Tun’s Story: Two Years After a Coup in Myanmar
Story by an Open Doors worker in Myanmar
I have met Tun* before. In his home, in 2018, where he and his wife Lhing* led bible studies with their neighbors. Back then, Tun showed us his backyard – he had rows and rows of sugarcane ready to be harvested, and healthy goats, chickens, and pigs shuffling about. This is livestock he has raised, he proudly says, with the knowledge he learned from Open Doors livelihood trainings.
This time, we meet again. But now, Tun is a refugee.
When the military took over the Myanmar government in 2021, Tun’s life turned upside down. At the onset, Tun knew that sooner or later, bloodshed was coming to his town. And true enough, it wasn’t long before the military tankers came when he, his wife, and three children were forced to flee to safety.
Until today, Tun and his family could not go back home. He has been a refugee for two years.
This time, we meet again. But now, Tun is a refugee.
When the military took over the Myanmar government in 2021, Tun’s life turned upside down. At the onset, Tun knew that sooner or later, bloodshed was coming to his town. And true enough, it wasn’t long before the military tankers came when he, his wife, and three children were forced to flee to safety.
Until today, Tun and his family could not go back home. He has been a refugee for two years.
“When the Myanmar military tankers came in to destroy our town, we knew that they were going to be engaged in the fighting,” Tun recollects.
It has been years since we had last seen each other. Despite the toll of running for his life and resettling somewhere in the mountains, Tun looked healthy and happy to see us.
“We were scared in our hearts, and we looked for a way to escape.” He was at home on February 1, 2021, when the military announced the coup. “On that day, all the phone lines were cut off. There was no internet, no phone connection. We felt like we were staying in another side of the world.”
Since the takeover, tensions in Tun’s neighborhood grew. Curses and protests filled the streets. People cried “Justice! Freedom!” amid booming patriotic music. The people hated the military. They wanted democracy back. The rallies had become so common that Tun’s children, used to seeing the commotion outside, began imitating the protesters. “I had to step in to encourage my children that we are not on the slogan side – we are on the prayer side.”
On March 9, the military junta shot one of the public protesters on the head, triggering civilians to take up arms and form the People’s Defense Forces (PDF). A week later, on April 6, Tun and his family began their escape. It was a two-day operation. “Early in the morning on the first day, my wife and I investigated the road to find out where the military was posted. When we confirmed which way is safe, we packed our goods and emergency needs.”
The next day, Tun and Lhing left, taking their three children on separate motorbikes. “We only took small, small bags – we packed one shirt for the daytime and another shirt for night-time. That’s it. If we carry a lot of clothes, bags, and lots of things, the military – those who are waiting in the checkpoints – they won’t allow us to go outside of town.” They may have looked like they were just out on a day trip, but Tun and his family did not come back.
Once they got to a safe location, Tun called for help. “God prepared our friends and our partners to take care of us and to host us,” he shares. “We stayed in their house for 10 days, and during that time, we looked for another house to rent.”
It has been years since we had last seen each other. Despite the toll of running for his life and resettling somewhere in the mountains, Tun looked healthy and happy to see us.
“We were scared in our hearts, and we looked for a way to escape.” He was at home on February 1, 2021, when the military announced the coup. “On that day, all the phone lines were cut off. There was no internet, no phone connection. We felt like we were staying in another side of the world.”
Since the takeover, tensions in Tun’s neighborhood grew. Curses and protests filled the streets. People cried “Justice! Freedom!” amid booming patriotic music. The people hated the military. They wanted democracy back. The rallies had become so common that Tun’s children, used to seeing the commotion outside, began imitating the protesters. “I had to step in to encourage my children that we are not on the slogan side – we are on the prayer side.”
On March 9, the military junta shot one of the public protesters on the head, triggering civilians to take up arms and form the People’s Defense Forces (PDF). A week later, on April 6, Tun and his family began their escape. It was a two-day operation. “Early in the morning on the first day, my wife and I investigated the road to find out where the military was posted. When we confirmed which way is safe, we packed our goods and emergency needs.”
The next day, Tun and Lhing left, taking their three children on separate motorbikes. “We only took small, small bags – we packed one shirt for the daytime and another shirt for night-time. That’s it. If we carry a lot of clothes, bags, and lots of things, the military – those who are waiting in the checkpoints – they won’t allow us to go outside of town.” They may have looked like they were just out on a day trip, but Tun and his family did not come back.
Once they got to a safe location, Tun called for help. “God prepared our friends and our partners to take care of us and to host us,” he shares. “We stayed in their house for 10 days, and during that time, we looked for another house to rent.”
“It was just like 30 years ago”
It was certainly different – and difficult – to be suddenly thrown into displacement, but Tun does not regret leaving his home. The coup isn’t his first dance with the military and seeing them occupy his village led to flashbacks of his hardships from when he was a young man, when Myanmar was still under the decades-long leadership of the junta.
Back in the 1990’s, when young Tun was in church, a soldier stormed into their pulpit, demanding that if no one from the church would step up to carry the military’s cargo, the army would stop the service. Tun and three of his friends stepped up. “We didn’t want the church service to stop,” he shares. “That day, we carried those heavy loads – weapons like rocket launchers – and travelled by foot for 35 miles.”
It was certainly different – and difficult – to be suddenly thrown into displacement, but Tun does not regret leaving his home. The coup isn’t his first dance with the military and seeing them occupy his village led to flashbacks of his hardships from when he was a young man, when Myanmar was still under the decades-long leadership of the junta.
Back in the 1990’s, when young Tun was in church, a soldier stormed into their pulpit, demanding that if no one from the church would step up to carry the military’s cargo, the army would stop the service. Tun and three of his friends stepped up. “We didn’t want the church service to stop,” he shares. “That day, we carried those heavy loads – weapons like rocket launchers – and travelled by foot for 35 miles.”
Before fleeing, Tun harvested sugar cane and raised animals.
In the middle of the journey, one of Tun’s friends tried to run. “He ran from the army line and went farther and farther away while the soldiers shot at him. We couldn’t look back. All that time, we wondered whether our friend managed to escape or if he died.”
“That same night, when the military was asleep, we ran away. There were 10 of us. We had one torchlight and made it through a narrow road to escape. If we hadn’t escaped, we would’ve been forced to walk another 52 miles.”
“Churches are bombed, but not a single bullet hit the pagodas”
Nowadays, believers aren’t being forced to carry heavy loads, but since the coup, the crackdowns on churches and desecration of Christian property in Myanmar have intensified.
“When the coup started, the military junta forces raided churches – bombing and torching church buildings, opening the mission boxes, taking all the money from the church, breaking all the windows.” Tun laments. “Without giving any respect, they just destroy the church buildings, but leave pagodas untouched. In our neighborhood, not even a single bullet hit the Buddhist pagodas and shrines. So, this coup, we can directly and indirectly say that this is persecution.”
Just before the New Year, the military bombed a Catholic church in Kachin state, killing one and injuring five people. Last November, a bible school in Kachin State was shelled, killing 4. It’s one attack after the other, casting fear among Christian population from Chin and Kachin tribes, where Tun belongs – “We are afraid, we are running for our lives, and we cannot come back yet to our place.”
“Churches are bombed, but not a single bullet hit the pagodas”
Nowadays, believers aren’t being forced to carry heavy loads, but since the coup, the crackdowns on churches and desecration of Christian property in Myanmar have intensified.
“When the coup started, the military junta forces raided churches – bombing and torching church buildings, opening the mission boxes, taking all the money from the church, breaking all the windows.” Tun laments. “Without giving any respect, they just destroy the church buildings, but leave pagodas untouched. In our neighborhood, not even a single bullet hit the Buddhist pagodas and shrines. So, this coup, we can directly and indirectly say that this is persecution.”
Just before the New Year, the military bombed a Catholic church in Kachin state, killing one and injuring five people. Last November, a bible school in Kachin State was shelled, killing 4. It’s one attack after the other, casting fear among Christian population from Chin and Kachin tribes, where Tun belongs – “We are afraid, we are running for our lives, and we cannot come back yet to our place.”
Tun, a refugee from Myanmar, trusts that what the Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples in John 16:33 is true: “That in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world.”
“Some churches I know are still unable to gather together for church service because their church building was marked with the red ink,” he shares. “Those who come together for fellowship in certain church buildings, the army will shoot, or the police will arrest. When the fighting takes place near the church building and they’d get angry, they would just burn the church.”
Tun shares that as soon as they hear news of another church attack, or see it in social media, they feel a deep pain. “But deep in our hearts, and as we’ve learned from our persecution preparedness trainings, we know that they can destroy the structures, the buildings, but they cannot destroy the believers, the real church, the universal church. This is how I console myself.”
Tun shares that as soon as they hear news of another church attack, or see it in social media, they feel a deep pain. “But deep in our hearts, and as we’ve learned from our persecution preparedness trainings, we know that they can destroy the structures, the buildings, but they cannot destroy the believers, the real church, the universal church. This is how I console myself.”
“The military is not our real enemy”
Despite the hurt, Tun knows that the battle is not against flesh and blood: “The military is not our real enemy, the real enemy is Satan. And the works of our real enemy, as it is mentioned in John 14, is to steal, to kill and to destroy the body of Christ… He doesn’t want God’s plan for His church to be fulfilled, that is why he is using his power as much as he can, as much as he could, to disturb and to hinder the Gospel from being carried out into the world.”
Tun laments the victims of this war – not just believers, but everyone in Myanmar: “My wife and I are not happy when we hear of the army dying. They also have children, they also have parents, they also have brothers and sisters, they are also citizens of Myanmar. When we hear of the civilian forces dying, we also feel sorry because they are young, educated, talented and they could have had a hopeful future. It was just because of the coup that they took arms and got in the middle of the killings and the tension.”
Even amid displacement, Tun doesn’t stay idle. Once he and his family have settled in their temporary shelter where more than 2,000 displaced believers are also housed, he found more opportunities for ministry. “All of their livelihoods are gone. They are jobless since the coup and the COVID pandemic happened … They have already spent their savings, and now they are striving for their daily food… They sold their plots of land, their earrings, their gold necklaces – all of these, they already sold to survive.”
Though they are thankful for the practical aid given by international agencies, Tun doesn’t want his fellow displaced believers to be dependent on these. Already, he sees them doing their best to make a living despite their situation. “Some of them they make business catching wild meat, like wild boar. Some sell foraged vegetables at early mornings at the bazaar.” To further support his fellow believers in surviving and even thriving under their current circumstances, Tun used his time in displacement to give them livelihood trainings.
Despite the hurt, Tun knows that the battle is not against flesh and blood: “The military is not our real enemy, the real enemy is Satan. And the works of our real enemy, as it is mentioned in John 14, is to steal, to kill and to destroy the body of Christ… He doesn’t want God’s plan for His church to be fulfilled, that is why he is using his power as much as he can, as much as he could, to disturb and to hinder the Gospel from being carried out into the world.”
Tun laments the victims of this war – not just believers, but everyone in Myanmar: “My wife and I are not happy when we hear of the army dying. They also have children, they also have parents, they also have brothers and sisters, they are also citizens of Myanmar. When we hear of the civilian forces dying, we also feel sorry because they are young, educated, talented and they could have had a hopeful future. It was just because of the coup that they took arms and got in the middle of the killings and the tension.”
Even amid displacement, Tun doesn’t stay idle. Once he and his family have settled in their temporary shelter where more than 2,000 displaced believers are also housed, he found more opportunities for ministry. “All of their livelihoods are gone. They are jobless since the coup and the COVID pandemic happened … They have already spent their savings, and now they are striving for their daily food… They sold their plots of land, their earrings, their gold necklaces – all of these, they already sold to survive.”
Though they are thankful for the practical aid given by international agencies, Tun doesn’t want his fellow displaced believers to be dependent on these. Already, he sees them doing their best to make a living despite their situation. “Some of them they make business catching wild meat, like wild boar. Some sell foraged vegetables at early mornings at the bazaar.” To further support his fellow believers in surviving and even thriving under their current circumstances, Tun used his time in displacement to give them livelihood trainings.
Tun leads a Bible Study with neighbours and family.
“The believers are very receptive and very open minded. It is good in one way, because before the coup, they were so busy with many things. Now, they are the ones asking! ‘Brother, can you give us livelihood trainings? How do we raise pigs? How do we plant vegetables so that we can sustain ourselves?”
Tun also took the opportunity to give persecution preparedness training. He is amazed at how God is transforming the anger in the hearts of his fellowmen towards forgiveness: “Last time, at the refugee hostel, I conducted a persecution preparedness training. Before I entered the training hall, there was a big white board and I saw the attendees composing a song in Burmese despising the Myanmar military. There was so much hate for Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader, and the participants’ song cursed him to die an untimely death.”
Tun also took the opportunity to give persecution preparedness training. He is amazed at how God is transforming the anger in the hearts of his fellowmen towards forgiveness: “Last time, at the refugee hostel, I conducted a persecution preparedness training. Before I entered the training hall, there was a big white board and I saw the attendees composing a song in Burmese despising the Myanmar military. There was so much hate for Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader, and the participants’ song cursed him to die an untimely death.”
He encouraged them to instead pray for their country, their commander in chief, but they were not ready. “They gave me a strange look, and they said, ‘they are killing us, burning our house, burning our churches!” But Tun continued with the training – telling them about how the devil is working in their hearts, and after the second and third day, the believers slowly began praying for their persecutors.
“This is the hand of God working in the believers’ hearts,” he shares. “I have to fight with prayer”
In all of this, he trusts that what the Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples in John 16:33 is true: “That in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world.”
“This spiritual warfare is something we cannot overcome with our physical strength, so I have to fight with prayer. Near my house, there is one prayer mount where we can see the hills of Myanmar. Whenever I have free time, I go with my children to lay our hands over Myanmar, and pray: ‘In the name of Jesus, we grant freedom, peace, justice!’”
He admonishes Open Doors prayer partners to keep on being on their knees for his country: “Continue to pray for our country, pray for the believers. My prayer is that one day, Min Aung Hlaing will also accept the Lord Jesus Christ. In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar mentioned that the whole Babylon will worship God of Daniel, so my prayer is that the whole Myanmar will also worship the Lord Jesus Christ. This is my hope and belief, and this is what I am praying for.”
Tun is also grateful for the people supporting him and his fellow refugees over the course of this two-year coup. “Thank you very much for the prayer support and the financial support. May God bless you a hundredfold. May the Lord richly reward you and bless you… Because of your prayers, we are still alive.”
“This is the hand of God working in the believers’ hearts,” he shares. “I have to fight with prayer”
In all of this, he trusts that what the Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples in John 16:33 is true: “That in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world.”
“This spiritual warfare is something we cannot overcome with our physical strength, so I have to fight with prayer. Near my house, there is one prayer mount where we can see the hills of Myanmar. Whenever I have free time, I go with my children to lay our hands over Myanmar, and pray: ‘In the name of Jesus, we grant freedom, peace, justice!’”
He admonishes Open Doors prayer partners to keep on being on their knees for his country: “Continue to pray for our country, pray for the believers. My prayer is that one day, Min Aung Hlaing will also accept the Lord Jesus Christ. In the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar mentioned that the whole Babylon will worship God of Daniel, so my prayer is that the whole Myanmar will also worship the Lord Jesus Christ. This is my hope and belief, and this is what I am praying for.”
Tun is also grateful for the people supporting him and his fellow refugees over the course of this two-year coup. “Thank you very much for the prayer support and the financial support. May God bless you a hundredfold. May the Lord richly reward you and bless you… Because of your prayers, we are still alive.”
Prayer
· For Tun and the work of the Lord in and through his life. Praise God for how He is using Tun to minister to his people through livelihood and persecution preparedness training, even amid such difficult circumstances.
· For provisions for all those who have been displaced, healing for the wounded, and hope for the hopeless.
· For the youth of Myanmar who have been left with little choice – either they join the military, the civilian forces, or succumb to the temptation of opium.
· For God’s Shalom to be upon everyone affected by this civil war, for an end to the violence, and for the Lord’s protection for His church. Pray for the Lord to turn the hearts of both the military and civilian forces towards Him.
