In February 2021, the military seized power, overthrowing the existing government in Myanmar. The coup led to widespread protests and civil disobedience movements across the country. The demonstrations encountered violent crackdowns by the military junta, leading to a brutal conflict with thousands dead and displaced. Major cities have become increasingly unsafe.
Pastor Yang* and his wife were among the affected people who escaped from the town where he worked as a teacher and a youth pastor. They fled to their hometown but had to move multiple times after that, in search of safety. Despite being displaced in his own country, Yang is passionate about serving other displaced believers and has partnered with Open Doors to reach out to many persecuted Christians with spiritual and practical support.
Pastor Yang is not alone in his predicament, but his experience shows the reality for many Christians living in this Southeast Asian country. “It is only because of God’s protection that we are still alive,” he says. “ He lives each day knowing that his life could be in jeopardy.
Even beyond the day-to-day struggle for survival, what’s been hardest for Pastor Yang is seeing what the uncertainty and the violence have done to his family. “The burden of moving from one place to another with very young children weighs heavily on me and my wife,” he says. “Since the coup, our lives have been incredibly tough; we have had to live amidst the sounds of gunfire and bomb explosions. All this deeply traumatised my wife. She was extremely terrified whenever she heard explosions at night; she also developed heart problems because of this. My children fear the loud sounds and noises. As a husband and a father, sometimes I feel helpless that I cannot make my own family feel safe.”
He feels the pain and burden of living and following Jesus in Myanmar. “Living in the conflict area and going out for daily chores in the day is equally stressful,” he says. “Every time we ride our motorbikes, we remember God’s promises in Scripture. We remember God for small things because we feel we can be killed at any moment. Even when I step out of the house to buy groceries, I pray, ‘God, help me come back home safely so that I can see my wife and children.’”
Even amongst all this, Pastor Yang sees God’s hand at work in his life and knows He has kept His promises. “Despite feeling desperate and hopeless at times, we know God is with us,” Yang shares. “He has kept us safe until now, and we are still able to serve Him. Our family prays together every night, asking God to give us the strength to go through this Red Sea in our lives. We recite Psalm 23 before we go to bed.”
An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 struck Myanmar on 28 March, killing thousands of people and injuring many more. However, by God’s grace, the place where Pastor Yang and his family reside is not badly affected by the earthquake. Pastor Yang shares, “My family is safe and sound. The place where we are staying is not really affected by the quake, so there was no structural damage.” However, he and his church members are affected by the drastic price increase of essential commodities.
Christian leaders and believers like Pastor Yang need your messages of encouragement and prayers. Share what the Lord is putting on your heart. It can be a Bible verse or even a prayer for them.
*Name changed for security purposes.
Letter Writing Guidelines
Example:
“Your brothers and sisters [in Spain] stand with you in prayer. May you be encouraged that our Lord Jesus is with us wherever we are, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)”
Greeting cards, children’s artwork, and postcards are best.
For Security
- Do not mention Open Doors.
- Do not mention other religions.
- Do not refer to Israel, even when using Scripture.
- Do not criticise religions, religious extremists, governments, judicial systems, or political leaders.
- Do not send money or make proposals to help.
- You can disclose your name and the country you live in, but do not provide your full name or full address.
Send Your Message
Include your drawings in a single parcel and mail them to:
Open Doors
PO Box 51236
Tawa Wellington 5249
This letter-writing opportunity is available through Friday, 31 October 2025.
Alternatively, you can send a digital copy of your drawing using the form below or send via email to: info@od.org.nz
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