In Deepest Darkness
(Warning: graphic and disturbing)
The LoveDefined Discipleship School in Myanmar has students from the age of 17 up to those in their 50’s. Its so powerful to see that the message spans across the ages with absolute ease. There is no “age gap” in the message of LoveDefined.
Cha Khu, a man in his 50’s, began our first class of students and although he is older, he took a position of being a student. He was humble and that really prepared his heart to RECEIVE deeply the love of God into his gaping wounds and horrendous pain of which we knew nothing about. Maybe it was God’s grace that kept this information from us.
As a child, around the age of 5, Cha Khu’s parents were tortured and killed in front of him by a group of militia. It is not uncommon for many people along the border areas of Myanmar to experience this kind of violence from the military or tribal militias. The stories continue even until the present. Several students had their families displaced or knew of people murdered because of tribal warfare just ONE WEEK AGO! All the families of our students are safe but there is much fear and anxiety because they have been forced out of their homes and villages. Imagine life like this!
Back to Cha Khu. After his parents were murdered, he was found by another militia, taken in and trained to carry drugs and supplies to other soldiers in the militia. Imagine this becoming your normal life as a child. As he grew older he was trained to kill, to use sexual violence against women and children, and to hate other people groups. His bitterness grew as he thought of those who killed his parents and as an adult he began to search for them to take revenge. Drug use was a part of daily life.
In time, he found those who murdered his parents. He prepared a group of men from his own militia to go with him and kill them. He took guns, hand grenades, and knives. When they arrived he was so filled with rage and revenge that he didn’t just want to kill them - he wanted to torture them. He stripped them all naked and took them outside in freezing weather. They were tied to a tree in the cold for awhile. They screamed for help but no one dared to help them from the village. He tortured them and then killed them one by one. His heart was so deeply troubled and twisted by the ravages of darkness and evil.
Drug use was a normal part of the militia life. (I imagine it must be to numb your heart and mind to all the violence, death, and evil.) One day, Cha Khu and his friend were doing drugs all day, they were out of their minds. His friend was married and had a small son. While high, he killed his own child. He then prepared him like an animal and cooked him. Together they ate him. (Even as I write this the tears are running down my face!) I cannot imagine the horror that must have overwhelmed them both when their drug stupor ended. And certainly the enemy was there with no restraint to create a coffin inside their own minds and hearts - to tell them they deserved only to die and if there was a hell, to burn there forever.
Cha Khu and his friend were arrested. The child’s mother went into a grief that few could comprehend. The father was sentenced to many years in prison. Cha Khu was sentenced to only a few months. His heart was now hardened and darkened in a way that felt absolute. Hatred and fear were his only feelings. No joy, no hope, no peace, no rest, no life.
While in prison, a pastor came and began to visit him. He introduced Cha Khu to Jesus. The compassion of this one pastor began to find its way into Cha Khu’s heart - navigating through the darkness and touching him with life. In time, he gave his life to Christ. When Cha Khu was released the pastor sent him to a bible school to learn more about Christ. He was there a few months and when the course was finished, the pastor then sent Cha Khu to our LoveDefined Discipleship School of Myanmar!
His story was unknown to us. We did not know these things! It was the experience of God’s Love coming to Cha Khu daily through the lessons of LoveDefined that finally broke through all the years of anger, fear, evil, and trauma. He experienced that Christ loved him! This love opened his heart to share his full story with us. He began by declaring, “I know that God truly loves me and so do each of you. This is why I can share my life with you.” As he spoke, his whole body trembled and the tears ran like a river down his face. Michael (the LoveDefined Director) went to him and held him to calm his body and affirm he was loved.
We prayed over him, washing away sin and deep darkness! We cut away the lies of the enemy that would try to keep Cha Khu in a prison of shame and guilt. We declared what God’s Word says about those who seek Christ and who desire to know Him - they are redeemed! Cleansed! Delivered! Free from death and hell! And called to new life in Christ because they are deeply loved! Cha Khu is deeply loved by Christ and Christ wants us to show him that same love! As we dared to hold every promise of God’s Word true for Cha Khu - chains of darkness and death were destroyed! A son of God was born through the power of God’s Love.
Cha Khu knows he must bring Christ’s transformational love back to his village and show the people how powerful the love of Christ is!!
Please pray for Cha Khu! Pray for wisdom and boldness and for revival to come to the people as he is prepared to return to his village!! Pray for his story to be used to help break the cycle of violence and addiction that has captured the people and is destroying them.
We need your help to keep reaching these people groups. We can’t do this alone. Will you consider supporting the message of LoveWorks to reach the nations? Go to: www.lovedefinedministry.org and begin your partnership with us today.
