"Phoebe's Journey: A Tribute to Her Father's Sacrifice and Legacy"

Today we will start with Phoebe.  Phoebe is our Lead Teacher at Hope Preschool.  We hope you enjoy her touching story.

One of the clear “banners” in my life was my father, Myit Tung La. He was born in 1935 in Shan Tile, Bamaw, Kachin State. His parents, my grandparents, were Christians and raised their children to know the Lord. He grew up in the same village where the infamous missionary family, the Morse family, lived. He had 6 siblings and attended a mission school finishing middle school in 1953.  He then attended Myitkyina’s School for Teacher Training until 1958.  After graduation, he was appointed to go teach in Khonglanphu, the village where ACM has AhShar’s Samuel School. This village is very near the China border.  Now there is very little amenities there so you can imagine what it was like in 1958, very rural. He began teaching June of 1958 starting every day with a morning Christian devotion, planting seeds in these children God had entrusted to him.

In those days in Myanmar, there were no cars, motorcycles, or airplanes in the country, so he walked from Putao to Myitkyina and then to Khonglanphu, taking about 28 days!

In 1959, he married my mom in Putao and they had 9 children. Even after marriage and children, he continued to make the long trip to teach in the mountains, to the children that had no access to education. However in 1965 he started teaching in Mulashidi Primary School, near Putao. He taught there until he retired at the end of 1972. After that he served in the Government Administration Committee until 1988. In these days, it would have been impossible to serve in the government as a Christian. Who knows how many seeds were planted during those years. During that time, my dad supplemented our family income by growing a garden for my mom, working in the garden in the mornings and evenings. My mom also worked on a farm to help. Then after retirement he served as an Elder at Malashidi Christian Church until his passing in 2005.

He loved well and gave his life for his family and his people. He promoted the importance of education and reached out especially to those who struggled to find education/schooling. It was an extreme sacrifice to serve in such a remote area where no one wants to go.  He was very disciplined in his life with his students and his family.  He had a cheerful heart and always lived out his faith by helping others in need. He sacrificed so much and was a great example for his family and for the many people he met along his journey.  He was a “banner” reminding us to keep our eyes on the goal.  Knowing where God calls you and realizing that there may be much sacrifice along the way, taught us to rely on God for our strength and perseverance. 

My verse from him was/is “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7.