Leon and Gloria Sexton visit Taungoo, Burma Church of God Congregation for Passover 2008 (Complete report on April 2008 Legacy Letter)



Gloria and I went to Myanmar (Burma) for Passover and the first Holy Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Our brethren there face many hardships on an everyday basis. Many people in Burma are truly poor with malnutrition and widespread disease. This even affects our brethren and we heard several stories of COG brethren who do not have enough to eat. Myanmar is a very sad and depressing place to visit. It is a stark contrast to the bountiful blessings of Thailand next door.

This Passover we decided to visit the Church of God congregation in Taungoo, a city on the north-south rail line about half way between Rangoon (Yangon) and Mandalay. Actually, this congregation lives in a village called Kyawk Taing (pronounced Jawk Tang) about 15 miles to the east of Taungoo. But Gloria and I cannot visit their village as it is off limits to foreigners.

The Church of God congregation there was founded by a man known as Pastor Htoo Saw. Htoo Saw had been a Protestant Lay Pastor for over 30 years. He was introduced to the Sabbath and other Church of God doctrines and after careful study, accepted them. I soon baptized him and his son Saw Eh Gloo Kwey. Several years later I baptized his wife Naw June Hai. A small congregation began to grow in this remote village in the mountains near Taungoo.

One day Pastor Htoo Saw was climbing a tree to get honey from a bee’s nest. He slipped and fell out of the tree. He sustained some spinal and internal injuries. Because proper medical treatment was not available in his village, Htoo Saw became feverish and died some months later. What a terrible tragedy and loss for the Church of God in Myanmar! Htoo Saw was a highly respected church leader and had been educated in a four year, English language seminary. This also meant that the fledgling Kyawk Taing congregation filled with new “babes in Christ” was without a pastor.

But somehow, under the leadership of Naw June Hey and Saw Eh Gloo Kwey, the church continues to grow.

On the right are some photographs from the Passover 2008 visit. You may click the photo thumbnails to enlarge them.