Pray for Myanmar

Some of you may have heard about the conflict going on in our bordering country of Myanmar. It is difficult to provide accurate information because the governments on both sides of the border are very tight mouthed. Even those in Thailand have very little knowledge about the true horrors that are occurring a mere 3 hours away (directly West of where we live in Chiang Mai). I cannot speak very openly on social media about the reports I am receiving nor what we are going to do this evening because the relationships between Thailand and Myanmar are... complicated.

I am attaching a link to the best local (to you) article that explains in brief what is going on in Myanmar. Below you will also find some of the photos that have been shared with me through friends and family of those going through these trials and persecutions in Myanmar.

Tens of thousands have had to flee their villages because the military has bombed them or set fire to them. Men, women, and children are sitting at the borders edge waiting for help. This evening I will be going to the border to preach at a church that has many family members on the Myanmar side. Please pray that I can be an encouragement to these people. We are also taking a truck full of supplies. We have Bibles, tracts, and some basic necessities such as blankets, clothes and large bags of rice. We hope to take them to the border and pass them across to the other side by boat but we are not sure yet if we will be allowed through the checkpoints on the Thailand side. Please pray that we can find a way to get these needed supplies to the people.

A majority of those who have lost everything are the Karen people. The Karen believers are the fruit of Adoniram Judson’s work and many today are still strong Baptists. I have been told that along the entire border there are upwards of ten to twenty thousand people who need help. The area where we are headed this evening has around 250 families or approximately 1,000 people. We alone can not provide for all of them but we wanted to help with what little we could.

LINK TO STORY ON MYANMAR: Children among the dead and injured in Myanmar military air strikes

As I prepare to send this, it is the middle of the night for most of you. So, by the time you read this, Lord willing, I will be preaching the evening service at a small church on the border. Please take a minute and pray the Lord would encourage the Brethren on this side of the persecution and that He would give strength to His people on the other side. Pray that Christ would be their Joy in this trial and that His gospel will abound

For HIS Glory, Matthew Villandry