I grew up in Tamu town, an Indo-Burma border town in Sagaing Region or province located in the Northwest part of Burma (Myanmar.) My parents practiced spirit worship but they converted to Christianity when I was a young child. Because we lived in a predominately Buddhist area, I attended a Buddhist school. When I was 18, I responded to a missionary’s altar call and became a Christian. I had a burden to share with my Buddhist friends the gospel of Jesus Christ so I decided to attend Bible college. I then continued my theological studies in India, the Philippines, and the United States of America.
I was personally impacted by violence due to religious beliefs that was inflicted on the community in which I was raised in 1993. Read more here.
Engagement with Religious Leaders in South Asia
Securing religious freedom in South Asia poses a challenge. Religious minorities are specifically targeted for their beliefs, which greatly compromises their religious freedom. Building on partnerships and past projects in South Asia, the 21Wilberforce team is currently working with local partners towards the establishment of indigenous and sustainable partner programs. As a first step in this endeavor, 21Wilberforce recently organized an advocacy and peacemaking workshop that equipped a core group of Christian leaders with advocacy and peacebuilding training. Read more here.
Syria’s Christians: What to Watch For
Syrian Christians (Credit: Crosswalk)
Over a decade of civil war, Syria lost hundreds of thousands of its Christian population, with one estimate putting the number of Christians currently at less than 2% of the population – down from 10% pre-war.
With the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, what is likely to come next for the Christians of Syria? Read more here.
Christian Leaders in India Send Mumu and Modi an Urgent Appeal
Amidst an alarming trend of rising intolerance, hostility, and incidents targeting Christians, ranging from threats and disruptions to arrests and outright attacks, more than 400 influential Christian leaders and 30 church groups sent an urgent appeal the last week of December to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter calls for immediate and decisive action to curb the activities of violent mobs that have targeted Christian gatherings across the country, terrorizing communities and tarnishing the image of Bharat and the Union Government. Read more here
The Courage of Finding Grace
In 2005, at the age of six, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, I was selected to be one of the 20 students from all over Lebanon to draw an image of peace that would be shared around the country. One of the main objectives of the initiative was to allow Lebanese children to express their determination to keep their country away from political violence and war and to invite world leaders to resolve crises through peaceful means. I drew a warship that launched flowers and balloons. My vision was simple and playful, yet, as years passed by, I realized the complexity and the impossibility of that vision. Read more here.
Christian Institutions Need to Move Beyond the Peacemaking-Advocacy Dichotomy
Dan and Sharon Buttry (Credit: Globalpeacewarriors.org)
Upon starting work in the field of Christian religious freedom and human rights advocacy in 2018, I noticed that national and international Christian institutions, denominations, and alliances frequently had separate commissions or departments focused on advocacy and peacemaking, respectively. Over time, I’ve found that this distinction between peacemaking and advocacy is counterproductive and has negative practical implications for our work. Let me explain why. Read more here.
Honoring President Jimmy Carter
President Jimmy Carter believed that religious actors play a crucial role in promoting peace and advancing human dignity. His lifelong commitment to fostering dialogue, protecting human rights, and addressing the root causes of conflict inspired and united people around the world.
The Baptist World Alliance recently issued a press release about President Carter, a Baptist lay leader and President of the United States of America from 1977 to 1981 – that notes his remarkable work for justice and peace around the world. Read more here.
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