In Myanmar Ko Aung risks everything for Jesus

How one believer encountered the hope of Jesus even in the midst of brutal persecution

To follow Jesus in Myanmar is to live with constant risk. There’s the potential for pressure from the majority-Buddhist population, where some Buddhist extremists can persecute Christians. Christians also have fewer rights than Buddhists in Myanmar, and Christian converts can face pressure and shunning from their communities when they leave the religion of their community.

But since February 2021, the situation has grown even worse for Christians. The military in Myanmar took over the government, re-establishing the military junta that ruled the country for nearly 50 years in the second half of the 20th century. The military has targeted followers of Jesus, destroying churches and Christian aid workers, and pastors have been killed. This is the primary reason Myanmar is ranked as the world’s 14th most dangerous country for Christians on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List.

Ko Aung* is an Open Doors partner from Myanmar—and he has seen the persecution firsthand. First, when he came to faith, he felt the social and familiar pressure of converting from Buddhism. “When I came to [my] Christian faith, my family members told me that I would be cut off from the family and would not be given any inheritance,” he remembers. “They asked me why I accepted Christ when Buddhism was the best religion and [told me that] by leaving Buddhism, I was abandoning my country.”

That wouldn’t be the last time Ko Aung would face persecution for his faith.

But he also couldn’t have known the persecution would be so bad that he’d have to flee the country he loves.

The surprising fruit of the pandemic

After Ko Aung’s family disowned him, he left his village and eventually settled in Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar. He lived and worked there until the COVID-19 pandemic hit Myanmar, and he had to return home.

But God used his return to reach the Christian community of Myanmar, who was suffering brutally during the pandemic. He was one of the partners that worked with Open Doors to serve many Christians who needed urgent aid. “During the pandemic, Christians were affected more than other communities as many Christian groups live in remote areas,” Ko Aung explains. “Their main way of earning is through selling vegetables and crops in the markets away from their villages. But the pandemic brought in travel restrictions, which made it difficult for them to travel and do business.

“We were working to provide necessities like rice and oil to the needy believers. We even provided them Bibles and hymnbooks they needed for their spiritual growth.”

Though the situation was hard for Christians during the pandemic, Ko Aung looks back at that time with gratitude for God’s provision. “[Christians] were so thankful to receive the aid, and they cheerfully invited us to come again,” he says. “Also, I had no churches in my village, so I liked meeting them and having fellowship with them. I had good relationships with the pastors.” The gifts and prayers of Open Doors supporters around the world helped these Christians who had nothing—and showed partners like Ko Aung that there is a global family who cares deeply about him and the people he served.

But then, in early 2021, the coup happened.

Where serving Christians is risky

Ko Aung first realized that things had grown more dangerous when some of the tools he used to serve believers stopped working. “One day, I realized that one of my mobile banking [apps] called KPay had been blocked,” he says. “After about a month, another mobile banking app was also blocked. I could not do any money transactions via those apps, nor was I able to take out money or receive money from my bank.”

This led to a frightening consequence. “Soon, my mobile banking was blocked,” he says. “I then tried to open a new bank account; however the bank staff told me that it was not possible, since my National Registration Card had been flagged.”

Ko Aung realized the real danger he was in—all because of the people he served. “The military often regard Christians as enemies since Christians often live in the ethnic armed organizations (EAO) areas,” he explains. EAOs are militias that claim to represent an ethnic group. They’ve been part of the fabric of Myanmar for as long as the military has been in power—sometimes through political measures, but also through armed conflict. Some of the ethnic groups in Myanmar are made up of Christians, and so the military rulers regard all believers as threats, even if they don’t belong to an EAO.

And this was what was making Ko Aung’s work with Christians dangerous. “Before the military coup, me helping Christians would not have been a big issue, but now things had changed,” he says. “My frequent trips to the EAO areas (where many Christians live) to distribute aid was [viewed] suspiciously by the military, and they believed I was against them, working with the youth rebel groups.”

In Myanmar, this kind of suspicion can lead to pressure, surveillance and arrest. “There was a high possibility that I could be monitored and arrested on some false charges, since I knew they had already assumed that I was supporting the anti-military group,” he explains. “There have been many such instances where people have been accused and arrested without any explanation or evidence; some even die behind bars.”

Ko Aung recalls those days as a time when he started living with constant fear. “I could not sleep well at night,” he says. “I woke up frightened every time a car passed by or stopped near my house. There were so many sleepless nights, and my health was deteriorating day by day. I lost a lot of weight and also lost so much of my hair. Whenever the military came and camped near our village, I would run and hide in the jungle.”

The situation became so risky for Ko Aung that other Open Doors partners in Myanmar had to help him escape to another, safer country. Even on his way out, he was terrified he’d be detained at the airport. But eventually, he mustered up his courage and was able to escape. “Because of God’s protection, I was not asked many questions in the immigration,” Ko Aung says softly.

A creeping technological control

And now, Ko Aung tries to make a new life in a new country. “Open Doors partners helped me get here and have been supporting me since I got here,” he says. “They are always in touch with me and make sure I am OK. They also pray for me; I want to thank them for all the help they have given me and for all the prayers they have prayed for me.”

Though Ko Aung is relatively safe in the new country, he is away from his home and family. Sometimes, the separation can be very tough. “In the last week of February 2022, my mother passed away,” he says. “Since I [am still] on the suspect list, I could not go back to the village. I was extremely grieved as I didn't have the chance of seeing her one last time.”

And even though things are safer, it doesn’t mean that Ko Aung is completely out of danger. “I have relocated, but I know I am not completely safe. In case I am arrested here for any reason, I can be deported back to Myanmar,” he says. “I try to be cautious not to use put any traceable information on social media. I might be on the wanted list in Myanmar, so I have to hide my accurate location.”

Though Ko Aung has left the country, he has been able to keep in touch with family and friends in Myanmar. But because of the increasing technological abilities of the military junta, even basic methods
of communication can be dangerous.

“If my siblings in the village contact me, the military might know as they very often check phones of citizens,” he says. “If I want to know about my family members in the village, I contact my siblings who live in towns.” Additionally, the junta has banned social media sites like Facebook and Twitter and has made using a VPN (virtual private network) illegal.

The government’s technological abilities extend beyond the internet. “In Myanmar, people are afraid to comment on political issues over the phone,” Ko Aung says. “They are afraid that military might be eavesdropping their phone calls. We also don’t normally use Facebook Messenger because the military checks Facebook messaging apps and phone call lists whenever they check phones.”

Ko Aung knows that digital persecution in Myanmar will probably continue to rise, especially since Myanmar has made significant technology purchases from China, which specializes in surveillance tech. “I can see that the digital surveillance will keep increasing with time,” he says. “In big cities, we can see many new CCTVs; the authorities are trying to adopt [China’s] smart city project with a facial recognition system. They can get help on infrastructures, technologies and even technicians from China.”

All things happen for good

Though safer in another country, Ko Aung still struggled to forgive the people who have persecuted him and other Christians in Myanmar. But he felt God at work in his heart. “At first, it was very hard for me to forgive them, but now I can say that I can forgive them,” he says. “God taught me through His Word that all things happen for good. Since I have experienced persecution, I can now better understand the pain experienced by Christians suffering for their faith.”

He even sees the hope of the gospel in the military coup. “I think that after the coup, the younger generation is now more open to faiths other than Buddhism,” he says.

Ko Aung dreams of returning to Myanmar; his heart longs to support persecuted Christians in his homeland. He also points out that apart from being targeted by the military, Christians in Myanmar suffer in many more ways.

“In several remote villages, Christians are not educated and are economically backward,” he says. “They do not even have electricity. Once the coup ends and the situation is better, I want to go back to my native place and continue to support ethnic Christians in such remote areas as an Open Doors partner. “Please do pray for me, that I am able to hold God's hand in all my difficult times; pray for my safety in this new place. Also pray for the fellow Christians in our country. There are several places in Myanmar where churches are being burned down. and believers have to run and hide in the jungles. So many people have also been killed. Please continue pray for the safety of Christians in the country who are so vulnerable.”

The gifts and prayers of Open Doors supporters helped Ko Aung escape and find safety in a nearby country. We continue to support Ko Aung (even though he is not in Myanmar) through practical aid, presence ministry and prayer support. Additionally, Open Doors partners are at work, on the ground in Myanmar. A gift today could help this vital work, providing help like safe houses, practical aid, Bible distribution and much more. Please stand with the church in Myanmar and remind them they aren’t alone!

please pray

Please pray for Ko Aung for strength and faith in difficult times
Pray for my safety in this new place. Also pray for the fellow Christians in our country.
Please continue pray for the safety of Christians in the country who are so vulnerable.

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