Global Recordings Network, Gospel Recordings, Language Recordings

Focus on Burma

Ang pahinang itoy hindi magagamit sa kasalukuyan.

This month we want to focus your attention and prayer on the land of Burma (or Myanmar). It is hard to write about this country without getting into politics. More than 50 years of military dictatorship has taken its toll. Operation World says, "The secretive military junta, the 'State Peace and Development Council', has turned Myanmar into a prison with widespread human rights abuses and killings, forced labour, rape and imprisonment used as tools of repression. Most of the democratic leaders have been arrested, exiled or killed."

However, it is not our aim to criticise government but to stimulate prayer for this needy country. Most Christians are to be found among the minority tribal groups, which have suffered most severely at the hands of the military junta. Constitutionally there is freedom of religion. The reality is very different.

There are more than 100 languages spoken in Burma. Only about a dozen have scriptures. Officially literacy (in the official language) is quite high but among the tribal groups there are many who need to hear the Good News in their own language.

Although GRN materials have been used in Burma for many years it is only since 1999 that we have had a regular work in that country. Al heads up the work there and is busily engaged in recording, distributing and promoting the use of the materials. It is a big job for one man. One of the big discouragements is that several helpers have stayed only a short while before leaving the work.