Myanmar Hope and the COVID-19 Crisis
By Chuck Cherry
I've been thinking a lot about the current pandemic and the many crises that it is causing all over the world. I've also been thinking about my own life, my faith, and my response to the crisis. I've been thinking a lot about our family in Myanmar, which is just now starting to feel the effects of the pandemic.
I want to share with you some of my thoughts about all of this. Will you please read on? And after you read, will you share with us how you and your family are doing, and if there is anything about which we can pray with you and for you? Thank you.
How are you doing?
"Mandatory lock-down." "Self-quarantine." "Social Distancing." "Corona virus." "COVID-19." "Hoarding." "Shortages." "Non-essential Workers." "Business Closures." "School Closures." "Home Schooling." "Government Stimulus."
Et cetera, et cetera.
These are all words and phrases that have recently entered our collective vocabulary. As many of us watched in horror and fascination at the extreme response of the Chinese government to the virus outbreak, it was almost like watching a Hollywood movie. And while the American government has not responded with anywhere near the extreme measures of the Chinese government, our lives have certainly been impacted in ways many would never have predicted.
So, how are you handling it all? Has your life and your family's life been completely upended? Have you lost your job? Has someone you know contracted the virus? Do you know anyone who lost their fight to the virus?
No matter how severely your life has been impacted, one thing is for sure: we are living in a new reality. Just like 9/11 changed many things in our country forever, so I predict that this current pandemic will change many things forever. Maybe some things will be changed for the good, but many things will be changed in a negative way. However, only the passage of time will tell how much our lives will be really be changed in the long term.
As gold refined in the fire...
One thing that a crisis does is reveal our true faith. The Bible often uses the image of precious metals refined by fire as a metaphor for the testing of our faith (Zech 13:9; Psalm 66:10; Prov 17:3).
As gold or silver is melted down over a hot fire, the impurities in the metal separate and rise to the top, where they accumulate as dross. This dross is then scooped off and discarded as worthless. As the metal is repeatedly subjected to the heat, more and more dross is removed, eventually resulting in nothing but pure metal.
The Apostle Peter prays that when our faith (which is far more precious than mere gold) is tried, the result will be "praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet 1:6-7)
You and I are currently being tested by the COVID-19 pandemic. How are we handling the heat? Is my pure faith in Christ shining through, and am I allowing the dross to separate and fall away?
Focus on the main thing
Jesus told us to focus on the things that are truly important, and to let go of the dross. He told us not to worry about tomorrow, or about money or material possessions. In contrast, He said that we must first and foremost concern ourselves with the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
He said, "Don't worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (Matt 6:25) And then, after telling us why we shouldn't worry about these things (verses 26 - 32), He commands us:
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matt 6:33–34)
"But what if I lose my job?"
Don't worry about tomorrow!
"But what if the stores run out of food or supplies?"
Don't worry about tomorrow!
"But what if I catch the virus?"
Don't worry about tomorrow!
"But what if...?"
Don't worry about tomorrow!
Is my faith genuine?
History has proven over and over again that in times of crisis or trouble many who once claimed to be Christians will fall away because their faith was never genuine to begin with. It is burned away in the fires of adversity.
True believers will stand firm in their faith, regardless of what comes their way. Now, this doesn't mean there will be an absence of pain or fear. On the contrary, pain and fear are sometimes part of the refining process. But true faith will endure through the fear and pain, and it will come out of the fire stronger and more pure than ever before.
So, I ask again: how are you doing?
Do not let fear or anxiety over the future determine how you live out your faith today. The things that were important in the Kingdom of God before the virus hit are still important today, and they will still be important after the virus has run its course.
At MyHope we are so very thankful for all of our friends who have not allowed fear to determine their actions. These believers know that their regular love gifts to help the Myanmar Christians are just as important now as they were before, and therefore they have not stopped giving, or even cut back on their giving. These believers are truly "seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness."
We also know that some of our friends have lost their jobs, or have lost business income, and therefore have had to scale back or even stop their giving to MyHope. We understand, and are not casting judgement. We each have to live our lives in the sight of God and we all must make decisions according to the wisdom He has given us.
I do want to plead with you, however, not to make such decisions lightly or to make them based on fear or anxiety over the future. Our brothers and sisters in Myanmar are just starting to feel the effects of the pandemic, and their lives will probably be impacted in a far worse way than we could ever imagine.
There are no Walmarts, Costcos, or Amazons for the people in the villages. There are no government programs like unemployment insurance, and no stimulus checks will be forthcoming. The Myanmar health care system is already ranked as one of the very worst in the world, and they are woefully unprepared for anything like the COVID-19 pandemic.
In short, they still need our help, and now perhaps more than ever before.
If you are now, or have been, considering decreasing or cancelling your current giving to our family in Myanmar, will you please reconsider? And will you even consider increasing your giving? Think about how your gifts have so greatly impacted the lives of those living in extreme poverty!
You have saved lives, you have fed the hungry, you have clothed the naked, you have quenched the thirsty, you have healed the sick, you have enabled prisoners to be visited with the Gospel of Christ. You have enabled believers to grow deeper in their faith and in the knowledge of the Word. You have furthered and strengthened the Kingdom of God in so many ways, ways too numerous to count.
You have already laid up great treasure in Heaven. Please do not stop now, when your love is needed more than ever.
Those who endure will be saved
In Jesus' Parable of the Sower, He said that some believers will endure for a while, but when when tribulation or persecution arises they fall away because they "have no root." (Mark 4:17) I pray that you, and I, and all who read this will be "rooted and grounded in love" and that we will all "have strength to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge" and that we would be "filled with all the fullness of God." (Eph 3:14-21)
Thank you for "enduring to the end" of my little speech. Will you please let us know if there is anything we can pray for you about? Send us an email or message us on Facebook. We will pass your request along to our family in Myanmar who will also be praying for you. And I can guarantee you, because I know from personal experience, that when the children and staff at Hope Boarding School pray, God listens to them and answers their prayers!
God bless you, and may you experience the true peace that passes all understanding.