"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" -Revelation 7:9-10
Mmmm, a warm bowl of sticky rice...
Normally during the autumn I would delight myself in a warm mug of seasonal coffee, but this fall I am in Myanmar and smiling at my sticky rice in the warmth of the evening. Either clumped and fried in pieces and sprinkled in sugar, or spooned right into my bowl from the pot - sticky rice is not only delicious in itself, but it reminds me of my friends' beautiful Rawang heritage, their strong faith in God, and their childhood in Putao.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The mountainous and picturesque village town of Putao is home and refuge to the Rawang people group of Myanmar. The rich history of the Rawang is seen today through hemp weaving, fishing techniques, purple sticky rice, the Rawang language, etc. Like many of the 135 ethnic groups in Burma, a large population of Rawang have moved to Yangon to work within a major city and be close to other family members. Even so, Putao remains their desired haven, and many long to return to the simpler ways of life in their peaceful and isolated patch of northern Myanmar.
Living in Yangon, I am blessed to room with three beautiful Rawang girls in their twenties and am connected to many other Rawang through my time at Minglar Studio, through my roommates' acquaintances, and churches we attend. The majority of those I have met and formed friendships with are Rawang, and within that I have had valuable opportunities to learn of cultural practices, hear historical accounts, and share of folktales which amaze me to great lengths. The preservation of language and culture is a subject of interest that The Lord began placing on my heart a few years ago, so it has been my privilege to have a front row seat in listening to these such stories and in sharing a few.
So, please journey along with me, and my friend Maeram, as she takes us back to the flowing river and green forest of Putao, where the conversion from the stronghold of animism and traditional religion into the light and knowledge of Jesus' saving grace and power began long ago:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To Maeram's knowledge, the gospel first arrived to the Rawang of Myanmar during the early 1940s. Within her particular village, Maeram's aunt was suffering a long-term illness when she heard of preachers in a nearby village who prayed for those who were sick. Those who were prayed for were healed without having to offer any sacrifices of their own - quite a new concept for the Rawang who traditionally seek to appease spirits through animal offerings and the help of a shaman. Even so, Maeram's aunt decided to walk to the village for prayer, and she was healed of her infirmities.
"When she came back to the village, she talked about this Jesus as a God, as a Savior, as a Healer," Maeram remembers. "The village people heard what she said, but they were not Christians yet. But when the missionaries came to my village, my grandparents accepted Jesus, and all my uncles and aunts. My father was the only one who did not accept Jesus, because he wanted to keep the traditional things."
Maeram's grandparents were the village leaders and were held in great honor by all. When they accepted this new God all villagers followed in wanting to do the same, though they had very little knowledge of Jesus. The decision of their respected elders was enough to convince the villagers that there must, in fact, be a better God.
The Rawang villagers were well aware that in accepting Jesus their lives must change. One inconsistency they foresaw was in drinking their rice wine. They had accumulated large pots and were accustomed to enjoying such, often in irresponsible ways. They felt that if they were to become Christians, they must forsake their rice wine to follow God.
"They did not want to just waste [it] and pour [it] away," Maeram explained the dilemma. She laughed as she shared of their cleverness. "They set a date to drink all the rice wine before they accept[ed] Jesus. So they had parties - drinking parties for three days. And then, after three days, they decided to accept Jesus, but all the leftovers were poured. Nothing was left in the pot."
The same rice wine parties occurred in nearly every Rawang village in days prior to their acceptance of Christianity. Along with rice wine, they also gave up their chewing of betel nut and betel leaves - similar in addiction to tobacco. On the dates each village set, they threw out all leftover substances so they would not be tempted again.
In some villages, the youth were first to accept Christ, later followed by their parents. In such scenarios, parents were frustrated and saw the new religion as an excuse to avoid work. They knew that Christians were not to work on Sundays, but were to rest. "They were very angry," explained Maeram of those parents, "but later they also became Christians."
Though each conversion story is unique, the overarching theme that drew new Rawang believers was the power Jesus held over the "bad spirits" that corrupted their lives. They believed these spirits caused sickness and harm. Maeram explained: "Four or five days away from my village, a shaman saw these [bad] spirits coming from Wuning Village - that was my parent's village. He asked the spirits, 'Where are you coming from?' They said, 'Oh, we are from Wuning Village.' And he (the shaman) asked them (the bad spirits), 'Are all the people, the village people well?'"
The spirits replied to Tamu Pong, the shaman, "Oh, we have not seen them for a long time. We do not know where they have gone. We only see the smoke coming out of the houses." The shaman knew that the Wuning villagers had become Christians, and he came to believe that these evil spirits did not see Christians. He then decided to accept Christ, himself. The Lord had his way in Tamu Pong's heart and his family. Currently, Tamu Pong's youngest son is now a preacher in Mandalay.
The Rawang of Myanmar hold a powerful testimony of a people who embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior, of a people who have faithfully turned from their animistic beliefs to worship the true God and have found joy and peace in doing so. The Christianity of the Rawang people is beautiful and gripping because they embrace the truth of Jesus while keeping their colorful culture, traditions, and customs alive. Though they have laid aside the lies of traditional religion, they have become Rawang Christians - not Western Christians.
We worship the same God in different ways. We hold the same truth but in different languages. In Christ, we are one body, and the diversity of peoples and creation bring glory to our Lord. We are the work of His hands, and He deserves the unique worship and praise of us all.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*Pray for my Rawang brothers and sisters who are serving The Lord powerfully through evangelism to Buddhists and through Christian music production.
*Pray for literacy among Rawang children in northern Myanmar. The Rawang have Scripture in their language, though few early literacy materials.
Mmmm, a warm bowl of sticky rice...
Normally during the autumn I would delight myself in a warm mug of seasonal coffee, but this fall I am in Myanmar and smiling at my sticky rice in the warmth of the evening. Either clumped and fried in pieces and sprinkled in sugar, or spooned right into my bowl from the pot - sticky rice is not only delicious in itself, but it reminds me of my friends' beautiful Rawang heritage, their strong faith in God, and their childhood in Putao.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The mountainous and picturesque village town of Putao is home and refuge to the Rawang people group of Myanmar. The rich history of the Rawang is seen today through hemp weaving, fishing techniques, purple sticky rice, the Rawang language, etc. Like many of the 135 ethnic groups in Burma, a large population of Rawang have moved to Yangon to work within a major city and be close to other family members. Even so, Putao remains their desired haven, and many long to return to the simpler ways of life in their peaceful and isolated patch of northern Myanmar.
Living in Yangon, I am blessed to room with three beautiful Rawang girls in their twenties and am connected to many other Rawang through my time at Minglar Studio, through my roommates' acquaintances, and churches we attend. The majority of those I have met and formed friendships with are Rawang, and within that I have had valuable opportunities to learn of cultural practices, hear historical accounts, and share of folktales which amaze me to great lengths. The preservation of language and culture is a subject of interest that The Lord began placing on my heart a few years ago, so it has been my privilege to have a front row seat in listening to these such stories and in sharing a few.
So, please journey along with me, and my friend Maeram, as she takes us back to the flowing river and green forest of Putao, where the conversion from the stronghold of animism and traditional religion into the light and knowledge of Jesus' saving grace and power began long ago:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To Maeram's knowledge, the gospel first arrived to the Rawang of Myanmar during the early 1940s. Within her particular village, Maeram's aunt was suffering a long-term illness when she heard of preachers in a nearby village who prayed for those who were sick. Those who were prayed for were healed without having to offer any sacrifices of their own - quite a new concept for the Rawang who traditionally seek to appease spirits through animal offerings and the help of a shaman. Even so, Maeram's aunt decided to walk to the village for prayer, and she was healed of her infirmities.
"When she came back to the village, she talked about this Jesus as a God, as a Savior, as a Healer," Maeram remembers. "The village people heard what she said, but they were not Christians yet. But when the missionaries came to my village, my grandparents accepted Jesus, and all my uncles and aunts. My father was the only one who did not accept Jesus, because he wanted to keep the traditional things."
Maeram's grandparents were the village leaders and were held in great honor by all. When they accepted this new God all villagers followed in wanting to do the same, though they had very little knowledge of Jesus. The decision of their respected elders was enough to convince the villagers that there must, in fact, be a better God.
The Rawang villagers were well aware that in accepting Jesus their lives must change. One inconsistency they foresaw was in drinking their rice wine. They had accumulated large pots and were accustomed to enjoying such, often in irresponsible ways. They felt that if they were to become Christians, they must forsake their rice wine to follow God.
"They did not want to just waste [it] and pour [it] away," Maeram explained the dilemma. She laughed as she shared of their cleverness. "They set a date to drink all the rice wine before they accept[ed] Jesus. So they had parties - drinking parties for three days. And then, after three days, they decided to accept Jesus, but all the leftovers were poured. Nothing was left in the pot."
The same rice wine parties occurred in nearly every Rawang village in days prior to their acceptance of Christianity. Along with rice wine, they also gave up their chewing of betel nut and betel leaves - similar in addiction to tobacco. On the dates each village set, they threw out all leftover substances so they would not be tempted again.
In some villages, the youth were first to accept Christ, later followed by their parents. In such scenarios, parents were frustrated and saw the new religion as an excuse to avoid work. They knew that Christians were not to work on Sundays, but were to rest. "They were very angry," explained Maeram of those parents, "but later they also became Christians."
Though each conversion story is unique, the overarching theme that drew new Rawang believers was the power Jesus held over the "bad spirits" that corrupted their lives. They believed these spirits caused sickness and harm. Maeram explained: "Four or five days away from my village, a shaman saw these [bad] spirits coming from Wuning Village - that was my parent's village. He asked the spirits, 'Where are you coming from?' They said, 'Oh, we are from Wuning Village.' And he (the shaman) asked them (the bad spirits), 'Are all the people, the village people well?'"
The spirits replied to Tamu Pong, the shaman, "Oh, we have not seen them for a long time. We do not know where they have gone. We only see the smoke coming out of the houses." The shaman knew that the Wuning villagers had become Christians, and he came to believe that these evil spirits did not see Christians. He then decided to accept Christ, himself. The Lord had his way in Tamu Pong's heart and his family. Currently, Tamu Pong's youngest son is now a preacher in Mandalay.
The Rawang of Myanmar hold a powerful testimony of a people who embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior, of a people who have faithfully turned from their animistic beliefs to worship the true God and have found joy and peace in doing so. The Christianity of the Rawang people is beautiful and gripping because they embrace the truth of Jesus while keeping their colorful culture, traditions, and customs alive. Though they have laid aside the lies of traditional religion, they have become Rawang Christians - not Western Christians.
We worship the same God in different ways. We hold the same truth but in different languages. In Christ, we are one body, and the diversity of peoples and creation bring glory to our Lord. We are the work of His hands, and He deserves the unique worship and praise of us all.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*Pray for my Rawang brothers and sisters who are serving The Lord powerfully through evangelism to Buddhists and through Christian music production.
*Pray for literacy among Rawang children in northern Myanmar. The Rawang have Scripture in their language, though few early literacy materials.