Well, good morning. Thanks for joining us small in the yard joining myself Reverend Ben Cooper here at Elim Church in Swanley, and we have Sondra with us this morning as we are in the persecuted church. We just want to say thank you so much for our listeners through the platform of buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Music iHeartRadio Google Play or Alexa, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, which is when a welcome in this morning, wherever you are around the world. May God bless you and strengthen you. We ask that you would share everything that we speak about, please send your comments in. But we welcome Sondra with us today, just as we just look. We have a recap in a moment back over to Egypt. And then we're going to be going into my mom, formerly known as Burma. And Sandra has so much information laid out across the table today. So we might be going a little bit deep today. But we thank God for you wherever you are. And thank you so much for sharing everything that we do here in Elim Church in Swanley. May God bless you and strengthen you Sondra Good morning.
Sandra Robson:Good morning.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We thank you again once again, weekly updates and reviews and what sort of issues have we got coming up this morning? And I'm just looking at these notes. We're going to recap quickly. We're going to go back and just look at Egypt. How are you sorry, you've been okay.
Sandra Robson:Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Still a bit congested. But.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah. So my migraines haven't Yeah,
Sandra Robson:yeah. Yeah. I've had a good opticians appointment. Yeah. Oh, good. Oh, good.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, upgrade the glasses. Yeah, we will not do that. But this is this is just a real, real and raw podcast, you know, we're just relaxed. You might hear the chair squeaking, you might hear a seven a quick slip of coffee or some water this is this just raw and real. There is no editing going on. This is just as it is. We thank you so much for listening to us. And we are going to go just step back a bit into last week. And we're going to just have a quick recap on Egypt, the oppression the Islamic law. And the impact that that's that's been having through open doors. That's correct, isn't it? Sandra quit, right.
Sandra Robson:Yes, yeah. So we look to Egypt with its and saw that it's there's a lot of oppression going on, particularly in Upper Egypt, where there are people who are particularly following Islamic law and pressurize and the community there to do the same. And we also said that there's historical, you know, this persecution goes back a long way, first century, and there's this pact of Umar. And that restricts what Christians can do, and ethnic minorities. And so that's very debilitating, yet, we still have people coming to Christ, because they know that they are not in bondage, you know, think about Egypt to slavery. And, and they know through Jesus, that they have eternal life, and that they have freedom in Christ. And so still people are coming to Jesus. And a lot of these, as we said, you know, they've come out of Islam. And so they experience a lot of pressure from the family because they feel that they have dishonored, the family feel they've dishonored. And so we really need to lift them up, because you know, they are coming under a lot of pressure. And, you know, as we said, This abusive situations, particularly for women, and we thank the Lord for all the work that open doors does, and other organizations like release International, we talked about them and the strength to stand, and they do with the women. And we thank the Lord that more churches are being allowed to open and are being registered. So good news. Yeah. So it's good news. And of course, we talked about that shocking story of how that guy says,
Reverend Ben Cooper:The gentleman that was in the store.
Sandra Robson:Yeah, that's right. Yeah, Marcus. Marcus. That's right. Marcus's dad. Yeah, how is shot dead, but how that ignited Marcus's faith, you know. So it's a case of that thing where you say, all things work together for good for those who love the Lord. Yes, but it's really paying forward. And you know, it's really shocking to, but we thank the Lord that He is, you know, a work and his strength and his people, and we can be part of that. So, that was Egypt. Now today, we're looking at my Mr. Now, my mom, Obama, she said has been in the news is sadly there's been a recent coup, which has left the country in more disarray. I don't know how much people actually know about Burma and its history and the difficulties there. But that's what I'm going to look at a bit of a background so we can see where Christianity sits there, and what the issues are, and why people are so concerned about this situation now. Because I have had conversations with some people, and they hadn't been aware of some things and about, you know, the democracy and about anger, you sang Soo Ji. And they, they, they weren't sure about things. So I thought, Well, perhaps I should look at it. And and so that we can be more informed in our WordPress,
Reverend Ben Cooper:I think a lot of it's interesting. How the news keeps it away from the news, these, these places are kept off of mainstream TV, you don't really see. And you don't hear about it on on the mainstream. So when you talk about my mom and what's going on in anything, Oh, what's that? what's what's going on there? You don't really get to the depth of really what's going on, you know?
Sandra Robson:Yeah, this
Reverend Ben Cooper:is this is interesting, because I'm not too aware.
Sandra Robson:Okay, not
Reverend Ben Cooper:too ofay. With what and how the situation is, in my mind. Okay. No Burma. So this would be interesting, as we have a bit of a peruse to see what's going on.
Sandra Robson:Yeah, well, I mean, CSW, the ones who've really had a lot to do with my MA, and they have been campaigning for a long time for human rights issues and for Christians there. And so I'll be looking at a report from them. But also Barnabas have had done some information as well. And I thought this was a really good overview of the situation. So I'll just read you bits of this. And it says that there are 87% reduced in my Mr. So, yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:87% Yeah, yes,
Sandra Robson:yeah. There are 4.4 million Christians there. And they're predominantly in the catchin, Karen and Shan areas. And Buddhist nationalism is very strong. Christian Christianity is portrayed as a foreign religion. Most Christians are from a non Burman ethnic minorities, including the chin, the Karen and the catching.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Right. Okay. Okay.
Sandra Robson:Yeah, so ethnic minority Christians are offered free education of British schools, but all pupils must study and practice Buddhism. Those who officially convert will have their national identity cards amended to their new religion and be guaranteed guaranteed a government job. So that's if they
Reverend Ben Cooper:if they cross over Yeah.
Sandra Robson:For decades, the military control government has brutally oppressed Christians and Muslim ethnic minority groups. Hundreds and 1000s of them have been displaced often by aerial bombardment, and many live in IDP, which is internationally displaced person camps. I'm going to talk about that and what effect the crews had on all that. In 2020, about 100,000 ethnic Kachin who were predominant Christian remains scattered across 138 camps.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Goodness. Yeah. Wow. That's very high.
Sandra Robson:Yeah. In crowded conditions with little sanitation and they were at great risk from Coronavirus. Okay. And the UN highlighted this. See? Okay, so, the persecution very intense and ethnic cleansing test tactics used by the Miami army against the caption were condemned in 2018 by the United Nations Human Rights Council, and included many testimonies of torture, rape and other abuses by the military personnel. Since 2019, chin tray students have been caught in the middle of a fight between the Miami army and the rebel cat. It's AR a k A n All right, can army or can or can army. And again, in what I'm going to read from the first hand accounts that are coming out, you'll hear about them talking about a ceasefire and this is what they're talking about. The conflict has killed 2000. no conflict has killed 260 civilians and displaced more than six 160,000.
Reverend Ben Cooper:big numbers. Yeah, big. Big statistics
Sandra Robson:in 2020 1000s endured severe food shortages for at least six months, because the government puts up road blockades cutting off food supplies to the area. In March traumatize chin, Christians fled for their lives after military jets open fire on their villages, killing at least 28 people and burning many homes. The chin ethnic group is about 90% Christian and chin state is very poor. Wow. So that gives you a background of what's going on. It's quite a
Reverend Ben Cooper:very heavy, isn't it?
Sandra Robson:Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So we have 87% of Buddhist. Yeah, point 4 million Christians got the Coronavirus happening as well. Yeah. So what we're saying is, the state will educate you and help you and give you a job if you convert over to Buddhism, but it was good ism. Tongue Tied that. So you're being pressurized. So you get a government job. Yeah. If you convert over changes your when you said your identity card. Yeah, they have identity. Identity Card. Yeah. So your religion and where you come from? It's very heavy. They're very controlling. Yeah.
Sandra Robson:And there's lots of camps and people are really suffering in these camps, you know, very poor conditions. And you know, this constant military action and civil war. It's a very difficult, a very difficult situation. Indeed. And, yeah, indifferent.
Reverend Ben Cooper:We don't hear it. It's interesting as we start to pull these nations out of the world watch list. Where does that sit in, Sondra? Where does where does it sit on the world watch list? Did it? Um, we haven't got the statistics. Just put that one to interesting to find out where it sits. We can find out that for next.
Sandra Robson:Six tene
Reverend Ben Cooper:still quite high. It's quite up there. But it's very quiet on the Yeah, on the Amiga westernize News, isn't it?
Sandra Robson:Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Do we ever hear that? Do you ever see that? I don't think that we do. Do we really. But be interested to find out where it sits statistically on on the lift? The world watch list of the top countries around the world that'll be quite interesting. Well, that's it. Yeah, have a look. Because it's my mom. Really? Tip 16 sorry.
Sandra Robson:16.
Reverend Ben Cooper:But this year, we are just raw and real. Yeah. But it'd be interesting to find out where it sits because I am completely away from my mark completely. I've never really dived into it looked at it. I couldn't even tell you where it sits too much in on the geographics, you know, but
Sandra Robson:yeah, it's a little map there.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Okay, so just I just see it. Yeah, there we go. Okay. All right. We got it on page 27. And what book we got that
Sandra Robson:that's praying to the persecuted church. Barnabas,
Reverend Ben Cooper:Barnabas one page 27. You can see where it where it is in the world, just tucked away there. Got Indian next to it. Yeah, I got it right. First, first time, I've really looked at that and heard anything about that. But there's a lot of activity going on. Yeah, kept away from mainstream news. But that's, that's so typical. So this is important just to awaken ourselves and just the listeners as well, just to maybe get a bit of a grasp on on my mind, see what's happening. Another prayer point, another topic, another place that we could target prayers, you know, the the Buddhists 87%, that's really high. Yeah, that's enormous that we've only got one you say, only got 4.4 Christians, and they are going to be persecuted Christians. They're not gonna be, as we would say in the West, free to go to church, there will be some serious restrictions in what they do. And we've got the military, the military are very pressing that by Look. Yes. So it's quite a heavy place to live.
Sandra Robson:Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:Unless you're a Buddhist. Yeah, you won't have the freedom. If you're a Christian, you're going to be restricted in your movement, you'll be restricted in your worship. But if you're a Buddhist 87% Wow. So there we got my MA What else we got in there, Sondra.
Sandra Robson:Okay. But yeah, so although it has been very restrictive. From what I've read, while this National League of democracy has been in power, things have been more relaxed. The Christians, they haven't been under so much pressure. But that's relative. Yes. So, right, so the military ruled from 1962 to 2011. And then ang, Santucci, who had been kept in detention came into power with the National League of democracy known as the n l. d. Now, that is, this has been in the news because of the recent coup, there was an election on the eighth of November 2020. Okay, and they won this election. And it was very interesting. Because the reason I say this has happened, the military say is that the election was fraudulent. They believe that it was a it was a landslide election. And it was fraudulent. That's what the military claimed on the first of February when they see his power. Yeah, um, my readings for the prayer for Barnabas again, actually. On the on Saturday, 13th. Last week, he was about my Mr. Horse. This is now a date because of the coup. I thought this was very telling very what is what it says here about those elections? Because I sort of thought, Oh, great, yeah, you know, carry on with the democracy. Okay. There's, you know, I think in the West, if people have been looking at it, they've thought, you know, the NLD, I'm done very well, there's still been a lot of problems, and they haven't, you know, dealt with things. But through this happening, now, you can see what they were hoping to do. And as you'll see with CSW, it's a long, slow ministry, to democracy,
Reverend Ben Cooper:that's a transition.
Sandra Robson:And they were in this transition period, and the military still was holding quite tightly and watching every step. And what they hoped was that the NLD, were over announced they would form a national unity government, and would be inviting ethnic minority parties to work with it, and offer it did not make when it won the last election in 2015. So yes, we saw those atrocities happen with the Rohingya Muslims. But they were aware of this. And I think in this way, they were trying to address this and trying to say, Okay, yeah, that shouldn't happen, but it did. And we, you know, what, there's this tug of war with the military. And but, you know, this is what they were offering. And this offer is very significant for Christians in my Ummah, most of whom come from the non Burma and ethnic minorities, and also for the Rohingya Muslims. All these ethnic and religious minorities have suffered great persecution, I pray that the new government will bring an end to this abuse. So that was what they were hoping to bring. And that was what people voted for who were unable to vote. You see, that was another thing. Not everybody was allowed to vote. There was still there were still issues, but the ones they they allow more people to vote. But anyway, the you know, if you want to go into it more, there's a lot more to it. So there's
Reverend Ben Cooper:a transition happening.
Sandra Robson:Yes. So they they won the election, and that's what they were going to do. So they were going to start opening up the way to real changes democracy. So maybe now we can see why maybe the military Yeah, have come back because they weren't. Maybe I didn't ready for that. And the Buddhist nationalism, I'll just leave that. Leave it out. Yeah. So anyway, so I've looked at this is this is this is what is documented, this is what they the National League of democracy we're offering and wanted to do. So they wanted to bring in all the different groups of my Mr. They, you know, the the ethnic minorities and the Christians. And so this is why the now with this coup, the Christians are just like devastated and the other minorities are devastated. Because this was like their prayer. This was their dream. This
Reverend Ben Cooper:is like the Old Testament story, the 5050 you're getting, you're getting there. And then Pharaoh suddenly decides we want our slaves back. We are losing power. We are losing control. We need them back under under our control. military power is so strong. military power is so powerful.
Sandra Robson:Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:regimented, no, no movement, no movement at all. So
Sandra Robson:so much stuff, they can just do they Yeah, you know, they can, you know, switch off the this radio stations cut the cut the phone lines, immediately, they have blackouts. They're in a state of emergency for a year. They're promising to have new elections in a year. And people are out on the street. Or you might have heard that in the in the news that people are out in the street is very, very, very nasty situation. People are being injured, badly injured, you know by
Reverend Ben Cooper:Yeah, he should have been on the nose, but it's not on the nose as we get on those channels as for sure it's very dampened down anything from real heavy.
Sandra Robson:Yeah, I've got some information about came from the Burma. And yeah, there's a group that says CSW in involved with and it talks about what's going on. So I'll yeah, I'll mention about that. Yeah.
Reverend Ben Cooper:It's quite a, when you think about this nation, when you think about that 87% British Millett military control. Now we're in this this position of uncertainty for them. For a Christian to be in my MA and be under this this oppression, this heavy weight of military control, cutting the electric cutting, cutting off all suppliers. What we are okay with always reverting back to where we are in the West. We haven't got a clue what it's really like to be under under heavy oppression. We are so free in the UK. Really. We are so free to movement. I know we're in a lockdown. I get all that. But when you see and you're listening to this what's happening in the American military are controlling the military are using that weight. The military is using the force. The military is just a being oppressive. So that breakthrough coming though?
Sandra Robson:Yeah. When it gets harder, isn't it time
Reverend Ben Cooper:to push a time to break right to push in, you know that the scripture says, keep pushing, and just like the lady with the issue of bladder, I've got to keep pushing, I've got a pressing. I got to push in right Sander, what else we got there?
Sandra Robson:Okay. So I was just going to look at persecution as it was up until and you know, this coup. Yeah. And then what they're concerned about will happen, which has happened in the past. So then that will give you more of a in our understanding of, of where Christians sit and how they, they seeing things, why they're concerned. And so there has continued to be persecution by the military, even with the Democratic Party being in power, where and they have been persecuting ethnic minorities in chin catching and Shan and as we've mentioned, about the rolling gum, and they're mainly Muslim, but there are Christians within Rohit, the rohingyas. Was that Yeah. Yeah. And also, the monks have big becoming more extreme and, you know, linking with Buddhist nationalism, and they've been, you know, disrupting meetings and things like that, and getting the police military involved on their behalf.
Reverend Ben Cooper:And extremism. Yeah, very powerful thing.
Sandra Robson:And then the converts and their families and communities Make it so that if you convert from Buddhism, and you know, and you come to Jesus, then your family will cut you off, and the community will cut you off, literally by cutting off your water supply. So they can't live in the community and they have to live in the bush and fend for themselves.
Reverend Ben Cooper:When you listen and really listen to this will cut your water off.
Sandra Robson:Oh, yeah,
Reverend Ben Cooper:we're gonna cut your water off. We're gonna you're not gonna live in your home. Yeah, you will be living in a desert in a wasteland under natural inhabitants. No water for being a Christian. Yeah. It just, it bewilders me, when I really think about how the control of governments and power authorities officials have. And it's quite interesting to think that if you don't believe in the God of Israel, Jesus Christ, why are you so worried? This, this fascinates me sits in the back of my head? If If you don't believe it exists, why don't you just let them get on? Because you don't? You don't. So they know that there is this higher power, so to speak this God, and they're trying to squash it and push him away when it's impossible. So if you don't believe and you don't want people to worship, why don't you just let them get on and do if you don't believe in that. But they do believe that governments do believe, because if they didn't believe they they would, they would just let people just get on and do what they're doing. But because they do believe they are, as we say all the way through the New Testament, the officials trying to move Jesus out of everything. because deep down they know that this God exists. The hearts become hardened. They shut their ears, the shut their ears. Yeah. So they close it they turn their water on. believer.
Sandra Robson:Yeah. Yeah. So and I mean, they, they don't just some of these communities, rural places don't just worship Buddhism, they worship other types of gods. And so they they see it as an affront, because they their whole identity is built around that. And so if somebody suddenly goes off and says, No, this isn't this isn't right. And you know, under Jesus, it it completely confusion. Yeah, and you know, everything that they knew, and everything that his
Reverend Ben Cooper:whole life is centered around. Yeah,
Sandra Robson:because there's so much other in unstability, you can appreciate they they just sort of you know, and but thank thank God that there are people who do support them and, and they have been able to relocate a lot of these families that this has happened to. And they have been there has been support. But as you'll see with what's going on how much more difficult to be. So rural area churches are opposed, especially if they evangelize so they're not stopped from talking about Jesus, but they just it's made hard. It's made hard, and discrimination. And they were deliberately overlooked with food aid and other aid for the COVID. So we're going to have a look at pastor Moses as an example. He went to as a missionary. And it's just a few bits about how his, what his life was like in rural, my Mr. So Moses. Later, he trained as a missionary. He was a caretaker for a church building. And then he gave his life to Jesus and became a missionary. And he and his wife and four children moved to a village known for its religious festivals and our missed worship, and unnim missed an animist worship. It was the place of opportunity and opposition. So he says the family encountered hostility from mediums and neighbors. Moses, his motorbike was damaged three times by a villager. And both he and his sons have been beaten up. These kinds of attacks against Christians are not unusual in MoMA,
Reverend Ben Cooper:but they chose to move there. Yeah. I chose to move there.
Sandra Robson:Yeah. Because of the love of Jesus what Jesus showed him and he says, I don't have any discourage. About what I'm going through, because I remember the Lord Jesus Christ and how he suffered for me, says Moses, who now passes a little church. If he suffered that much for me, then what I suffer is nothing. And that was we were lucky enough in the Beatitudes, very powerful
Reverend Ben Cooper:word. Love thy enemy.
Sandra Robson:Blessed are those who who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. That's the you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my name's sake.
Reverend Ben Cooper:So here we have a pastor that has chosen to take his family to up sticks to move to a nice city, where he's got Wi Fi, and everything going for him, he's decided to move and to build a church, plant a church, wherever we want to look at that one, in a hard area that is against Christianity. He has been beaten, his vehicle has been damaged, his safety is at threat. He's in a village, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's church planting. That's church planting on a different scale completely to what we see here in the UK, you know, church planting before a lockdown would have the older backing of the Mother Church, almost an open checkbook, take the best musicians take this take that easy to plant a church when you've got no opposition. Just go and do that. Very simple. We see that a lot was sent out a lot. But what about going to plant a church in a village that is against Christianity, that your life will be under threat? That is going to be hard for you, you possibly could see abuse, hatred coming towards you. And not only did they do that, they're shown love and kindness. Yes. That's the true Church of Jesus Christ. Yeah, very powerful.
Sandra Robson:So look,
Reverend Ben Cooper:how are we going?
Sandra Robson:How are we going? Well, we've got more about sort of the different things that are happening. So a lot,
Reverend Ben Cooper:a lot of information that we got here just sifting through. Yeah, bring us. We're just looking through to see what we can have. But prep points are critical. It's very, very important that we pray that we target my Mr. Burma, that we pray for the Buddhists, we pray for the Christians, we pray for the government, we pray for the military, we press in and we just bring it before the Lord and we lift them up. Where are we Sandra, what we've got so
Sandra Robson:under the National, the National League of democracy, the church had it, as I said, a degree of freedom, they were able to use the internet and things like that. And that was a great concern. They were talking about, you know, not being able to communicate with one another when this the coup happened. So look at what they're saying is happening, what they concerned about now. So when the was the military rule, they witness this systematic persecution against Christians by the army. And in these extremist monks often enjoyed the support of the army. And so this election, they say was fraudulent the coup threatens to undo the promising steps, as we said, made towards democracy democratic rule, and made in the past decade. So this is what one Christian said, it feels like our hope has been taken away. Christians in my Ummah, need your prayers, and it says, the concerns worsen. And you know that the persecution will increase again against them. And this one believer, our brother or sister says, I can't couldn't sleep, I cried out to God, more than three times that night, our dreams, hopes visions and freedom are taken away. Our lifetime has been full of grief, fear and trouble under the military regime.
Reverend Ben Cooper:is interesting what that that person just said three times more than three times I call it out, you know, right away you go to the New Testament, then you whether whether the apostle says three times, I pleaded with the Lord to take this away from me, but he said My grace is sufficient. You know, so I believe we need to pray for grace. We need to pray for strength. We need to pray that God will guide these persecuted Christians through these hard walks, as they're facing them. Military as they're facing changes there have been squashed and this transitional period that is going on, that will take a long time. But God's mercy will prevail. Yeah. Yeah, for this time.
Sandra Robson:So it says people are suffering because of war. job opportunities are also difficult now, and we are depressed by the military coup, because we had hoped for a ceasefire. So that's what's talking about in that other conflict. They were hoping for a ceasefire. But instead, they've got a military coup. And the leaders from the National League of democracy they've all been detained. And said, they've announced the one year state of emergency to create stability for the state. And they the serious implications for the church or the military has already installed Jeff former generals and military party members into 11 key positions in the new government controlling finance, border departments, cultural affairs, and religion. The central government, this is from brother Daniel says the central government and high ranking officials have been in charge and it's very sad. The COVID-19 vaccination schedule also could not be implemented as planned because of yesterday's events. And then another brother says military rule could mean enforced power for the dominant religion. The military government of the past has always been protective of their Buddhist culture, and tradition. We are expecting restrictions on the church to happen once again, though, as yet, we're not sure of the extent of this military rule has come back even more powerfully than before, prior to the dawn of this democracy, the military is the inability to accept defeat at the polls was just the spark that was needed to set the military back ablaze in power. He says, once the military is in full control of the country, there will be total news blackout, the immediate cutting of phone lines and internet connection this morning is just a preview of what may happen. The political and economic situation is very unstable and volatile right now, there is no telling how long this crisis will last. So that's firsthand,
Reverend Ben Cooper:firsthand experience what they're saying. There's a lot of information we've got here. time we had everyone outside, but there's so much information, and we're just trying to take our time. Yeah, just bring you some foundational stuff that you can pray over and just look over. Yeah, what else we got so close,
Sandra Robson:they're concerned about, you know, the finances, that people are rushing have been rushing on the banks, and that, you know, the military will affect the value of the currency, they did that. And this will inevitably impact the churches. And, you know, they're also being restricted in their travel, there's high monitoring and and restricting movement of local partners and ministries, to needy areas, and both borders will be closed. And I just wrote here, Lord, you will make her way. And we know that it says, and we will look at the other bit next time, but we know that it says, you know that, you know, where there seems to be no way God, God makes away certainly does. They are saying that they are looking to the Lord, and you know, by His Holy Spirit, to provide wisdom and provide provide the way for them
Reverend Ben Cooper:means it Sorry, sorry, I just have a quick thought. Well, let me just jump in. You mentioned about the COVID vaccination. Yeah, it'd be interesting to see in certain places of the world and what we're talking about my mom, if you are a Christian, and the government is completely against Christianity, as we know in the world persecuted church, would they hold back the vaccination for Christians? Yeah, this is this would be an interesting subject to speak. Would they hold back the vaccination if you don't cross over to be a Buddhist here with us in my mind, you will not get the vaccination. I think that will be on the table for some nations because they're trying everything else to get people to cross over.
Sandra Robson:Hmm,
Reverend Ben Cooper:interesting stuff, right, Sandra? We're gonna we're gonna bring this to a finish. We just take our time. Just looking at the desk is awash with information today. Yeah, just taking that time pulling it through maybe, maybe we could just ask our listeners to target my mouth for prayer for whenever you catch this podcast and, and just maybe do a bit your own research and just go back and look at Burma now known as my mark praying to that very, very heavy in Buddhist, it 7% 4.4 million Christians. So I think that's that would be a good place to start at prayer points prayer targets, to pray. So we thank Sandra for what she's brought to the table today. And then we got to finish up on their Sandra
Sandra Robson:Yeah, because you know, there are great things happening within the church, and in this time of freedom, how they've developed and now where they're at. So as a woman, I know, I think I'll continue this a little bit next time is that, you know, they're now saying they can pray for the military, who they very much saw as their enemy and hated because of lots of atrocities that had been committed. And, you know, this passage says, challenging members to pray and save for the country, and not to go out onto the streets, but to meet in their churches. And although the minority might not majority of our contacts across my mark, sit out of reach. But despite this absence of communication, there is a confidence that the Holy Spirit will give the church leaders wisdom for such a time as this. And that, and you know, that they are praying, and they are on their knees, and they are seeking the Lord. And they are praying for the military. And they say thank you for the help and support that they've had. And they said, I had never prayed for the military government because they persecuted us. But we realize now it is our duty to pray for them. And so there is wisdom, there is a change. God has changed. This the hearts of believers. And yeah, so we Yeah, we need to be encouraged. But yeah, we do need to pray for the situation. We need to pray for wisdom needs to pray about those in the camps that they will get food that they need and support. And yeah, God will make away Hey, where there seems to be
Reverend Ben Cooper:Sondra, what can we say? We can say thank you so much for bringing us to this place of discussion of just gentle conversation today, something very different. Today we're opening up a new inroad into my mom, we've never looked at this before. Very interesting just to hear and to see, as I said a few times we have got so much information here is difficult where to start. But we hope and pray that we've give you the listeners a bit of a foundational point to start praying into looking over researching for all the brothers and sisters that are in the persecuted church as in the ministry side of that that are looking for places and areas to pray over. So we thank you this morning Sandra for joining us. We thank you to all the listeners wherever you are around the world. My name is Reverend Benjamin Leonard Coop r and we will catch you next we k at the same time as we contin e our discussion on the persecut d church. Thank you for listenin. May God bless you have a gre t day. Stay safe. And please sha e these podcasts you will find s on buzzsprout, Spotify and a l the other social med a platforms. Sandra we welcome y u and we say May God bless you a d may God strengthen you have a great day. May God bless all o r listeners wherever you are n this land in the mighty name f Jesus. Amen. Than