Hello friends! In the previous episode, Tam Ki obeyed God’s command and was preparing to move his family from Machung to Mindat, an arduous journey through the steep mountaneous slopes of 36 miles by foot. He and his family would start new journey in Mindat to continue their service for God.

All his five lively children were excited about their move to Mindat. Tam Ki felt a sense of awe at how the Lord had provided for them during his long absences from home on mission trips. In May 1989, they began their move to Mindat. Then the Lord reminded Tam Ki that he must build a church in this town! Tears slid down his cheeks as Tam Ki thought of the lovely two-storey house the Lord had given them. “Yes, Lord!” he whispered.

As soon as his family had settled into the ground floor of the new home in Mindat, Tam Ki lost no time in converting the first storey into a Bible training centre. The following month, together with two other evangelists, Ha Hung and Law Thang, they started Hallelujah Bible Training Centre with 57 students. Many of these are teenagers who had signed up for the course when Tam Ki was promoting it during the Machung rally. All 57 students became their extended family and lived with them.

Tam Ki’s family was fascinated with the modern inventions of the new town. It was the first time his younger children had seen a motor car. They would often chase them as they sped by, deeply inhaling the exhaust fumes which were, to them, the very perfume of their new life. The place of worship was Mindat Assembly of God Church. Six families worshipped together in the ground floor of a believer’s home. The pastor was Lawng Hawn from Matupi.

Early one Monday morning, Tam Ki went to a piece of land he had found on a mountain slope half a mile from home. Kneeling on the ground, he prayed, “Almighty God, if it is Your will, provide this land for Your church.” He took some soil by faith and claimed the land for the church. On the same day, he went to the District Office and made an application for the acquisition of the land. Fortunately, the application had the support of the chairman of the district; and it transpired that the piece of land was allocated for religious use. The very next day, they were told that could have it – for free! However, there were administrative fees to be paid. The District Office summoned Tam Ki to pay them at 10am the following day. But he had no money; neither could the believers raise the sum with such short notice. Tam Ki even tried selling his only cassette his owned but without any success.

When the day came, he was still without the money. “Perhaps this wasn’t the land that the Lord wanted,” Tam Ki thought. Suddenly, he heard “Saya, nay kaung lar? (how are you)” It was the Burmese postman, reaching into his bag for a letter. As soon as Tam Ki opened the envelope, his jumped into the air. Hallelujah! It was a cheque for 17,000 kyats, a love gift from a brother in Christ he had previously met at Hakha.

The fees were paid; the transaction for the land was complete. It was 9 August, 1990. The mountain slope plot now belonged to the church.

The Lord had met all their needs, providing at just the right time – never too early or too late!

The following morning at 3am, a group of eager believers, filled with thanksgiving to the Lord, started to chop down trees and clear the ground in preparation for laying the foundations. The Bible school students helped but the task was massive. Before long, they were exhausted and discouraged.

One day, a believer Gei Tam from Dap was brought on a stretcher over 12 miles to Mindat Hospital. He had been seriously ill for some time. As he was insisting that Tam Ki should pray for him, some men carried him to the plot where Tam Ki and his co-workers were working. Looking at the man shivering with a fever, Tam Ki said, “Gei Tam, seek first the kingdom of God and the Lord will provide all your needs. Show your obedience to the Lord. Get up and dig the ground.” Gei Tam had to be helped to his feet. Trying to steady himself, he grabbbed hold of a chopping hoe and with persistence, he was able to drag it on  the ground. Soon he was able to lift the chopping hoe and push the sharp edge into the ground. He was perspiring, but his movements were becoming stronger and stronger. Before long, Gei Tam claimed, “My headache is gone!” The same afternoon, Gei Tam was able to walk back to his village. Along the way, he passed through other villages where he openly shared the story of God’s goodness and healing.

The next day and then throughout the next couple of months, more sick people and their families came and offered to dig the ground, hoping for healing. It seemed that there was some kind of epidemic in the neighbouring villages, with many suffering from fever and chills. Some days as many as 100 people were working on the land. Many of the sick were healed.

Instead of Mindat Assembly of God Church, Pastor Cho Kee Thang renamed it Blessing Assembly of God Church. Cho Kee Thang, Tam Ki’s childhood friend, had just completed Bible college training in India and was to take up leadership of the church, leaving Tam Ki free for church planting. One of the deacons of the new church reasoned, “Let’s build a temporary bamboo building.” But Tam Ki vividly recalled his 1988 vision at Hakha. “No, the church should be a brick building, as the Lord revealed to me.”

A brick building would cost an exorbitant 1.4 million kyats. Tam Ki refused to settle for anything less than what had seen in the vision. He trusted the Lord would provide the funds. He appealed to the congregation to give generously. “No matter how small your gift, you give it to the Lord. Every small effort counts. And the Lord loves the person who gives cheerfully.”

First to respond was a family of five orphans. The eldest girl, Ngai Ha Hnin, about 14 years old, brought all their family livestock – three chickens and a piglet – to church on the following Lord’s Day. As she placed the baskets containing the livestock before Tam Ki, he asked, “What are these for?” The girl replied, “Saya, didn’t you tell us that we should contribute whatever we have for building God’s house? So I have brought these.” Tam Ki was deeply moved by her faith. He had never seen anyone given so much and was reminded of the Bible story of the widow and her mite. The five orphans had very little. The eldest girl had been working at odd jobs and with her meagre income, she bought rice to feed her younger siblings. She added, “We still have some cooking pots. If needed, I will donate them as well.” Although living from hand to mouth, the Lord preserved the family of five orphans and blessed them with their own families. One of the brothers, Ngai Ha Ling, became an evangelist and was used mightily to win many souls for the Lord.

On the same day, Cho Kee Thang’s father, Pa Maung Kee, donated 100 kyats from the sale of his land. Other church members offered jewellery and woven blankets. Some donated farm produce. They collected almost 100,000 kyats – but that was still a far cry from the 1.4 million kyats needed for a brick church building.

During one prayer meeting, the Lord said to Tam Ki, “Publish your testimony of My goodness to you. Name this booklet From Darkness to Glorious Light.” Tam Ki had been keeping a journal of some of his travels around the country, writing whenever he had time between preaching commitments. Two women, Ja Mai and Charity Chein, who worked in Mandalay University as tutors, agreed to help compile his journal entries into a publishable manuscript. Within four months, it was ready.

Tam Ki took the manuscript to Yangon, hoping to publish it although aware that since he had only 100 kyats, he would need some kind soul to sponsor the project. A friend Rev Hau Lian Kham invited Tam Ki to preach at his church. As a result, he was introduced to two generous widows who offered to fund the publication of the booklet. Ten thousand copies of the booklet were printed within two months. Tam Ki gave them out freely. But he prayed that the Lord would lead some of readers to donate money for the building of the church. Within a couple of months, copies of the booklet had travelled all over the country and reprints amounting to 20,000 copies had to be ordered – again sponsored by another generous woman supporter. Through the booklet, Tam Ki’s story reached areas of the country where he was unable to travel. Soon he was receiving letters from strangers telling him about their conversions after reading his testimony booklet. Believers from near and far wrote to say how they had been encouraged in their faith.

The tedious task of levelling the ground for their new church premises took two and a half years. They had no money for modern machineries and digging was done manually using the chopping hoe. While labouring at the site, co-workers were leading the church work and teaching at the Bible school. Bible school students would help in between classes. Vast quantities of earth and boulders were removed as they cut into the hill slope, preparing a huge flat area.

Finally the ground was ready. A simple foundation laying ceremony was held in March 1993, with 40 believers gathered around the site. They had borrowed 10 pounds of cement and with 10 bricks, laid a symbolic foundation in the shape of a cross, committing the construction of the church to the Lord. Some believers were sceptical. “If we even need to borrow cement to lay the foundation, how are we going to buy materials for a building?” Others, moved to tears, were grateful for the Lord’s faithfulness. Tam Ki’s determination was strengthened as he read 1 Chronicles 28:10, “Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”

He made numerous evangelistic trips around the country to raise funds for the church building. Often lacking the money for the bus fare, Tam Ki preached the Good News  at the bus station. Complete strangers would pay for his ticket and even invite him to share meals with them.

Whatever love gifts He collected, Tam Ki saved for the building fund, even if it meant going without food. He also had opportunities to preach in many churches. Tam Ki’s testimony booklet had already reached many of these places and softened the people’s hearts to give generously. Many also gave sacrificially when the Lord’s power was demonstrated in healings and deliverances during the meetings.

Tam Ki and his family had successfully moved to the new town. In accordance to the Lord’s command, he and his co-workers started a bible school in his own home and prepared the ground for a new church building. It was an uphill task as building a brick church would require an exorbitant amount of money, far beyond what their small congregation could afford. Would he persist in trusting God completely in this tremendous fund raising effort? What setbacks did his co-workers face as they boldly embarked on building the church themselves? Do 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