Since attaining independence from the British Commonwealth in 1948, successive governments have fought on-and-off conflicts with armed ethnic groups seeking autonomy in the country’s mountainous border region[1]. In 1990, multiparty legislative elections were held resulting in victory for the NLD party and a loss for the incumbent military Junta, yet they did not transition their power to the elected party, and civil unrest increased. In May of 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar killing 138,000 while also leaving tens of thousands injured and homeless[2]. It wasn’t until 2015 that the nation had a credible election resulting in another landslide victory for the NLD party, except this time the rightful transition did take place. Crisis has continued in recent years in the northern part of Myanmar’s Rakhine state in which the Myanmar government has been persecuting the Muslim Rohingya people[3]. The genocide, rape, and violence to the Muslim Rohingya people have led to an exodus from their home. Approximately 912,000 Rohingya people are now living as refugees with approximately 700,000 living in Bangladesh[4]. This nation is the second largest producer of illicit opium, while also being one of the largest producers of amphetamine type stimulants. Finally, Myanmar is a source country for the human trafficking of women, men, and children for the purposes of forced labor while women and children are also subjected to sex trafficking[5]. Let’s Pray…

-Jesus, you are here in Myanmar. Jesus we ask that you would shine your light upon the righteous and those in disparity. God, we pray for you to lift up the righteous and place them in the seats of the corrupt and those who turn away from your agenda Father. Jesus, we pray for you to shine your light upon these communities and to send your messengers to share your salvation message with them. Jesus, we pray for your followers to be filled with your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Help them to seek to love you with all their heart, soul, and strength.*  

-Father, we lift up the Rohingya people and we pray for justice. Father, we pray for the military and the government to be held accountable for their actions. Father, we pray for physical, mental, and emotional healing over the Rohingya people. We pray for the provision of food, water, education, housing, and all other needs to be met in Jesus name. Jesus, we pray that the Rohingya people would receive you as Lord and Savior. We pray for the internally displaced people and the stateless persons in this nation and ask for your mercy and provision for all their needs. We pray that they too would know you as Lord and Savior. Thank you Jesus.

-God, we lift up those in power.  Father, we pray for these leaders to encounter and walk with you Jesus, our king of kings. We pray for wisdom in allocating economic resources to those in need. We pray for religious freedom. We pray for conviction of the Holy Spirit to lead people to repentance. Help them to see, understand, and embrace the truth of the cross and salvation. We pray for an incredible movement of the Holy Spirit to release salvation and your fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.**

-Jesus, we lift up those trafficked in Myanmar. Jesus, we pray for the emotional, mental, and physical bondage to be broken in the name of Jesus Christ. Father, we pray for freedom for the captives.  Help them to return to safe communities where they can live with you and find hope in you Jesus. We pray that all the captives would receive you as Lord and Savior. We pray for all the traffickers to be convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin, and for them to turn from their ways. Help them to also place their faith in you Jesus.

-Father, we pray against the production of harmful drugs in Myanmar. We pray for conviction over those who produce these drugs and we pray for repentance and salvation. We pray for drug users to find freedom from addictions in the name of Jesus. Amen.                      

Image Credit: Ko Ko Win

[1] Cia World Factbook, (Date Accessed October 2020).

[2] Cia World Factbook, (Date Accessed October 2020).

[3] Wikipedia, “Rohingya Genocide.” (Date Accessed October 2020).

[4] Cia World Factbook, (Date Accessed October 2020).

[5] Cia World Factbook, (Date Accessed October 2020).

*Scripture quotations are based upon text obtained from New International Version of Galatians 5:22-23, (1984); Deuteronomy 6:5 (2011).

**Scripture quotations are based upon text obtained from New International Version of Galatians 5:22-23, (1984).