Finding peace in a shaken land

A military coup, then a devastating earthquake – Myanmar has had its fair share of strife over the past few years. Ma Thiri is one woman whose life was shaken by both events, and yet who found an indescribable peace in an unexpected place.

If you were to meet Ma Thiri*, a middle-aged woman from Myanmar, you wouldn’t notice the change she has undergone in the past few years. Growing up, Thiri would follow the traditions she had been taught in her Buddhist family, neatly fitting into her community and the patterns laid out for her.  

But on the inside, hidden from the world was an inner turmoil of questions and longings that such traditions could not satisfy. 

She continued with the normal routines of life, going on to marry a man called Ko Tun* with whom she had five children – all whilst carrying within her myriads of unanswered questions. 

Broken home 

Despite the simplicity of her upbringing, Thiri’s life as a married woman was not a peaceful one. Since the military coup in 2021, pressures on families across Myanmar have mounted with employment, living conditions and general security deeply affected. Christians have been caught in the middle of the conflict, believed by the military to support rebel groups. Because of this, many churches have been destroyed by bombings, suspected of housing rebels. 

“Many Christians who escaped gunfire and bombings have fled their homes and are now displaced. However, they are not always welcomed in new places. Their struggle for survival is daily,” Daisy Htun*, an Open Doors local partner, explains. 

Since the height of the conflict, the prices of commodities and fuel have tripled, and Thiri’s family was not immune to such struggles. To meet their needs, Ko Tun borrowed money from others. As their debt climbed, so did the tensions within the household. Some of their children had to stop going to school because the fees became unaffordable. 

Ultimately, when tensions reached breaking point, Ko Tun left Thiri and their children. 

Oasis 

A shadowy future stretched out before Thiri – one seemingly without direction or meaning. But, in the midst of her strife, a hand reached down to Thiri in the form of an elderly neighbour who was a Christian. She suggested that Thiri come to church with her, but Thiri initially declined the offer, saying, “If the deity whom I have been worshipping since childhood cannot give me peace, what can this new God do, who knows nothing about me?!” 

• Watch: “People amazed at the love shown by Christians”

But as things grew more desperate at home, Thiri decided to go to the church with her neighbour. What struck her as she entered were the empty hands of the worshippers. They did not gather together carrying offerings of fruit or flowers, nor did they perform any rituals. Instead, they simply knelt, closed their eyes and spoke to a God they could not see. 

Despite her incredulity, Thiri felt a strange sense of peace within her as she continued to attend. It was the same when her neighbour shared her faith with her – even though she carried so many burdens on her shoulders, a lightness began to pervade her being as she learned more about Jesus. 

“I can pour out my heart to Him”

Then Thiri heard the gospel preached at the church. At first, it seemed unbelievable, but when she started reading the Bible at home, she got to know the God it described. She began to realise her need for Jesus’ redemption.  

“Before knowing Christ, I struggled with the thought, ‘Where will people go after death?’ I tried to get answers but failed,” she explains. “But when I read the Bible, it spoke clearly on life after death, judgement and eternal life.” 

Thiri had found a deep assurance of salvation in Jesus – and along with it, she found a Friend who had brought her the peace she had been longing for. 

“Earlier, I found no one to share my troubles with, but after accepting Christ, it feels like there is a God who listens when I cry,” she smiles. “I can pour out my heart to Him; I have experienced comfort and a great relief from the pains of this world. Troubles have not left me but, surprisingly, I am not crushed by them.” 

As she understood more of the Bible, Thiri knew she had to restore what was broken in her home. She invited Ko Tun to return to the family, and whilst he did not understand her new faith at first, Thiri has hope. “I pray every day for my husband and my children, that they would know and experience Christ in their lives.”  

Shaken lands 

On 28 March 2025, Myanmar was forever changed by the earthquake which levelled buildings, destroyed countless homes and took the lives of over 3,600 people. A nation still in recovery was set back once again – months after the event took place, many citizens were still living on the streets. 

During the initial shocks, one of Thiri’s sisters’ houses collapsed and her mother’s home was also damaged. Thiri and her children moved in with her mother to save money. Local partners were able to visit Thiri and other communities of believers days after the earthquake and provide essential supplies like solar lamps, food and medicine.  

Even in the wake of the disaster, Christians faced discrimination as they sought the help of their neighbours and authorities. Nevertheless, through the presence of other believers, they found comfort and a means of sharing that comfort with onlookers. Thiri’s experience was no different. 

Throughout her walk with Jesus, persecution followed. She faced hostility from her community for becoming a Christian – whenever she encountered a problem, she would be mocked and told to find help at the church. Even within her family, she faced continual pressure to return to Buddhism. At one point, they cut her off from communication with them, but God was providing for her. 

“By God’s grace, church and fellow believers always encouraged me with Bible verses and their presence in my walk with God. Not just spiritually, but even when the disaster struck, it was my church and fellow believers who came to my rescue,” Thiri explains. “My neighbours are often surprised by the genuine love and care the church shows me, especially during and after the earthquake crisis.” 

A new future 

Through the help of Open Doors, Thiri set up a small business to put her cooking skills to use in selling street food. She continues to face pressure from her family, including her mother. “Since I started living with my mother, she forces me to accompany her to shrines to offer prayers, but I have always managed to say no,” Thiri says. “However, the visits of Christians, their help and joyful fellowship were attractive for my neighbours, and it also changed my mother’s perception of Christianity.” 

Her husband’s outlook is also changing. “I didn’t accept Christ easily. I say the same to my older children to experience God’s love for themselves,” Thiri says. “The last three are still young and attend church with me. My husband is still not a Christian, but things are much better. Initially, he refused to accompany me to church – nowadays, he attends the church.” 

Struggles continue not just for Thiri but for many families. Daisy Htun explains, “The current situation of Christians in Myanmar has been a test of faith. They have been through fire and water, and now they face a situation like having the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s soldiers behind them.” 

Your support and prayers have changed lives like Thiri’s in Myanmar, physically and spiritually. Thiri is now actively involved in ministry at her house church, which is made up of 40-60 people. Her healed and transformed life is a striking testimony to the power of the gospel, and one of many stories of redemption from Myanmar. 

Please pray 

Myanmar and its communities need your prayers and support as they continue to mend from the catastrophe of 2025. New believers like Thiri also need you to stand with them as they witness to their broken land and people. Please pray: 

• For Thiri, that her family would come to know Jesus and follow Him, and that the Lord would continue to grow her in faith 

• That believers like Thiri would have boldness and discernment as they share about the hope they have, and that they would persevere amidst uncertainty and fear 

• For the thousands of families whose lives have been upturned by the earthquake and destabilised by the political situation in Myanmar 

• That those who have been displaced would find secure and permanent housing, as well as provision for all their needs 

• That the new government will govern the nation wisely and prioritise the wellbeing of its people 

• For those who have been traumatised to find healing and renewal 

• For God to strengthen His people in Myanmar and empower them to keep shining with the light of Christ. 

*Names changed for security reasons