September

The Hand of Friendship

Late last year, Irene Voysey, editor of the Sower, published by the Bible Society in Australia, visited Myanmar. Following are her reports on Bible work among these amazing believers.

MYANMAR — For many, retirement offers the opportunity to slow down. But for Mr Bawi Hu (pronounced Boy Hoo), retirement instead offered a wonderful opportunity.

“I served the Burmese government with joy and obedience for 31 years,” he explained, but he did not want to stop serving. His next step was to go to college! His brother, UBS Translation Consultant Dr Stephen Hre Kio, said to him at the time, “After going on a pension no-one goes to Bible college – except you!” Bawi Hu became the first retired person to gain a Bachelor of Religious Education degree at the Chin Christian College in Chin State.

Good reason

There was a good reason for Bawi Hu’s time in college. He and other Christians had become increasingly concerned about the level of illiteracy among their own people, the Chins. So they decided to establish literacy classes, using Bible-based reading materials. Attending Bible College has helped Bawi Hu prepare appropriate reading books based on the Scriptures.

Since 1995, Bawi Hu has been the Director of the Adult Literacy Project run by the Chin Association for Christian Communication (CACC). Eleven associations come under the umbrella of the CACC, comprising a total of about 250,000 Christians. However, there are about 1.5 million people of several ethnic groups who call themselves Chin. Burmese is the national language.

In Myanmar, the teaching of tribal languages is not permitted in State schools, but churches are free to promote the use of Chin languages and literature. Bawi Hu has therefore produced an introductory literacy textbook, and has also translated many of the Bible Society’s graded New Reader Scriptures into the Hakka language. They have also been translated into Falam.

All ages

I visited several church-based literacy centres and was amazed to hear men and women of all ages reading confidently, although they had only attended literacy classes for about three months. Most Chin people live in the Chin Hills, with about 50,000 Falam-speakers in the Kale Valley, of whom most are Christians. Churches of all denominations are scattered throughout the region.

And in many as soon as the Sunday morning service concludes, a blackboard is set up and literacy classes begin. At one large church, overflow classes were even held in neighbouring homes. Skilled teachers, some of them retired, lead the classes in a professional yet friendly manner.

“About 50 per cent of the people are illiterate, so we hold programs for adults and children,” explained Pastor Daniel Kyaw Lim. “The Chin literacy program in this area is very successful.” Churches are finding that New Reader Scriptures are also useful for religious instruction and Sunday School classes.

Rev Edward H Piang is the President of the Zomi Chin Baptist Convention and Director of the New Readers Literacy program for Falam Christian communities, sponsored by the Bible Society in Australia. “Becoming literate helps in finding work, but more than anything it helps us retain our identity,” he said. “We want to help our people see there is nothing to be ashamed of in speaking a tribal language.”

Continuing need

In the space of less than 18 months, the Bible Society in Australia has helped more than 1,500 people from the Falam and Hakka communities to become literate. Each reading book is sold to literacy students at less than half the cost of production. Most are able to afford this small sum, though church leaders are prepared to offer books free of charge where necessary. Because students take their books home, there is a continuing need for the production of New Reader Scriptures.

“In the field of easy reading material, we work hand in hand with the Bible Society of Myanmar,” noted Mr Thang Tin Sum, Adult Literacy Director for the Myanmar Council of Churches. “We work among many dialects, especially the hill-tribe people. We need many more easy-reader books.

“When we supply the follow-up easy reading materials, people slowly learn about Jesus. Many people become Christians through literacy. Literacy is an effective method for evangelism, and the impact on agriculture, farming, basic health education and other community programs is also good.”

Bawi Hu’s “retirement” is proving to be a time of extraordinary activity. He is still serving the people of his beloved country, but now his purpose for doing so is a different one: to teach members of the church to read so that they can learn about our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. (WR 343/9 - 9.99) [PHOTOS]

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