Please HONOR the copyright of these documents by not retransmitting or making any additional copies in any form (Except for private personal use). We appreciate your respectful cooperation. ___________________________ Theological Research Exchange Network (TREN) P.O. Box 30183 Portland, Oregon 97294 USA Website: www.tren.com E-mail: [email protected] Phone# 1-800-334-8736 ___________________________ ATTENTION CATALOGING LIBRARIANS TREN ID# Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) MARC Record # Digital Object Identification DOI # Ministry Focus Paper Approval Sheet This ministry focus paper entitled DEVELOPING A STRATEGY TO STRENGTHEN THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP OF KACHIN YOUTH IN MYANMAR Written by MAW SAN AWNG and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry has been accepted by the Faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary upon the recommendation of the undersigned readers: _____________________________________ Chap Clark _____________________________________ Kurt Fredrickson Date Received: March 18, 2013 DEVELOPING A STRATEGY TO STRENGTHEN THE CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP OF KACHIN YOUTH IN MYANMAR A MINISTRY FOCUS PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY MAW SAN AWNG MARCH 2013 ABSTRACT Developing a Strategy to Strengthen the Christian Discipleship of Kachin Youth in Myanmar Maw San Awng Doctor of Ministry School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary 2013 This project will discuss ways to strengthen the Christian discipleship of Kachin youth. The Kachins became Christians through American missionaries during the British colonization of present-day Myanmar (Burma). Soon after independence, the Kachins were called the followers of a colonial religion and lost their opportunity for advancement in a mainly Buddhist country. In 1962, the Burmese version of a socialist government came to power and closed the country’s door to the outside world. Conflict started due to unjust and unequal power sharing among ethnic people. When war began, the Kachins were still in the early stages of Christianity, modern education, and social development. After fifty years of suffering, Kachin youth and the future society of all Kachins are now threatened. There are three parts to this paper. To give a full picture of the current ministry context, the first part presents the historical, social, political, and religious background of Kachin society. The second part discusses a biblical and theological response to the current issues of Kachin youth and the role of the Kachin Baptist Convention in Kachin society. This part also examines how Kachin youth understand Christian spirituality and Christian discipleship in their struggle. Ultimately, it offers a practical contextual theology. Since 98 percent of Kachins are Christians, in order to build hope for the future of Kachin society it is important to strengthen the Christian discipleship of Kachin youth, so that they will be able to overcome current obstacles. For this reason, the third part offers practical youth ministry programs to transform and empower Kachin young people. To build hope, Kachin Baptist churches must start both a spiritual and social ministry to strengthen youth spiritually, educationally, and professionally for their stable and successful life in Christ. Content Reader: Chap Clark, PhD Words: 290 To my beloved wife, Sarama Zinghang Ban Mai, and my beloved children, Jum Hpung San Awng and Jum Moon San Mai ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, with heartfelt joy, I would like to thank God Almighty for calling me into His ministry and giving me a chance to prepare at Fuller Theological Seminary for His Kingdom. I am also very thankful to my theological mentor, Dr. Chapman R. Clark, who patiently helped and guided me to be able to write this ministry focus paper. And I am very grateful to the professors and staff of the Doctor of Ministry Program. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Claude and Betty Bennett and the National Presbyterian Church, who helped me to go to Fuller Theological Seminary and supported my tuition. My deepest appreciation also goes to Mr. and Mrs. Peter and Elizabeth Forster, who kindly and generously supported my living expenses. To Drs. Mark and Sarah Yamaguchi, thank you for helping to bring my family to the United States and for your financial support during my studies here at Fuller Theological Seminary. Without your generosity, I would not have been able to come to study. I am also indebted to the Kachin Baptist Church of Mandalay and Kachin Baptist members from Myanmar both here and in the United States. To my uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Dawshi Yawba, thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support during my study. My heartfelt honor and respect go to my parents, Slg. Jum Doi La and Sarama Lazum Lu Jan, who brought me into this world and did for me with all their best until today, and to my parents-in-law, Slg. Zinghang Joseph Naw Din and Sarama Malizup Nang Pri, for your love, encouragement, and prayer. Without your support I would not have been able to study abroad. Finally, I would like to express special appreciation with all my heart to my beloved wife, Sarama Zinghang Ban Mai, and my two children, Jum Hpung San Awng and Jum Moon San Mai, for your love, patience, and kindness. Without your support, I would not have been able to finish my doctoral studies. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv INTRODUCTION 1 PART ONE: LOSING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF KACHIN SOCIETY: BACKGROUND AND HISTORY Chapter 1. THE HISTORY OF THE KACHIN PEOPLE 9 Chapter 2. THE CURRENT SITUATION OF THE KACHIN PEOPLE WHICH IMPACTS THE LIVES OF KACHIN YOUTH 26 PART TWO: FINDING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF KACHIN SOCIETY Chapter 3. IMPACT OF SOCIAL SETTING UPON THE DEVELOPMENT OF KACHIN YOUTH 65 Chapter 4. THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON THE CURRENT SITUATION OF KACHIN YOUTH 82 Chapter 5. THE NEED FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL MINISTRY FOR KACHIN YOUTH 105 PART THREE: BUILDING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF KACHIN SOCIETY Chapter 6. KNOWING JESUS AND FOLLOWING JESUS: STRENGTHENING THE SPIRITUALITY OF KACHIN YOUTH 131 Chapter 7. FOLLOWING JESUS IN FULL DIGNITY OF GOD’S IMAGE: STRENGTHENING KACHIN YOUTH IN EDUCATIONAL MINISTRY 167 Chapter 8. FOLLOWING JESUS IN FULL CAPACITY OF GOD’S IMAGE: STRENGTHENING KACHIN YOUTH IN VOCATIONAL MINISTRY 178 CONCLUSION 189 BIBLIOGRAPHY 195 v INTRODUCTION When the discipleship of younger generations of Christians is impeded over the course of decades, the future existence of that Christian society becomes questionable. This is what is happening to the Kachins. After suffering from over fifty years of ethnic conflict, the Kachin people in the northern part of Myanmar (Burma) face enormous issues that have to be solved for the future of their society. The Kachins were introduced to Christianity by American missionaries in the late 1800s. Since then, Christianity has been growing among the Kachins. Today 98 percent of Kachins are Christian. “Among the most virile and fast-growing Christian groups in Burma are the Kachin Baptists.”1 However, having rich and valuable natural resources and belonging to Christianity have resulted in suffering for the Kachins in the northern part of Myanmar. Today, more than 50 percent of Kachin youth in several towns and villages are trapped in drug addiction. The rates of young Kachin women involved in the sex industries are getting higher year by year. The rates of the younger generation leaving their homeland to find safety and a better future elsewhere also are rising. Desiring to protect their own God-given dignity, rights, and their homeland, serving in the independent army has become an unavoidable responsibility for young Kachins. Due to ethnic conflict, Kachin church members have had to abandon their homes and properties and hide in the jungle where their lives will be safe. Tens of thousands of children’s educational opportunities have been eliminated by the conflict. 1 Herman G. Tegenfeldt, A Century of Growth: The Kachin Baptist Church of Burma (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1974), 23. 1 Under these several and also extreme critical issues, the future of the Kachin society has fallen into danger.2 In 1961, when the prime minister of Burma tried to declare Buddhism as the state religion the Kachins, the Chin, and the Karens who adhere to the Christian religion started protesting against the government’s decision. In the following year, Kachin nationalists took up arms against the government in response to the Burmese political establishment. On March 2, 1962, the military took over the government and General Nay Win led the country into a Burmese version of socialism. He closed the country’s door and expelled all the missionaries from Myanmar.3 The Kachin Christians started suffering from many kinds of problems, both physically and spiritually, due to the conflicts between the Kachin Independent Army and the government. Technically, the nationalism of the Kachins started from unjust and unequal power sharing among ethnic people in Myanmar after the independence from the British. Unfortunately, religious discrimination toward the minority was one of the biggest factors of the cause of the conflict. During all those years of conflict, as the Kachin State is in a landlocked area, neighboring with the People’s Republic of China—a communist country which has almost no concern in promoting human rights—the Kachins have been suffering from unjust discrimination by the government without the international community knowing for over fifty years. 2 La Rip Lama, A Report of Relief Action Network for Internal Displaced People and Refugees in Kachin State (Laiza, Myanmar: Relief Action Network for Internal Displaced People and Refugees, June 8, 2012), 3. 3 David I. Steinberg, Burma/Myanmar (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 60. 2 Eugenio Kincaid, who came to Burma in 1830, was the first missionary who met the Kachins.