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Bearing Precious Seed Global News Alert
Last Leg of Asian Trip, from Steve Zeinner
December 18, 2009
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Trip to Korea, Thailand and Myanmar
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 Dear Praying Friends,
It has been an exciting 32 days thus far. Traveling through Korea, Thailand and Myanmar has revealed new challenges and confirmed in my heart that the need is even greater than what we have been presenting. Looking at the city of Seoul, with a population of over 10 million, you can sense the urgency of getting the message of salvation out to the lost. The pastors here are waiting for the completion of the John and Romans so that they can get them into the hands of the lost.
Going from Korea to Thailand and then on to Myanmar (old Burma) was a slow progression headed downhill in reference to living conditions and our surroundings.
Leaving a very modern airport in Bangkok, Thailand and headed to Myanmar started my mind to wonder back in time as we flew over part of Burma's delta where over 100,000 souls were lost in the typhoon a couple of years back. From 35000 feet high there was no evidence of devastation or loss of life. The fields below were seeded and I could see a little green, probably the rice fields coming in. Life goes on. Families wiped out, loved ones lost, but even though life is very tough, they go on. What little hope they have is temporary without the Gospel.
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Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
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 Stepping off of the plane in Yangon City, Myanmar, going through immigrations and customs and wondering if anyone was there to pick you up and looking into those unfamiliar faces was a bit overwhelming until you saw a sign with your name. My mind went bake to Judson and wondered how he felt is such a strange place. Looking at the living conditions coming from the states we wonder how anyone could live like this, but they do, some 6 million here in this city.
The Hotel in Yangon was a bit of refuge from the living conditions. I have been to Haiti and it was similar, though I don't think the crime is anything like Haiti. Tomorrow we head up north, and our downhill living condition continues. There will be hundreds of pastors and families coming from the mountains to hear us speak at this Bible Conference. There are four of us, (John O'Malley, Pastor Larry Groves and Danny Whetstone) that will be speaking and the delegates will come with enthusiasm to learn and take something back to their village churches. Oh what a challenge, blessing, and responsibility we have to give them our best, we have one shot at this.
In Yangon, we attended a service at the Bible College and pastor Groves preached in English. All classes are given in English; I was amazed at how well they spoke. There are many different languages represented so the college decided to use English as many of their textbooks are written in English. There were about 150 in attendance.
Our First Sunday in Myanmar, I preached at River of life Baptist Church (house church in Yangon). What a blessing it was to meet these dear people and preach to them. In many ways I thought I was back in Mexico, there were many similarities. Sunday night, I preached at the Bible College to about 150 students. I asked them if they spoke more than one language, most of them spoke four languages and a few spoke five. They responded very well to the message.
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Bible Conference in Kalay with the Chin Pastors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monday morning, was a travel day to go up north w here we would hold the Bible Conference for the people of the Chin state. The Chin state is off limits to foreigners, as the government does not want us to stir up trouble with these people. We were only about four miles from the border line and a great number of lay preachers, pastors, and families came to here us preach and teach. They came with eager hearts ready to listen and learn and take back home with them some new things that they could share with their people. It is very humbling to stand in their mist seeing the hunger they have for the Word of God.
To get to this place we boarded a plane in Yangon, and traveled to two other cities until we finally arrived at our destination. We sure got a grand tour of the country, though looking down from our altitude it looks much like the rest of the world, it is probably because God made it all.
We started on Monday evening with preaching then everyday four classes were given that lasted one and a half hour each with a preaching service each evening. It was a special blessing to all of us preachers as they listen intently desiring to learn something and then take it back home to minister these teachings to their people. |
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Judson Baptist Church
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 Leaving this area we flew to Mandalay, where Judson lived. We saw the place where he lived (just a plot of land, no buildings) and then the Judson church (built by his family). On the church site was the old prison where he was imprisoned for several months. From where he lived to this sigh is about 17 miles, it was hard to believe that he walk that bare footed and in chains. It was such a blessing to see the fruit of his labors still proclaiming the Gospel here in Myanmar.
After preaching in Mandalay, we left on Monday back to Yangon (old Rangoon). We will sight see and preach one more time before leaving on Thursday. I will go through Bangkok, Thailand and take a all night flight to Seoul, Korea and then preach there on Saturday and Sunday morning and then leave Sunday Afternoon for home. It has been a great trip, but I am very tired and ready for a little rest before leaving again for Beirut, Lebanon and then on to Kurdistan, Iraqi in January to meet with prospective translators of the Kurdish Bible.
Thank you for your prayers and following my trip to Asia. May God bless and keep you in His grace and mercy.
Stephen Zeinner
Dr. Stephen Zeinner
stevezeinner@me.com
Bearing Precious Seed Global
www.bpsglobal.org
a ministry of Plantation Baptist Church
11700 NW 28th Court
Plantation, FL 33323
Church Phone 954-473-2424
Home Address
10478 Morrow Cozaddale Rd
Goshen, Ohio 45122
cell 513-317-0354
home 513-722-1018
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