Hello friends! In the previous episode, Tam Ki had obeyed his calling from the Lord to spread the Good News around the country. In today’s episode he would continue to hear even more ridiculous commands from God. Let’s find out how God shaped his servant into fully obeying Him.

In 1988, the Lord told Tam Ki to move to Mindat, a town 36 miles from his village at Machung. There, he was to build a church and start a Bible school to train ministers and name it Hallelujah Bible School. Tam Ki was overwhelmed, “Where would I find the money to build a house for my wife and my five children in the new town? How would I provide for my family and pay for my children’s school fees in Mindat? As if this was not enough, I had to build a church and start a Bible school!” 

But the Lord insisted he had a plan. Tam Ki seriously wondered if the Lord had chosen the right man for His ambitious tasks. With only Grade Seven education and a three-month discipleship training course at Yangon to his credit, he felt totally inadequate. By now, many villagers in Machung held Tam Ki’s congregation in high esteem. The thought of moving his family to Mindat, even just walking the 36 miles on foot, carrying all belongings through the mountainous terrain, was an absolute nightmare. However, these thoughts from the Lord would not go away. God instructed Tam Ki, all these things that He wanted Tam Ki to do were of Him. And Tam Ki was to obey Him and act according to His will.

The Lord was also showing Tam Ki’s wife that their family should hold an evangelistic and healing rally in Machung. So by the time Tam Ki went home and brought the matter up with her, she was supportive of hosting a 10-day rally. Planning began. Kee Mana pointed out they needed to get a generator. The generator which Tam Ki bought several years ago had been damaged beyond repair. Not for the first time, he set off on a mission that was entirely unfunded. The church committee gave enough for travelling expenses to Mandalay, over 300 miles away. But Tam Ki had to trust the Lord to provide funds for a generator.

It was early December when Tam Ki set off, first trekking the mountainous jungles to Mindat. He was thinking a great deal about the idea of relocating his family to Mindat. The sprawling mountainous stretches beyond Machung had been their inheritance from their forefathers since time immemorial. God’s plans to build a church and start a Bible school were beyond Tam Ki’s wildest dreams.

Reaching Mindat, Tam Ki walked through the heart of town, overwhelmed by his thoughts, “Lord, if it is Your will to move my family, to build a church and start a Bible school here, then bless me with this house.” In front of him was a large, two-storey house for sale. What a ridiculous request! Perhaps as ridiculous as the tasks the Lord had set before Tam Ki! This town centre house, he discovered, belonged to a businessman and had been on the market for a while. But no one could afford the exorbitant sum. It was much bigger than Tam Ki’s home in Machung. The more Tam Ki thought about it, the more he knew that it would be ideal for his growing family. It was even big enough for the occasional church meetings.

Tam Ki continued his journey to Pakokku and then on to Mandalay, where his arrival was warmly greeted. Rev Van Uk, whom Tam Ki had previously met during a mission trip, insisted Tam Ki must preach in his church. Rather than a generator shopping trip, it turned into a week of revival meetings at Trinity Assembly of God Church.

During this mission, a man with leprosy came to the gate of the church and asked for prayer.

After the service, Rev Van Uk and Tam Ki took the man aside. His face was swollen and covered with ugly lumps. To disguise the ravages of leprosy on his body, he wore a long-sleeved shirt. He had bandaged both his hands, but they were soaked in blood and pus, and the smell was awful.

“If your God is the living God, if He exists at all, let me taste His goodness. He should be able to heal a leper like me!” challenged the man.  Upon hearing this, Tam Ki prayed to Lord to heal this man of this crippling disease.  The man grabbed hold of their hands and shook them in gratitude, surprised to find two strangers caring enough to pray for him. They were momentarily stunned by the contact; in fact, to be honest, it caused Tam Ki and Rev Van Uk to completely lose their appetite for the meal later.

The man with leprosy, Tin Myint, turned out to be a master craftsman in jade. Since contracting the dreadful disease, he had been driven from his home and he slept under a coconut tree on the street. Some young apprentices who were keen to learn the trade from him, had plucked up the courage to come by and consult him, despite his condition, and with the small amounts of money they gave him, Tin Myint was able to buy food. However, life was wretched for him and he was in constant pain. His entire body was covered in sores. Maggots gnawed his flesh. As the disease consumed his fingers, he used his teeth to nibble off the dead bones.

The following day, Tin Myint returned to the revival meeting again, weeping profusely. He was so thankful to Tam Ki and the living God who had healed him.  Showing the raw stumps of both hands, Tin Myint wailed like a newborn babe. Having witnessed such a wonderful healing miracle by the merciful Lord right before their eyes, Rev Van Uk and Tam Ki gave way to their own emotions; soon there were three grown men crying uncontrollably.

That night Tin Myint experienced the sweetest sleep he had known for ages, with his pain completely gone. A day later, he could stretch out his hands and feet. By the third day he could run and by the fourth, the sores on his body had dried up. Soon, Tin Myint was standing in front of the church giving his testimony of how God healed him.

Seven months later, Tam Ki met Tin Myint again at Trinity Assembly of God Church, Mandalay. The swelling on his face was gone, and his feet and hands were completely healed. The Lord who healed lepers two thousand years ago still heals today. Hallelujah! These days, Tin Myint is a lay leader at a church in a leprosy village in Mandalay.

On the final day of the revival meetings in Mandalay, a young man, Thang Yaw, introduced himself after the service and invited Tam Ki to his home. Weary from the week of preaching, Tam Ki gladly accepted the invitation. A small group of family members had gathered at the house and Tam Ki took the opportunity to share God’s Word with them.

At the end of the evening, Thang Yaw took out a big bag and handed it to Tam Ki, “Saya Tam Ki, in this bag there are 200,000 kyats. The Lord has impressed on me to give this to you. Take it!”

Tam Ki was at a loss for words. He had never seen so much money. When Thang Yaw found out that the purpose of Tam Ki’s trip was to buy a generator for evangelism in Machung, he not only bought a generator, but also a loudspeaker, amplifier, lighting and wiring. God truly blessed Tam Ki through this generous young man. Laden with the equipment, Tam Ki returned to Machung. He guarded the bag of money with life, holding it tightly, even in his sleep.

On the way back, Tam Ki passed through Mindat again, staying a while to organise some help to carry the equipment from there through the jungle to Machung. While he was there, a friend went out for breakfast with him. On the way, they bumped into Om Ha Law – the businessman whose house was for sale in the town. He told Tam Ki that he had moved away but had come back specially to sell the house.

Hardly containing his excitement, Tam Ki asked how much was he asking for it. “A hundred thousand kyats,” came the firm reply. After negotiating, Tam Ki paid 82,000 kyats for the house from the bag of money from Thang Yaw. The Lord, in His perfect timing, had brought together seller and buyer. That day, they were two exceedingly happy men.

Thinking of the audacity in asking God for this house, Tam Ki begged His forgiveness. He was thanking the Lord for the answered prayer.  Back in Machung, the believers came out to cheer as helpers and Tam Ki made their triumphant entry into the village carrying the generator and the rest of the equipment. Tam Ki proudly produced the title deed of the two-storey house to show his wife. This was beyond their wildest dreams.

Invitations to the rally at Machung were sent out to more than a dozen villages surrounding Mindat, Matupi and Kanpetlet townships. Believers put out a challenge that if anyone wanted eternal life or receive healing for their illnesses, and experience the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, they were welcome to come along, and all food and lodging would be provided. More than 1,000 people came. Tam Ki and his wife gave their entire year’s reserves of rice with meat and vegetables – all to feed those who came. Church members also gave their produce and livestock sacrificially.

In preparation for the rally, Tam Ki and his co-workers fasted and drank only water for an entire week of the 10-day event. It was their belief that self-denial was absolutely necessary to bring about full dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit. They brought in a number of Christian leaders to work with them. Guests from nearby villages, some having walked as much as 100 miles, began arriving at Machung a couple of days before the start of the rally. Tam Ki and his co-workers organised the guests into groups – those who could read and write, the illiterate, the children and the elderly. During the day, they conducted Bible study sessions and in the evening, there were revival meetings.

During one evening meeting, there was a miraculous healing of a 14-year-old boy, Naing Law. As a result of a severe fever about four years before, his left limbs were shorter than his right ones. He walked with a limp and his defective arm was contracted and therefore of little use. A team of believers prayed over him. After that, Naing Law could stretch out his arm. As the prayer team continued to pray, he was able to run freely. His limbs were made completely

whole.

One middle-aged woman, Thang Yawng, had a problem with spiritual pride. By the second day, she was not joining in any of the meetings. She talked incessantly. Suddenly, she took off her clothes and ran towards the forest. Believers ran after her, gathered around and prayed for her. Her pride had opened her to spiritual attack from the devil but, after prayer, she became her usual self. Humbled by this incident, Thang Yawng rededicated her life to the Lord.

Two days later, during a Bible study session, there was a sudden commotion. A teenager, Tam Hlu, had fallen over and stopped breathing. Distressed, Tam Ki prayed to the Lord and was comforted by His assurance that He is in control. More than thirty people came forward to pray with Tam Ki over the girl’s lifeless body. After praying for about an hour, breath came back into the girl and she sat up.  

Suddenly, a man in the prayer team had fallen down and become motionless with his eyes wide open, in exactly the same condition as the girl. Some later described seeing a black shadow, bigger than the size of man, released from the girl’s body. This evil spirit must have gone into the man’s body.

Only six others with strong faith were left standing with Tam Ki. They prayed in tongues for more than two hours until sunset. Suddenly, a black mist swirled out of the man and went upwards. The man began to breathe and said, “I was suddenly hit by a black shadow and fainted.”

Since that incident, the man had become pastor of Ngamai Mission Church, five miles west of Mindat. The girl surrendered her life to the Lord. Having witnessed the power of God at work, those attending the rally were more focused on the messages. Each night, over 30 people gave testimonies of healing. More than 400 people received baptism. Many believers rededicated their lives to the Lord and went on to become pastors, missionaries and church planters.

Tam Ki had many requests to lead similar rallies in other villages. Believers from seven villages came, asking to start churches for them. And, in due course, churches were planted in the Southern Chin villages.

Tam Ki followed God’s command to plant churches and was surely blessed for his work. With renewed strength from the Holy Spirit, he and his co-workers stayed firmly grounded in their faith in the Lord. What would be his next challenge to serve the Lord? Please listen to our new episode on the following Thursday. Stay tune and good bye!

With Courtesy –

Song: God of Grace

Choir: Dawnbreakers, Wesley Methodist Church, Singapore

Composer: Keith Getty and Jonathan Rea

Arrangement: Tom Fettke