John the Catalyst
August 2022
One young Rakhine Buddhist background man we named John, was hired on our translation staff as leader of IT. We had spent a considerable amount of time pouring into John but were not actively keeping track of what the Lord was doing with his friends. Our eight-year-old daughter Moriah wept with joy and embraced John when she saw him again after a year in the U.S. We worshipped with John every week in our house church and enjoyed his praise songs.
We were shocked to discover that he had catalyzed 743 daughter churches in the past two years from our mother church. He did this discipling in his spare time when he was not busy at IT for Bible translation.
John has recently gotten married and named his newborn after the apostle of the Buddhist Background movement, the Major. We plan to move John, little Major, and Mama to the Thai side of the border. John shared the gospel with many young Burmese Buddhists who have taken up arms against the Burmese Junta.
The Burmese Army Junta are committing genocide against their own people in the same villages they come from. We have met with many Burmese young people who are abandoning the Buddhist religion.
We have met with many Burmese young people who are abandoning the Buddhist religion. There is such an openness, unlike anything we have seen in the 21 years of living in and working in Burma. Many openly mocked Buddhism. The reason for this is openness is a result of the Burmese Junta leaders being on social media every day arm in arm with the most revered Buddhist monks in Burma. Due to this hypocrisy, the youth of Burma are losing their religion. Millions are leaving Buddhism and taking up weapons in the fight for freedom.
People have asked me, “hasn’t there been a war in Burma for 70 years, why is this time different?” I reply it is because this is the first time in history that the majority of Burmese, from the “Bamar” race, which the country of “Burma” is named after, are now fighting each other. The good guys are winning the Revolution despite the Burma Socialist Army being supplied and supported by Russia and China!
Anna & Jay Pratt
Obedience Myanmar/Burma