Terror in the Night
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1
This story is from SuSu. She is Michael’s wife and serve’s with him at our Discipleship School in Myanmar.
"First at all, I would like to thank God who has given me this privilege to testify of His Goodness! The world now knows that the political situation of Myanmar is sinking into something like an abyss! For that reason, we are facing our daily life and the future full of worries and anxiety! Sometimes, it seem like there is no future for our sons and our young people!! Oh this feeling is so powerful and it wants to crush us! At the same time, of course we hear the voice of God and His will in these horrific moments!
From February till now, we are living under a powerful depression and all people are worried! In second week of March, the situation of our town was no longer safe because the military coup was arresting young people in the night without warning! I was so worried and so afraid for my sons and students! The fear that they would be taken by the military and forced to fight our own people is terrifying!
(This is Susu, Michael, and their three sons. The photo is 3 years old)
Every night, my husband, Michael, would prepare them to be ready. Everyone should pack a backpack in order to run away when the military comes for killing or arresting or forcing young boys into the military!
Every morning, every night, passed by us as we faced intense fear! Moreover, all the systems, including banks are shutdown! Because of this, the price of all things have crazily increased (double and many times more)! We face extreme financial problems! We had no money in our hands (only 5000 MMK equals 3 US dollars)! As a mother of 3 sons and of our disciples who live with us, I was so very worried for food! But The greatness of God and His mercies has been shown to our big family!
First, I felt great compassion for my family so I sold my jewelry for food. And we were amazed when we also received a little tithe and love gifts from our neighbors! God wanted us to know that He is caring for us through His provision in different ways But my heart and my thoughts were still worried for our boys! Even in day time, I wanted them to stay in their room and not to have the lights on at night, I wanted them to stay silent. Fear was leading my heart.
One night I had heavily met God in prayer and submitted all of supplications to Him through so many tears. In the morning, God wanted me to read Psalm 18 and meditate on the whole chapter! There is a song in Burmese from these verses also! It says "The Lord is my Rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom i will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." Oh, i was deeply touched by the power of God’s Word!
That morning we had prayer with our sons and disciples, I encouraged my boys with these bible verses and was able to say not to worry for anything because Our God is our refuge. After that we took all the clothes and documents from out of the boys backpacks. We renounced fear! Our faith was alive!! Once I decided to trust Him, His Word, and walk according to His will, my whole body and spirit became very light and I became free from anxieties! Moreover, doors began to open after the day I confessed and submitted my worries and fear to God! And then we were able to receive financial help from Brother Weyman and his wife Sue! It is really wonderful because it is not possible to receive money from foreign countries right now! But by God's mercies a door opened through brother Weyman and Sue’s faithfulness to love us!
Our God is so wonderful! Even though we live in an unsafe world He makes us able to eat and able to praise Him in this time of horrors!
(This is their first bed with a mattress. We bought it for them a few years ago.)
I would like to say a word of thanks to Weyman and Sue and their wonderful friends for their generosity in our time of great need! Each of you are truly friends of Jesus because you all pour what you have to needy people! You store up your treasures in Heaven! Your love gifts and seed faiths are not only for us but also for people who are around the LoveDefined Family Table. So many eat from this table of love! You serve us and we are serving others Christ’s love!! Oh how beautiful for His kingdom to be seen within you!”
The freedom and faith that has exploded within Susu and Michael and led them to reach out to their community. They take boxes of food to the poor and needy. The military coup has made it extremely difficult for people to live a normal life and many are in need of simple provisions. Courage has filled Michael and Susu and our students! They are feeding 300 families a month and leading Buddhists to Jesus through this national tragedy. The lesson learned is, always look for what God is doing and not at what the enemy is doing!
