By Sr. Mayang, MM

Isolation

What would it be like visiting a country and people whose contacts with the outside world and church had been cut off almost completely since the early 1960’s?
I traveled with a young lay woman from Myanmar whoa had stayed with us in the Philippines for some months. My focus was the Kachin people. Tibetan in origin, they were animist until recently. Their homeland is in Northern Myanmar Kachin State.

Mysterious Pagodas

Pagodas are numerous in the cities, in hamlets and on mountain tops and widespread plains, they are centers of contemplation, prayer and activity (sometimes business too). One of my first impressions was that for the people of Myanmar, meditating and praying is as much a part of daily life as eating and sleeping. Buddhist and Christians adults and youth in several different places all agreed.

First Bishop

Myitkyina Diocese (pronounced Mitch’ in a) includes all of Kachin State plus additional territory on its west. Its area is 30,115 sq. miles of mostly mountainous area, much still jungle. Established in 1965, the diocese borders China on its east, India on its west, the first Kachin priest, Paul Zinghtun Grawng was consecrated Bishop in 1967, just in time to accept responsibility for the diocese from the Columbans who has to withdraw due to political restrictions. Although it is the most recently evangelized, Myitkyina Diocese has the largest Catholic population (85,000) of the country’s 12 dioceses

Great Suffering

I met many of Myitkyina Diocese priest (now 30+), sisters (72 at latest count), and parishioners. I got a sense of their struggle and commitment during the past 30 years. Their strength was their faith, and their security was each other, all had experienced war, hunger, deprivation, sickness and premature deaths in their families due to the political problems.

“Our priests will fight hard and accept any sacrifice...but we so not fight with bullets. We educate and awaken the people”, my host told me..Big buildings and many books are mot the most important things in formation. What’s really important is vision, awareness, commitment, prayer, and practically – and in involvement of the laity.

Involved Laity

Involved the laity are! There are more than 500 trained catechists who have 2 to 3 years live-in training provided by the diocese. For most, this is a full-time commitment. They and their families are supported by their own villages and parishes. Sometimes partial costs for their live-in training is subsidized.

On Fire to Share

For the Kachin people, the Catholic faith is appreciated as a very special gift. They are most eager to share it among their own tribes and beyond, among the many different ethnic groups who have never heard of Jesus Christ, nor of a God who has personal love and concern for them. Priests, sisters and concern for them. Priests, sisters and laity are afire with a sense of mission, eager to beyond their own country to China, Bangladesh, India to share this treasure we call faith.

Mission Teams

Almost all parishes have their own mission team (12 to 15 people, youth and adults, men and woman) who spend about 6 weeks each year going into villages not yet evangelized, living with the people and sharing their Christian faith, life and prayer.

Youth Mission

While at the Diocesan Center in Myitkyina, I happened to meet three different “Youth Mission Teams” ready to leave for their assigned areas. These are youth who have finished Grade10 and have completed a mission training course. They are from different parishes and volunteer to serve for 10 months in one of the remote parishes as teachers and catechists. They go to the very remote mountains, requiring them to walk 4 to 6 days from the road just to reach the parish center! Some stay for more than a year. The experience is very difficult for them since those who finish this level of education are usually from the lowland areas, near to centers of populations. They learn to survive in mountain or jungle areas with no stores. No communication channels except no communication channels except face to face, and with constant stress from militarization, their parents support their commitment.

Elephant Help

Churches and parish buildings were constructed by self-help. In some parishes, elephants were used as for transporting logs and clearing forested ares. People learned to make bricks and use limestone to build wells.

On Foot

For priests, sisters, catechists and the bishops, the most common mode of transportation is foot because of lack of roads and mountainous terrain interspersed generously with rivers without bridges. Many now have bicycle which “sometimes carry us, but often we have to carry then (over mountains, through rivers)!” explained one Sister. Journeys are not just hours, but up to 10 or more days!

It is unlikely that the Kachin people ever heard of Pope John II’s Encyclical on Mission (Ad Gentes), but they know, and are living its main message that Church by her nature is missionary.”