Khamti Shan Church

Final report for Khamti Shan community/Church development

Progress update was sent in 19^th August.
This is a final update and it starts from page no. 4.

Date; Jan 2023

Dear supporters,

Greetings in Christ Jesus’s name. Hope you all are well. I would like to send you a progress report of the Khamti Shan Church and Christian community development.

#A: Background;  As you all knew, in my Feb-March 2022 prayer updates, I have requested help for Khamti Shan community development. The funds target was 50000USD.

God has been so good to us, answering our prayers. DAI became our fiscal sponsor and through their help, we were able to set up a donation’s link. The total amount we were able to received through DAI was 36550USD.  The Khamti Shan team was also able to raise 8100000 (about 4378USD, through their direct contacts (see the picture left items 2-5). Therefore the total funds received in USD was 38928.

So far the total amount we were able to transfer to Myan. from the DAI office was 62900000. We gave directly of 60 000 000 Kyats in June, to the Khamti Shan leadership team and 2900000 Kyats was used for transportation, reporting, gifts and local administration cost.

#B: Expenses reported from the Khamti Shan team;

Pastor Yt PS, sent me a report of how the funds have been used. So far the team has used up 54200000K (29 297$). These funds were use for the following (see the picture left)-

#1. Purchasing the land (42 300 000K),

#2. Land purchasing lawyer’s fees (200 000K),

#3. Land fencing and clearing expenses (2 500 000K), and

#4. Constrution of the kitchen (9 000 000K).

#C: The progress of the work; As soon as the funds were received, the team first started putting fence around and secure the land. Then with the help for volunteers from local churches they were able to clear the whole land and construction sites. Started from the late June, they were able to purchased timbers and started the construction work. They work so hard in the midst of rain.

The team continues to work so hard days and nights. Several local churches are helping the work construction. Because of the local churches help the construction work is going really quick, without their help it would have been impossible to speed up the work in such way. So far, the construction of the kitchen has been already completed and they are now constructing the minister’s house. They like to complete construction of ministry house before the end of August.

#D: Additional needs;

Additional funds needed-Priority 1; The team has estimated that in order to complete the ministry house it will cost 19000000 Kyats (Item 1). Since they had used up 54 200 000 K, the remaining balance 13 900 000K is used for construction of the minister’s house and to finish it they need additional #1. 5100000 K.

The team also needs additional funds for-

#2. Constructing a meeting place/worship place (9 000 000K)

#3. Two toilets and bathroom (2 000 000)
#4. For road construction and purchasing sand and soil (33 500 000)

So grand total for completing all above #1-#4, we still needs 19600000K, which is about 9800$ (here I am using 1$=2000 kyats). Please let us know if you or any other people who might be interested to support toward this needs.

Additional funds needed-Priority 2; And also in my April-June 2022, prayer updates, I have also mentioned that 5 families (#1. Yt Pongshar, #2. Sai Thiha, #3 Khun Zaw Oo, #4. Khaing Myo Htun and #5. Daw May Hwam) are ready to move into this new location and start a new life there. If you are interested to help support any of these individuals you are welcomed to do so. They all are so ready to move in, but they are poor and don’t have enough money. Therefore, it will be great blessings if we can support this individual family also.

I am so honored and thankful to the Lord for all of you who are making differences in the lives of Khamti Shan believers. They are overjoyed and cannot express enough their gratitude to the Lord. Thankful for your generous support.

Please accept our warmest regards from Northern Myanmar.

I am also attaching a video of field testimony shared by Shan pastor Yintang Pongshar and former Shan pastor Sai Thiha, who is a native Khamti Shan speaker.

Your brother in Christ,

David Sangdong
Date, 19 Aug 2022.

#E: Final Update (Added on Jan 2023)

David visited the Khamti Shan community (DEC 16-17, 2022). On the 16^th DEC, students from a local bible school, many Khamti Shan believers, including Khamti Shan Bible Transltor (the one who is standing and sharing in the picture below), gathered together and celebrated Christmas at a common meeting place (which is still underconstruction).

I was able to share Christmas sermon in the evening service where many Khamti Shan (Buddhists) also attended. During the day time, they were not willing to come to the Christian gathering, but at night they felt much more comfortable coming. At the Christmas service, we were able to share the reason Christ came to earth, how we need to relationship with him for eternal life. We trust that the Gospel seed we are sowing among them will sprout, grow and the kingdom of God would be established among Khamti Shan.

The Khamti Shan believers (10-11 families) are now regularlly meeting at the pastoral resisdence every week and worshipping the Lord and having fellowship of Christian brothers and sisters.  They are so overjoyed with the Lord has done among them and are so optimistic about what the Lord will do through this place/them for the Khamti Shan community in the region.

Budget distribution of funds came through DAI.

We were able to raise  36550 USD, (62 900 000 MMK) through DAI in April and May 2022. The Table below shows how the fund was spent. Items #1-#4 are already indicated in the budget reported by the Khamti Shan team, page 1. Item #5 was also indicated in the same section.

But item #5 was added in this budget list, because it was not charged in my previous update (see Section #B, in this document). With the additional direct donation of 50 million kyats and fund raised locally, the construction of the minister’s house is already completed, and the common meeting place is also near completion. We are glad to let you know that from the #D-additional needs I have presented in my previous update, we can safely assumed that 60% is already completed. We trust that God will provide other remaining needs from the priority-1 and the needs for priority 2, in His perfect timing.

Progress timeline and pictures included with this report

Final words; With the help of God and with the generous donation from different individuals and Churches, we were able to finish well this project, within a short period of time.

It is such a great joy for us to see and witness how much Khamti Shan brothers and sisters are enjoying their fellowship with our heavely father and supporting one another in Christian love. Not only Khamti Shan believers, Churches nearby (different denominations) are so happy to see the Kingdom of God establishing among the Khamti Shan community. These churches were very supportive toward this project and offered their help for construction, and are ready to help whenever the Church request for help.

I am so thankful for all everyone who participated in this project, through giving, prayer, and encouragement. I am also so thankful for DAI-international team for their fiscal sponsorship, without its support, this project would have been so difficult (or not possible).

I was told that Khamti Shan leadership team got some funding for construction of the Church building. I am so happy to hear how God is continue to providing the needs for them.

But for our part, though some work still needs to be done, (completion of the common meeting place, and construction of Khamti Shan believers (5 families) families houses and Church building etc), with great attitude to God and to everyone who were involved, we shall call this project an end.

Blessings,

12^th Jan 2023
David Sangdong