Believers were prohibited from Celebrating Christmas

A particular village under Minphya township, Ohsuh village is located in Rakhine State of Myanmar. It is not sure that how many churches are existed in this village. But it is believed that at least 30  households with members from this village coming to worship the Lord in their local Churches. 

They all were planning to combine and celebrate Christmas happily, this year 2013, under the leadership of their local pastors and leaders.

But, the native people did not allow them to celebrate Christmas. Few days prior to the Christmas, while some believers had gathered in one place for worship, the local people, under the leadership of the village head U Mawng Chain, came and started pelting stones at the worship place. Due to stoning, some parts of the building were damaged. However, through police intervention, the non-believers stopped attacking the believers. Nevertheless, they warned all the believers of the village to move to other places within December or else they were threatened, would be killed.  

Due to this tense situation, the believers/Christians in this village could not celebrate Christmas. The situation remains tense in this village. 

It is said that Believers Church pastor, Rev. Fr. Simon Tial Hmung has sent Bro. Wine Thein, one of our missionaries to encourage their local believers in this village. Fr. Tial Hmung and Bro. Cross Thang (Youth leader) are also planning to go to this village. 

• Why is it that the Christians are being beaten up and threatened everywhere in Myanmar? 
• Why is it that the Majority people take so much of advantage upon minority people? 
• Why is it that the poor and the minority and Christians are being marginalized by the rich and majority people?
• Where is religious right? Where is minority rights? What for Freedom is?

For human rights to flourish, religious rights have to come second to them. We are all human. We are not all of the same religion, or religious at all. One cannot protect religious rights if they are used as a reason to abuse human rights, human equalities, as so often they are. 

Prayer Requests:

1.  Please pray for God’s protection upon the Christians in this village.  
2. Pray that the Lord would grant them strength to stand firm in their faith during this difficult time.