Myanmar

MANDATE MINISTRIES UPDATE

(September 06, 2024) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, including news regarding Ross’ health…

Myanmar’s Karen People’s Smiles
We will never cease to be amazed at the tremendous resilience of the Karen people who have been forced to flee their villages and live in the dense jungle and in caves.

We are blessed to be able to provide food and supplies, and see their smiling faces in the midst of adversity in Myanmar.

Ross’ Health Update
Ross has a CT scan this week followed by discussion with his oncology doctor. The results showed the cancer in the liver has grown substantially, so she is discontinuing his treatment since it isn’t working.

However, it looks like Ross will be accepted into a clinical trial testing a new form of immunotherapy. The approval could be as soon as next week which the doctor thought was quite incredible.

So although we are thankful for this opportunity, at the end of the day our trust and hope are in the Lord, who is our Jehovah Rapha. The bigger the challenge, the bigger the miracle needed! Thanks for your prayers!

Land of Oz Ministry
Ross will continue his ministry to churches in Australia until we can get back to Thailand. We are grateful for the opportunities that God has given us to share in some amazing churches,

Motorcycle Project
Our Karen project manager, who identifies the most needy areas and arranges deliveries of provisions for the Karen people, is in desperate need of a good off-road motorcycle.

The roads are very dangerous for riding a street bike, particularly in the rainy season.

We have located a low mileage, Kawasaki KLX for $2,300 (new price $4,600). If you would like to donate towards this need, or to our Karen ministry in general, please use the link in the prayer request section below. Thank you!

Many Thanks
Thanks again for your faithful prayers and support of our ministry to Asia.      

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Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, have been missionaries to Asia for many years. Based in  Chiang Mai, they work with local pastors and church-planters, developing in-service leadership training programs that address challenges and issues unique to this area of Thailand. Link rossw@investeternal.com
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MANDATE MINISTRIES UPDATE

(August 12, 2024) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, including news regarding Ross’ health…

Health Update
Ross is continuing chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The PET scan on July 1 showed the oesophageal tumour is reducing as is the cancer in the liver, for which we are praising God.

We are not out of the woods yet but headed in the right direction. The next scan will be in September.

  • Please join us in prayer for complete healing.

Karen People in Myanmar
We are currently back in Thailand for two weeks which has been a great opportunity to catch up with our ministry partners, particularly Brother W who is our project manager for our ministry to the Karen people in Myanmar.

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MANDATE MINISTRIES RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

(November 20, 2023) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand…

Lahu people of Myanmar
The Lahu people have been caught up in the fighting between the Myanmar military and the resistance in Shan State. Our friends have been able to transport many Lahu to safe zones within Myanmar.

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MYANMAR/THAILAND MINISTRY HIGHLIGHTS

(June 26, 2023) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand…

Ka-ren people
We continue to help the people of Ka-ren State, Myanmar with food, tents and other provisions, as well as prayer and encouragement.

The bombing and ground assaults continue, so we do what we can to alleviate their suffering. We can understand soldiers fighting soldiers, but when women and children are tortured, raped and brutally murdered, that has to be demonic. It’s a humanitarian crisis but also a spiritual warfare.

Recently a Ka-ren friend of mine was talking with two ladies in Ka-ren State. They were both 70 years old and said that they had never known a time in their entire lives when they were not fleeing from war and the Burmese (Myanmar) troops.

It’s hard to imagine, as we take our freedom for granted.

Karenni people flee
Another ethnic group in Myanmar that is suffering under the brutal illegal government is the Karenni. Due to the constant attacks on their villages, many have had to flee across the border into Thailand. However, their plight is by no means without its challenges. There is very little food and shelter available to them.

These war refugees are in great distress and have had to carry the bedridden, sick, elderly, disabled, and children to safe locations.

Our team from Thailand was able to bring rice and other foodstuffs, as well as tarps for makeshift shelters to these groups. Next week our team is taking blankets to a group of 160 Kar-en and Karenni who they recently brought to the Lord. These beautiful people are extremely grateful for any help they receive.

Golden Triangle Lahu Training
Last week Pastor Ian Peters and Ross conducted a 3-day leadership training program in Chiang Rai for Lahu pastors and church workers. They came from Lao, Myanmar and Northern Thailand, so we called it the Golden Triangle Leadership Training Program.

It was a wonderful time of teaching, impartation and prayer with these men and women who are so hungry for God. They have very little opportunity to study and learn together in programs like this and were deeply appreciative.

In the Mountains of Chiang Dao
Recently Ross and his Ka-ren friend Weerachai were invited to conduct ministry at a village high up in the mountains of Chiang Dao. It was humbling to spend time with Pastor Suphan, who pastors the Ka-ren church there.

A faithful servant of God, he even gave Ross his favourite traditional Ka-ren shirt!

On the way to the Ka-ren village in Chiang Dao, we stayed overnight in a Lisu village. The food was great and the mountain views even better.

Needs
Thanks again for your faithful prayers and support of every kind of our ministry to Asia.

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Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, have been missionaries to Asia for many years. Based in  Chiang Mai, they work with local pastors and church-planters, developing in-service leadership training programs that address challenges and issues unique to this area of Thailand. Link via OnlinerConnect@gmail.com
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FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN!

(April 22, 2023) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand…

Hunger for God
Our team, which included Pastor Phil and Tracey McCourt, recently held a training program for Hmong pastors and workers in the mountains of a neighbouring province.

The theme of the sessions was Fire on the Mountain and the fire certainly did fall!

So honoured to minister to and with these beautiful people who have such a hunger for God.

Hilltribe Village Outreach
For over a year now, Donna and I have been visiting a village which is comprised of several different hilltribe groups, mainly Long-Neck Kayan, but also Akha, Lisu, Ka-ren,and Palaung.

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TRAGEDIES! BUT OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

(January 20, 2023) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand…

Last weekend another Karen village was bombed by government jets in Myanmar, forcing the villagers to live in the jungle!

No crops, no shelter, and seemingly no hope as the world looks on indifferently.

Thank you to all who contribute to our efforts to help. Thanks to our rapid-response team, we were able to get food products, rice, dry foods, and oil, as well as solar-charged batteries for their torches (flashlights) to these desperate people.

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BURMA (MYANMAR): DIVINE INTERVENTION NEEDED

(August 27, 2022) Elizabeth Kendal reports concerning news regarding Myanmar (originally Burma)…

Before the military coup of February 2021, Chin State in western Burma was relatively peaceful, primarily because the Tatmadaw (Burma Army) had no interests in the mountainous, sparsely populated, resource-poor region. In 1988, after the military brutally crushed pro-democracy protests and seized power for itself, the Chin founded the Chin National Front (CNF) and its armed wing, the Chin National Army (CNA), purportedly ‘to help secure self-determination for the Chin people, democracy, and the establishment of a Federal Union of Myanmar.’

Horrible persecution
Since then, though Chin State might not have faced war in the same way the resource-rich Kachin and Karen/Kayin States have faced war, the Chin have suffered marginalisation (forced into crippling, deadly poverty) and horrible persecution, including forced labour (enslavement), forced conversion to Buddhism and torture at the hands of Burmese troops and intelligence operatives. Still, according to Mizzima (28 July 2022), the CNF/CNA ‘never had more than 200-300 members prior to 2021.’

Mizzima explains how American Baptist missionaries Reverend Arthur and Laura Carson arrived in the Chin Hills in 1899. ‘Now,’ reports Mizzima, ‘over 90 per cent of Chin people are Christians and churches are at the centre of society. Pastors and ministers are very respected and often have leadership roles in society. Every Sunday everyone goes to church, and towns and villages are deserted until everyone pours out of the churches in their Sunday best.

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ASSISTING THE DISPLACED KA-REN PEOPLE

(July 8) Ross and Donna, Mandate Ministries, share greetings – and concerns – from Chiang Mai, northern Thailand…

With a boat load of supplies for the displaced Ka-ren people living in Myanmar, we travelled with our team up-river from the Thailand side to a camp on the Myanmar side.

For decades, the Ka-ren people have been under attack from the Myanmar military. Aerial bombing and ground troop attacks have decimated many of their villages. Many men, women and children have been killed – and now land mines are being placed around churches.

Last week a young boy went to a church to ask for help, stood on a mine and had his leg blown off!

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THE BUZZ

AUSTRALIA
Collective Shout
coralieKoorong Blackburn’s Coralie Casey, regarded by many as a valuable employee, colleague and friend, leaves her busy Store Manager/ Relationship Development Manager dual role next month to join Collective Shout, a not-for-profit organisation that campaigns against the objectification of women and sexualisation of girls in popular culture. (more…)