Shan Dai Advocacy

#15 His Next Verse: Titus!

!!!First Completed Book in the Shan Dai Bible!!!

A wonderful prayer opportunity for all praying for the Shan Dai: the book of Titus is almost completely translated into the Shan Dai Language…God please bless the translation team with your wisdom, and for all who will be testing the newly translated Titus give to them understanding, and Lord, for the Shan Dai believers may the letter that Paul originally wrote to Titus encourage them on in holy living that many would long to know you and your love. Amen!

When we see the panorama view of the market in the devotional for Titus, please keep people like these in mind the next time we read through the 3-chapter book, being thankful to God for the Bible in our own heart language. Thank you for your on-going prayers for the on-going Bible translation.
Titus 3:4-8 4 God our Savior showed us how good and kind he is. He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life. This message is certainly true.

Reality in a Letter

Dear Prayer Partners for the Shan Dai,
The following letter offers sober insight to serous needs for the Shan of Burma. Please consider reading and from it much can be taken to our Lord in prayer.
Thank you.

To,
His Excellency Mr. Wen Jiabao
Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China
Dear Sir,
I am writing not as a politician, nor as a member of any political organisation but as an ordinary citizen of the world. I am a Tai/Dai (Shan) who is now living in the UK.
I would like to bring to your attention that since 1962 until the present day the peoples of Burma have been living in fear and terror. There has been relocation of villagers, confiscation of farmlands, murder, gang rape of women and girls, extrajudicial killings, imprisonment and other heinous crimes committed by the two military regimes against the ordinary citizens especially the non-Burman ethnic nationals.
I would like you to please imagine how a mother would feel when her son or daughter is the victim of such treatment: she is sorrow stricken especially when she has tried to bring up the child with love and care until he or she reaches adulthood. Her basic instinct is to love, nourish, provide warm clothing and shelter for her child. She also tries to teach her child to be a decent citizen and to understand right and wrong, and to respect the law of the land.
You as a Prime Minister, Sir are so much wiser than I am but unlike me when engaging with foreign governments your decisions are based mainly on politics and economy. I would therefore like to make a fervent plea to you when dealing with the Burmese military you would please consider the millions of citizens in Burma who have suffered for more than four decades: many have had the experience of fathers, mothers and relatives being, imprisoned, raped, murdered, executed and their homes and lands confiscated.
Looking back in history China has one of the oldest civilisations in the world; there had been Great Leaders and Philosophers, as well as many geniuses in the fields of inventions and medicines. All the past and present that make up China is something very admirable and an envy of the world.
In recent years, politically and economically China has progressed by leaps and bounds. I am sure China will go far and I have hopes that China will be a good example to all countries, especially those of Asia not only in the progress of economy and politics but also in the progress of mankind. As a Prime Minister of a great nation we have faith and hope that you adopt amongst your other policies a policy to relieve the suffering of all citizens of the world.
As you well know from your experience with the Dais in China, the Tais in the Shan State are also peace loving people who wish to live in harmony with their own as well as other societies.
China is the only country that can make the Generals of Burma see sense and to act responsibly, humanely and ethically, and to bring about the reconciliation of all the different ethnic nationals in Burma.
Respectfully yours,
Sao Noan Oo

#7 His Next Verse– Holy Spirit

The devotional from Galatians in the Shan Dai Bible Translation Prayer Journal may help to set the scene for a recent challenge to the Bible translation team. Gal 5:22-23 describes how a person’s life is different (it has in it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) when the Holy Spirit is in control of one’s life. But just how are the words “Holy Spirit” to be translated in order to accurately portray who HE is? The Dai language has no word for “holy”. That is a problem. On top of that, the Shan Dai word for “spirit” is always connected with demonic activity so that makes it unusable in seeking to describe the Holy Spirit. The concept of the Holy Spirit needs to be understood and communicated, may God give His wisdom we pray. Let’s also join in a prayer from the Bible exegete, “Lord, we pray we would not just dissect the word but abide in it more and more. Lord, we thank you for how you have brought this about, and we plead for help in every aspect of this work, please keep our hearts soft and humble before you and help us remain in unity and love for the sake of your name!” Amen.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers for the Dai and the Bible Translation.

Easter!

Happy Easter!
For many among the Shan Dai this will be their first time celebrating with others the fact and joy that Jesus is risen indeed! Before that glorious morning there came a time in Jesus’ life when he had a choice to make. Sweating like great drops of blood he agonized in the garden and proclaimed, “not my will but yours.” That is the choice the Shan Dai and each of us need to make, over and over again. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. Father, You fill us with joy. Thank you for accepting the sacrifice of Your Son for our sins and for the amazing way you raised Him from the dead. Father, this is the hope for all people. May the Shan Dai celebrate with joy and out of joy share your love with many more.
Amen.