“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”
Matthew 19:14
A ministry in the slums of Yangon regularly runs children’s outreaches, sharing the Gospel with children and telling them Bible stories. Many children desire to be baptized and follow Christ, but are legally under their parents’ guardianship until they turn 18 years old. Some children and youth face challenges when their parents disapprove of their decision to trust in Christ and receive baptism.
This is the story of one new 17 year old believer: “Many of my coworkers were beginning to come to Christ. I became wary of Christ in my desire to be loyal to my religion and beliefs. Because of this, I avoided every invitation to religious meetings. Unknowingly, I began to be drawn towards this religion — in spite of all my efforts to be loyal to my own religion — because the love they showed was too strong. One day, I was asked to help work on building a baptismal pool, and as I worked my heart became so tranquil. I felt a yearning from the deepest part of me.
“I asked my friends to introduce me to their religion, so they told me the Gospel. I came to understand about God, about humans, about our destination without Jesus, and finally about the salvation of Jesus which God offers to all who believe in Him. Wow! I received Jesus as my personal Savior at the baptismal pool I have built.
“I am still living with my family. When my father noticed my conversion, he beat me as punishment. But I decided to bear all punishment and persecution instead of disowning my Savior! I don’t know what will happen to me next, but I keep on trusting Him!”
Prayer Requests
- Pray that more children and youth will come to Jesus, and that the Lord uses them to bring their whole families to salvation.
- Pray that God gives the leaders wisdom in how to disciple these youth while honoring the authority of their parents.
