‘I Will Give You Souls'

"I thought so many times that I would sell this house and run to another place where there is more freedom, but after hearing from God's Word again, I have been encouraged and gained new strength."

When Chan first heard God's call to bring the Gospel to this remote jungle area in his native Myanmar, he saw a vision of thousands of people standing along a riverbank, dressed in white.

"There is a constant kind of pressure here that overshadows you and what you are doing." FIELD CORRESPONDENT

"As much as you preach," the Lord told him, "I will give you souls."

With tears in his eyes, today Pastor Chan candidly shares obstacles he has faced while seeking to spread the news of Christ's hope to as many people as he can. As he witnesses in the villages and disciples new believers, he does so under the watchful eye of the strict military regime dominating his Buddhist nation.

Chan's years of faithful ministry have borne fruit in the church he pastors today. Yet such harvest for Christ's kingdom has not come without heartache and sacrifice.

More than once, Chan and his wife have sat in their little home, weeping after learning that officials were shutting down their church for an indefinite time . . . once again. Even their personal worship has been heavily monitored at various times.

"There's a constant kind of pressure here that overshadows you and what you're doing," observes a GFA field correspondent.

As Pastor Chan labors for the Gospel amidst such restraint, it is the Lord who sustains him and gives him strength to go on. He remembers a time during the early days of his calling when he fasted and prayed much of a week, dedicating himself to serving his Lord. Such times have laid the foundation for this young pastor's ministry—and equipped him to face the hard times.

"He is a man of prayer," Chan's field leader shares. And today Pastor Chan is prepared to face any hardship, knowing that it means more men, women and children in this oppressed nation can find freedom in his Savior's love.

"I am ready to die for the Lord," he states with quiet determination.

To read more about the nation of Myanmar, visit www.gfa.org/myanmar.