward democracy. But in trying to change the face of Burma, Sein continues to face challenge after challenge. Along with the current unrest in Meikhtila, there's been an upsurge in fighting between the Burmese military and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO).

Romeijn says that in recent days, "There were 2 churches that were burned to the ground in Kachin state, and there's been a lot of violence against the Christians."

Around 90% of the ethnic Kachin people are Christ-followers.

"Pray that that will have an influence on the Muslims, and the Buddhists, and the Animists, and those around them--that they will see the light of Jesus in the Kachin," requests Romeijn.

VBB works with partners on the ground in Burma to help refugees and orphans. You can help provide food, clothing, medicine, and the love of Christ by clicking here.

"Through all of the conflict and the genocide...it leaves a lot of orphans in that country, and so there's a lot of work to be done," Romeijn says.

Ask God to protect His people in Burma. Pray they would shine the light of Christ as they endure dark and troubled times.

"What the enemy means for harm, God can turn for good. Pray for protection for the people and that God would use that to reach many more," Romeijn asks.

Christians face systemic persecution in Burma

(Image courtesy Vision Beyond Borders)

Burma (MNN) ― Burma doesn't seem to have made as many advances as it first appeared in a year of change. 

This was the conclusion of The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) which released a new report last week. 

According to their findings, Christian Chin from western Burma are denied religious freedom and face coercion to convert to Buddhism. They're not alone. Dyann Romeijn of Vision Beyond Borders says, "The report is specifically about the Chin and the persecution that they face, but we're seeing the same things throughout all the ethnic groups in Burma." 

CHRO exposed a decades-long pattern of religious freedom violations and human rights abuses including forced labor and torture which has led thousands to flee their homeland.

Romeijn says along with the abused Chin are members of the Kachin tribes and the Karen. It's bad for everyone. "All the same policies that were in place before continue; the Kachin in northern Burma are being highly persecuted. About an additional 50,000 have fled into China. In violation of international law, China is forcing those Kachin refugees back into Burma where they'll be slaughtered."

The government is trying to change its public image and has made definite strides toward freedom. But there are dark shadows forming against the bright prospects, explains Romeijn. "We don't want to discount the reforms that have taken place, but at the same time, there's still a long way to go. The religious, ethnic and tribal groups are still being heavily persecuted."

That's been borne out in the 2012 U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report. Burma remains on its list of "countries of particular concern" (CPCs). The nation also sits at #33 on the Open Doors World Watch List, --an index of the top 50 countries in the world known for their persecution of Christians.

Vision Beyond Borders says their partners note frequent attacks that are gaining in intensity along the Thai-Burmese border. Oddly, this is the best hope for the Gospel. Their last team visited a Buddhist monastery where they saw clear evidence of community transformation.

Romeijn says, "The monks are seeing it's the Christians that are coming in; they're the ones who are helping to take care of these children; they're the ones helping take the refugees. We're supposed to be the church; we're to be Jesus' hands and feet. And as we do that, God uses the "good works before men" to glorify His name, and we're seeing openness to the Gospel even among the Buddhist monks."

That's where the real change happens. Romeijn sums it up by saying, "You can see some external circumstances change, but unless there is a heart change in a situation, there really is truly no hope for Burma."

More reforms, less progress for refugees

(Image courtesy of VBB)

Burma (MNN) ― In a tightly-controlled nation riddled with severe human rights violations, even the smallest of reforms is a step forward, right?

Perhaps.

But Dyann Romeijn withVision Beyond Borders is waiting to see how Burma's latest press reforms will play out for people affected most by the country's violence: over 500,000 ethnic refugees. The last time MNN spoke with Vision Beyond Borders about Burma's reforms, it was about the negative side effects inflicted upon refugees. Would press reforms cause the same problems?

"It's hard to say at this point," Romeijn states. "A lot of times the government is closing off areas where the violence and stuff is. So I don't know that the [refugees] would have access to the press. That remains to be seen."

The proposed press reforms are Step 2 in the government's 3-stage process to full media freedom. In the first step, publications were allowed to be released without prior censorship. Burma only has one independent television channel; the third step in this process would support the growth of private media.

Although Burma has come a long way over the past year, some issues still need to be addressed. Earlier this month, a UN Specialist assessed the situation in Burma, and while praising the country's progress, noted a significant number of human rights concerns. Romeijn says the governmental changes aren't trickling down to those who are suffering.

"The majority of people in the ethnic areas are not seeing any real change," says Romeijn. "We are encouraged by some of the reforms that are taking place within the mainstream. But again, those that have taken place so far have not affected the ethnic groups, so I don't know how much effect the press reforms will have."

On a positive note, the horrendous trials suffered by Burma's ethnic groups are working to fortify believers and further the spread of the Gospel. Approximately 70% of each the Karen and Kachin people groups follow Christ and proclaim Him as Lord.

"In those ethnic groups, Christianity is spreading; it's continuing to grow," Romeijn reports. "And through the persecution, what we're seeing is a strengthening of their faith. They're just resolute; they're becoming solid in their beliefs."

Romeijn says the biggest contribution you can make is this: prayer.

"That's probably the most important thing people can do," she emphasizes. "All the money in the world will not solve the problems in Burma. They're too deep.

"Only God can touch and reform hearts, and so it truly is through prayer that we'll see a change there."

You can help in practical ways too. Click here to collect items that can be sent to refugees in Burma, like toiletries and medicine. You can support a child or pastor in Burma by clicking here, or go to Southeast Asia on a short-term mission trip with Vision Beyond Borders.

Mission team visits church facing closure

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Romania (MNN) ― While Romania is no longer a communist country, the government may be dipping their toes back into its history of trying to control the church.

Legislation being considered by the Romanian government specifically targets smaller churches.

Patrick Klein with Vision Beyond Borders says, “The government is clamping down. They’re making it more and more difficult for the churches. There’s talk of even closing down churches that are under the number of 200 people.”

Klein says the threat of government slowly taking control may not be well recognized by the Romanian people. “People are thinking, ‘Well, it wasn’t so bad under communism. At least the government took care of us.’ They forget the oppression they lived under, and especially as Christians, what kind of oppression [they endured].”

Vision Beyond Borders sent a mission team of 10 people to Romania last week to work with a church that is under threat of being closed down if this legislation is passed.

Despite this threat, the church’s ministry is still growing and impacting Romania for Christ.

According to Klein who led the trip, “One of the elders in the church really has a heart for the gypsy people. His wife is actually from a gypsy background, so he’s really encouraged our teams to go out and minster to the gypsies. He said, ‘I really love these people. I want to reach them with the Gospel.’”

The team helped minister to the gypsy community, which experiences a great deal of discrimination. “There’s a minority of them that kind of have a bad reputation in Eastern Europe of being pickpockets and thieves, and so they’re really looked down upon in Europe and especially in Romania.”

Among the gypsy community, team members gave out clothing, vegetable seeds, and provided electricity for one woman’s house. They also shared the message of salvation, and five people accepted Christ as their Lord. The team set up a PA system and sang worship songs.

Pray for the Romanian church to continue impacting the gypsy population for the Gospel of Christ. Pray that the government of Romania will not shut down smaller churches.

Vision Beyond Borders will send out another mission team to Romania in September. They will build a home for the director of Haven of Hope orphanage which shares a compound with the church.

Burma reforms cause unexpected side effect for refugees

Mission Network News: "Burma (MNN) ― Global euphoria over changes in Burma isn't trickling down to the ones it should most affect: the Karen Christian refugees.

There's still a great deal of danger and  mistrust surrounding the camps, which prevents many of the Internally Displaced People from making their way back to home villages in the heart of Burma."

Read more...

EU to temporarily lift Burma sanctions

Burma (MNN) ― At a meeting this coming Monday, the European Union is expected to suspend sanctions on Burma for one year.

According to VOA News, the EU has plans to suspend all sanctions except an arms embargo for the next 12 months. The Associated Press reports the potential for another review by the EU in six months.

"It's a great step, the way that the sanctions were lifted. So that it does encourage more change and more progress," says Dyann Romeijn with Vision Beyond Borders. "I think that the whole consensus is that they'd like to reward the steps that have been made, but also to recognize that the steps that have been made are not enough for the sanctions to be completely lifted and ended."

Violence in Burma has been on a steady decline as the nation has welcomed more and more democratic reform, including the addition of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to parliament. Christians have been a particular target of genocide and other attacks in the past.

"There is still some violence and some persecution against Christians and some of the tribal groups, but even that is decreasing," notes Romeijn. "That needs to end for the sanctions to be completely lifted."

The world is watching now, and the Burmese government seems to be responding. Regardless of what happens, it will take generations for the Burmese people to heal from the oppressive, military rule they suffered under. Vision Beyond Borders remains cautious, but with the EU's close eye on Burma, change seems to be genuine.

Romeijn says the kind of turnaround exhibited in this next chapter of Burma's reform story can only be the result of years of fervent prayer.

"I truly believe that there's no other way this could happen," she says. "We've seen this kind of oppression in many other countries, and you don't see that peaceful transition, which is what people have been praying for."

Under the stipulations given for lifted sanctions, Burma will have to further decrease violence and increase rights. 

Romeijn believes the church will soon be able to tell its story of persecution, but more importantly, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, across the nation.

Keep praying for Burma as they travel down this new road to democracy, perhaps even to Christ. 

Christmas goes forward despite a time bomb in Burma

Burma (MNN) ― Christian civilians in Burma are facing deadly attacks. 

Those who manage to escape to Internally Displaced People camps have not found the safety they hoped for. There have been repeated attacks near one of the camps where Vision Beyond Borders works.

A recent report from one of their contacts indicated the team escaped a near-bombing. He writes, "We had two back-to-back trips to our orphanages. Just two days before we planned to go, we got the final 'okay' from our 'spy' Thai-Karen soldier to cross the river." However, one week prior to the visit, someone placed a time bomb on one of the boats heading for the camp.

The bomb destroyed that boat and others that were close by. The team took the threat to heart and planned a different route to get to the camp. Instead of doing the 2-hour boat ride and passing 4 Burmese Army camps, they drove 4 hours through the jungle to the river. From there, they carried the supplies to the boat and finally crossed the river to the camp.

VBB's contact goes on to say that two days before they arrived, the Karen and Burmese armies were fighting again. 

Gunfire and mortars could be heard in the dorms. "This was very frightening, especially for our girls and the younger orphans. Our leader called all the kids together in the dorm, and they all prayed while the fighting was going on."

Although there are more than 4,000 Karen refugees in this refugee camp inside Burma--mostly women and children, there were no reported injuries from the fighting nearby. While there, the team had an early Christmas celebration, and the children were thrilled to receive gifts and prayer.

Please pray that God will shine His light of truth on the situation in Burma. Pray for witnessing opportunities for every Christian this Christmas season. At Christmas, oftentimes people are more open and receptive to the Gospel than at other times. Pray for safety, too, for the teams working in the IDP camps. 

Clinton's visit has ministry hopeful about Burma reform

Burma (MNN) ― A couple of months ago, Burma appeared to be turning a new leaf. The brutal military rule had finally given way to a civilian government. Desire for reform seemed genuine.

That was October. In early November, several reports came in from Burma about attacks on Christians by the Burmese government.

The back and forth between true reform versus years-old genocide has been confusing over the past few months, and it's been difficult to know whether or not the nation is really ready for change. But a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has provided some hope.

Clinton is the first top U.S. official to visit Burma in 50 years. The Secretary of State had several reasons for her current visit, including a hope to see whether or not the nation is genuinely ready to change, to thus see if the U.S. could strengthen ties with Burma, to encourage the nation to sever ties with North Korea, and to urge an end to the country's genocide.

Vision Beyond Borders assists several refugee camps that are home to those who have fled Burma's ethnic cleansing. VBB's Dyann Romeijn says Clinton's visit is encouraging.

"They're not just talking about the changes that have occurred. They're also talking about more change that needs to happen, and that there needs to be an end to the violence and the ethnic cleansing that is going on," says Romeijn. "They're not just rewarding the government for the small steps that they've made, but encouraging them to take bigger steps to end the violence."

Still, after decades of painful oppression in Burma, could it really be ready to change? Romeijn says they're hopeful.

"We're cautiously optimistic that maybe there is change occurring in Burma. We have had opportunities to talk with our contacts there in Burma: they're cautiously optimistic as well," explains Romeijn.

"I don't think anybody knows exactly how this will go," she adds. "There are some changes. Aung San Suu Kyi has been released, and it looks like she will be running for office, and there are some encouraging things. But at the same time, attacks are occurring as well. So we're just cautiously optimistic."

If the government is ready for reform, it could mean a great deal of relief for persecuted believers. Romeijn says Aung San Suuu Kyi, a former Burmese leader and Nobel peace laureate, is rumored to be a Christian and may make it much easier for the Gospel to spread if she were to take office.

Change does seem to be in the air. The question is: how long will it linger?

At this point, Romeijn says the best thing to do is to pray. Pray for direction for the nation, its leaders, and ministry leaders. Pray that oppression would indeed be coming to an end. At the same time, pray for the safety of believers who are still being hunted by many. Pray that the Gospel would reign in Burma.

VBB has been working in and around Burma for years. To learn more about their outreach, visit visionbeyondborders.org.

Imprisonment, death threats won't stop believer from sharing Good News

Mission Network News: "Asia (MNN) ― Several months ago, a Vision Beyond Borders partner in a closed-access Asian nation was arrested. Seven months later, he was overjoyed for his time in prison. He was later threatened with death, arrested again, and now he continues to tirelessly share the Good News."

Read more...

Romania's Church Feeling the Bite of Legislation

Romanian Church service
 (Photo by Johan Koolwaaij)

Romania (MNN) ― Religious laws have been brought into play in Moldova since 2004, and it appears that the ideology is finally crossing the borders into Romania.

Patrick Klein with Vision Beyond Borders just returned from a mission trip to the Roma in Romania. He says their ministry partners have told them that in the south part of the country, "The Orthodox Church has been hiring thugs to attack pastors. Then also, we've heard that there's legislation in front of the Romanian government right now to close down any church that's under 300 members."

The type of legislation pending before Parliament bears some similarities to bills introduced in Moldova within the last seven years. However, there has not been a lot of coverage. Klein says if they go through without opposition, "It would mean that there's a lot of little churches that would be closed down that would no longer be able to operate. There's a lot of pressure from the Orthodox Church because they see the opposition from the Bible-believing churches."

If Moldova is the pattern followed by Romania, the future for smaller churches will be difficult. Registration in Moldova is required by law but has not always been easily available to smaller religious organizations. In fact, according to Voice of the Martyrs Canada, religious groups that apply for registration are often denied.

  

Additionally, unregistered religious groups cannot own, buy, or sell property, are not permitted to invite foreign citizens to the country, cannot officially hire personnel, and are not allowed to hold a bank account.

Registration--or the lack thereof--effectively ties the hands of traditional mission groups. If the smaller churches can't share the Gospel, there's a bigger problem on the horizon, warns Klein: false teaching. "We were talking to these religious leaders and we said, ‘If you have no assurance of salvation, how can you lead people in the church themselves? You're the one they look up to.' These men looked at us dumbfounded, then said, ‘Nobody knows if they're saved or not.'"

For now, the window remains open in Romania, and Vision Beyond Borders will work as quickly as possible. "As our teams go in, I want to see us reach out more and more, getting the Gospel out to more and more people to help strengthen these smaller congregations. I hope to see them grow. If this legislation passes, that any church under 300 would be shut down, let's do what we can to build up these congregations."

In the meantime, Klein urges prayer that God would prepare the Church for what's likely coming. "We could pray that this legislation would not be allowed to be pushed through, praying for the Romanian church to be strong, that we're standing with them, and we're committed to keep getting the Gospel in and trying to reach these people."

Communism Can't Stop Christ in Cuba

The spread of the Gospel is
 advanced when pastors are freed up
 financially to focus on their ministry.
 Vision Beyond Borders sponsorship
 program does just that.

Cuba (MNN) ― Like a piece of gold needs pressure and heat to become pure and refined, the church is experiencing incredible growth and maturity in the midst of communist oppression. This growth is partially due to Cuban pastors' increased ability to minister to more people. Financial sponsorships have given them that ability.

Vision Beyond Borders is actively involved in the lives of pastors leading Christians in Cuba. With the help of the Christian community, they are currently sponsoring 75 pastors. These pastors have responded with how the support has helped them in times of difficulty.

One Cuban pastor reports, ""After many trials with the construction of the church building, we prayed and fasted on many occasions. And finally they gave us permission to continue. This is only possible because God opened doors."

Another pastor says, "Those saved from the first and second trimester of the year is more than 8,000. The local church has more than 4,000 members, and we continue discipling and baptizing. Thank you for supporting us and praying for us."

None of this could have been done without the financial support of Vision Beyond Borders' sponsorship program. The needs of pastors, especially in Cuba, are great. A pastor in rural Cuba will make an average of $9.60 a month. A pastor in urban Cuba will make up to $20 per month. Most pastors end up having to work multiple jobs to support themselves and their families.

We as the church are called to "bear each other's burdens. "For those of us who have so much to give, God calls us to help our brothers and sisters who are struggling. The unique and compassionate love of Christ allows us to show this love to each other as well.

To help these pastors, Vision Beyond Borders states, "We hope that we would be able to ease the financial stress for the pastor to have the freedom to build their congregation, develop new ministry outlets, and focus on their community needs."

And the community needs are great indeed. The religion accepted by most Cubans is a combination of Catholicism and witchcraft. Many are closed off to the true message of the Gospel.

Sponsorship of a pastor not only encourages them, but also lets them expand their ministry and reach more of these people for Christ. God directly uses the sponsorship of pastors to expand the message of the Gospel and draw more people into His kingdom.

The evangelism opportunities in Cuba are ripe and the harvest is ready. But the need for more sponsorships is still there. Although Vision Beyond Borders already sponsors 75 pastors, there are four times as many pastors still needing financial support.

Please pray that the church in Cuba would continue to experience growth and maturity. Pray also for the pastors needing sponsorships to have patience and rest in God's provision. If you are interested in sponsoring a pastor in Cuba for just $25 a month, you can click here.

Burmese Diplomat Defects to U.S.

Burma (MNN) ― A high-level Burmese diplomat has defected to the United States, fearing democratic change in his country is stillborn.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Kyaw Win is seeking asylum. The Burmese junta repeatedly rejected his efforts to build bridges with the international community, labeling him "dangerous."

Cover photo: Burma's leader,
 General Than Shwe. Story photo:
 Burned-out Karen village.
 (Photos courtesy of Worldwide Impact Now)

Information from the Associated Press confirms this move came about because of his stand on reform issues relating to democracy, human rights, and individual liberties. The second-ranking official at the Burmese embassy in Washington, Win supported an investigation into human rights abuses against the ethnic minorities and warned against continued oppression.

Patrick Klein of Vision Beyond Borders says the timing is interesting. "What I'm reading is that a lot people are defecting from the military. The soldiers don't want to go into these villages and kill any more people. They've been forced to do it by the government, and I think people are starting to stand up and say, ‘We don't want to be a part of this. This is wrong, and we will not.'" That's about 15% of the military that seem to be of the same mind as the former Ambassador Win. 

Vision Beyond Borders partners with a ministry in Thailand that works in the refugee camps. Klein says they're "openly sharing the Gospel with these people. A lot of the Karen are coming to Christ because they see that it is the Christians who are really coming to their aid."

VBB ministry partners estimate that roughly 40% of the Karen are Christians. They're also the ethnic minority and are in the government crosshairs.

We asked Klein why the junta decided to eradicate the Karen. He explains, "They're living on land that the government wants because there are a lot of natural resources there. There's gold, there are gems and timber. Now, they're putting in dams because China needs hydro-electric power. Instead of compensating people and relocating them, it's easier to just go in and wipe out whole villages."

Aside from the obvious physical aspect of this genocide, there is also a spiritual side. Klein says, "From what I'm hearing, the generals are very involved in the occult, listening to astrologers and all these people, and they [the military] are just going in and wiping out the Christians."

Other reports coming to Klein's ears are worthy of war crimes investigation. Klein explains, "We've heard stories of [the military] going to the Buddhist children, giving them arms, and turning them against the Christians, [then] having the Buddhist kids go in and shoot these Christians indiscriminately."

Win says the military is on a campaign to silence "the voices seeking democracy, human rights, and individual liberties." That's no surprise, and it creates a backdrop against which hope shines brightly. As people are drawn to the hope of Christ, Klein says he's confident the Gospel will also spread. He shares about the commitment of a village evangelist they met on a recent trip. "He lost both of his hands and both of his eyes in a landmine that blew up in his face. Yet, he still goes around the village, sharing the Gospel with Buddhist people."

Pray for the strength of Christians to stand firm in their faith, despite the lawlessness around them. Pray that freedom will come to Burma. Pray for ministry opportunities for Christians to share their faith with others