“All I have to do is give the word and 50,000 to 100,000 Chakmas will convert to Christianity,” the unusually tall political leader of the Chakmas said. “But first I need assurance from you that we will have political protection and social security.”
Of 500,000 Chakmas worldwide, only about 3,000 follow Jesus as Savior. Most are Buddhists.
The eyes of the six Chakma leaders looked intently at me across the shabby table, lit only by a single candle, as they waited for my answer. I brought the conversation back to the greater, spiritual need.
“I have no political influence, no military power, and no financial wealth to offer you. But you have said that you want freedom from your critical situation, and I can introduce you to the Lord who can set you free.”
In Bangladesh, Bengali Muslims are taking over the tribals’ lands and threatening their future existence.?In a country of 150 million people, the Chakmas are only 300,000 strong.
With the help of a translator, South Carolina volunteers Dannetta Hill and Buddy Browning, members of Kirby Memorial Baptist Church in Gaffney, tell Chakma tribal children in Bangladesh about Jesus.I reminded the Chakma leaders of the stories that South Carolina volunteers had just told them about how God delivered the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. The Chakmas have a long, tragic history of making alliances with “the powers that be,” hoping to rise out of their desperate situation. However, those in whom they had put their hopes shamelessly took advantage of them, leaving them gravely disappointed.
“Continuing to try to follow the Buddhist law will do nothing for us, as in the past,” the Chakma leader said. “Our culture is at the point of being decimated. If we don’t do something, the Bengali Muslims will continue to infiltrate our areas, and I will find my descendants named something like Nur-Islam (Light of Islam).?We need freedom.”
Again, I could offer no socio-political solution, but I explained that I do know the One who gives true freedom.
“Just as my God freed the Israelites from the Egyptians and led them to the Promised Land, he can also free the Chakmas from their predicament. I cannot promise a new country, but I know my God can save the Chakmas, provide all of their needs on earth, and give them an eternal home in heaven. I have never heard of a people who became Christians only to be decimated.
“You know that 100 years ago your neighbors in India, the Mizos, were far behind you as ‘naked headhunters.’ Now they are 99 percent Christian and one of the most advanced and blessed people in India. I believe God will bless the Chakmas in the same way if you follow him.”
So went our discussion late into the night. The South Carolina volunteers were back at the hotel praying me through each challenge, and the Chakma leaders left with much to consider.
The next day, the Chakma leaders sent word to one of the pastors that they were satisfied with our answers.
What does this mean??I tremble to think that this might be the breakthrough for which we have long been waiting.
South Carolina volunteers Gwen Walker, Everett Peterson and Tim Crain wash the feet of tribals in Bangladesh, praying over the Christian believers as they wash their feet. The volunteers shared Bible stories, starting with creation and ending with the resurrection. Here, the volunteers teach by example the story about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. The new believers had never heard the story, nor had they ever had their feet washed in such a manner. The volunteers worship at churches in South Carolina’s Broad River Baptist Association, which partners with the IMB’s tribal team in Bangladesh.Please pray that the Holy Spirit will convince the Chakma leaders that truly the only hope for Chakmas is to follow Christ as their Savior. Pray that God will level all the barriers that have kept the Chakmas chained in darkness for centuries. (Twice in the last 100 years, the Chakmas have been on the brink of becoming Christians en masse, only to see Satan destroy the work.)?Pray that the Christian community in Bangladesh will be prepared to lead and disciple thousands of Chakmas into the kingdom of God.
*Names changed for security reasons. Galvin*?is the International Mission Board’s strategy coordinator for tribals in Bangladesh. He and his wife Susan* have served?in Bangladesh since 1994. Since the South Carolina volunteers visited Bangladesh earlier this year, 21 Chakma leaders have been baptized, including two of the six leaders with whom Galvin met.
Editor’s note: Galvin* wrote this follow-up letter to the South Asia regional prayer coordinator.
This meeting took place from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 1. Only later did I realize that this was the precise time that many who received the February Day of Prayer and Fasting e-mail were waking up in the United States and beginning their quiet time and day of fasting for Buddhists in South Asia, which focused especially on the Chakmas. (Many on this side had already prayed and fasted for the Chakmas that day.)?There is no doubt in my mind that this is directly connected to the breakthrough we had that night. So thank you for your central part in what God did and is doing with the Chakmas.
I wrote to Neill Mims, regional strategy associate in South Asia, that there have been few times in my life that I have felt so led by the Spirit in dialogue as that night. What is happening with the Chakmas is really a South Asia regional effort. Obviously, the partnership with South Carolina Baptists set up by Neill was central to this meeting. The director of missions mobilization for the convention worked out the partnership with Broad River Baptist Association, Kirby Memorial Baptist Church and our tribal team.
When one of the team, Buddy Browning, had to be medically evacuated (part of the ongoing spiritual warfare), the missions mobilization director also helped with coordinating insurance and other issues from South Carolina.?Gilbert Fournet,* regional medical consultant, also made a trip to Bangkok to help with Buddy’s medical care and see him off to the United States. The team and I were able to continue through the rest of the planned meetings knowing that Buddy was in good hands.
When I first talked with the Chakma leaders, I apologized for only knowing Bangla and not their Chakma “heart language.” I did tell them, however, that we had a storying team who knew Chakma and was translating oral stories into their language. They had heard of “the two foreign ladies” who knew their Chakma language. I’m thankful to the Gladdings,* Kissures* and others on the storying team who made this project possible.
Also in the meeting, the leaders heard many new songs in the Chakma language, which were written just a few months earlier when Quinn McClintock* and Ethan Leyton* came and led our Chakma music seminar. LEAD (Leadership Equipping and Development) teams also continue to train our leaders, producing spiritually mature men who were able to stand with me in the meeting.
All this is to say that, as the strategy coordinator for tribals in Bangladesh, I recognize that I am just a small part of what the Lord is doing with the Chakmas. It’s great to be part of a region that supports our work in so many ways – through volunteers, orality, musicology, leadership training, finances, supervision, medical and prayer support. I look forward to seeing what He continues to do with the Chakmas and other tribals.
God bless,
Burt*
(*names changed for security reasons)