Suak Khaw Ngin

 Suak  Khaw Ngin

 

Early Life

Suak Khaw Ngin was born on May 1, 1956, at Buanman village, Tedim Township, Chin State, Myanmar,[i] to Suang Khaw Thang and Hen Cing. He was the eldest among the five children of his parents. His father was the first blind man in Chin Hills who can read braille in English; and also a devoted and dutiful Adventist. He had given high regards to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the Spirit of Prophecy of Ellen G White in all circumstance. He was the founder of Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movements in Myanmar. Suak Khaw Ngin had four siblings: Ngo Khaw Nang (June 26, 1958), Vung Za Niang (1962), Mang Pum (January 11, 1963), and Mang Sing (1969).

Education and Marriage

In 1963-64, Suak Khaw Ngin attended Kindergarten at Thuklai State High School, Chin State. After that, in 1964, he was transferred to Seventh-day Adventist Middle School at Gyothonbin-Siyin ywa, Kalay Township and passed grade 1 and two in 1964-66. On 5 April 1966, the Myanmar Revolutionary Government led by General Ne Win nationalized the Gyothobin Seventh-day Adventist Middle school, and then he transferred to Senam Primary School, Tonzang Township for studying grade four in 1965-66. After passing grade four, he transferred again to Thuklai State High School and attended grade 5-9 in 1967 – 1973. He was baptized on April 1972 by Pastor Pe Yee, president of Upper Myanmar Mission of Seventh-day Adventists.  

When he was in government school, he faced many difficulties such as Sabbath problems and lack of financial support. Kenneth Suanzanang, pastor of Siyin Valley Adventist Church told him that the church open a school in Myaungmya.  So, he eagerly wants to attend that new school. He asked financial help to Pa Vum Za Dal of Khuasak and gave one hundred Kyats (Ks. 100.00) for travel expenses. With his help, he can come to Burma Union Bible Seminary, Myaungmya, Ayeyarwaddy Region and passed the Division School Leaving Certificate (DSLC), equivalent to matriculation, conducted by Southern Asia Division Education Department, Poona, India in 1974-75. The following year 1975 - 78, he joined the ministerial training class of Burma Union Bible Seminary and received the Ministerial Training Certificate in 1978. As his parents were just menial laborers, they could not support his education. However, he happened to complete his ministerial training with the help of Seventh-day Adventist Church. All the days (five years, 1973-78) in Seminary, he received two thousand kyats only from relatives. He was to work to get his boarding fees and tuition fees.  

While serving as principal of Tuingo Adventist Seminary, he studied at the Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary and received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion degree in 1991 -1995. The next year, he joined the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Manila, Philippines, majoring in Curriculum and Instruction & Educational Administration and received his Master of Arts in Education in 2003.  

When Suak Khaw Ngin married Pau Za Dim, the seventh daughter of Pau Khaw Thang and Ciin Khaw Man of Thuklai on June 17, 1984, the Holy Matrimony was conducted by Pastor Lalhlunna according to the rules and regulation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She was born on October 20, 1964. She was very simple, kind, loving and gentle in nurturing and caring for her family and also all the people who were dealing with her. She was selfless, and had no pride and pomp in matured things. She never sought her own benefits but sacrificed herself only for the benefit of others. Suak Khaw Ngin and Pau Za Dim had a son and three daughters: Thang Thawn Khai (23-6-1989), Cing Thaw Ciang (5-1-1991), Man Dik (20-9-1998), and Thang Mun Huai (2-11-1999). They had a grand-daughter Cingsan Kuntong, and a grand-son Liankhual Kuntong of Cing Thaw Ciang and Dal Mung, Maryland, Washington DC, United States of America.

Career and Ministry

Suak Khaw Ngin began his denominational service on April 4, 1978, just after finishing studies at the seminary. He was assigned at Kaptel village, Tedim Township, Northern Chin State as an evangelist.  The following year he was transferred to Kinsaung Press, Yangon as a Compositor for 1979-1983. He was called back by the Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary in 1984 – 1990 for teacher. He was appointed as a Principal of Tuingo Adventist Seminary in 1991 – 1994. When Robert Van Tum, a registrar for Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary was suddenly passed away in 1994, he was called back to the Seminary as a registrar for 1994 - 1996. During 1997 – 1999, he was the principal for Anderson Adventist Seminary in Tedim, Northern Chin State. In 1999-2000, he was the principal for Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary.[ii]

Because of some unexpected reasons, he was deposed and sent to Hiang Zing, Tedim Township, Chin State as an evangelist for one year 2000 – 2001. In 2002, he was elected as a director for education for Upper Myanmar Mission (2002 – 2005).[iii] During in that time, he was ordained for the gospel ministry on April 6, 2002.

In 2006, he was elected as director for education of Myanmar Union Mission for five years (2006 – 2010). From 2011 to 2015, he was appointed as Vice-president for Academic Affairs of Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary; a college church pastor and chaplaincy for 2016 -2017; and associate professor of education for 2018 – May 2021.

Later Life

Suak Khaw Ngin served the Seventh-day Adventist Church community for forty-two years and two months. He retired from the church organization on June 1, 2021[iv] and settled in Buanman village, Tedim Township, Chin State. 

Legacy

He had to live a disciplined life under his parent’s control and he regarded it as being very strict. He had served the Lord with heart and soul. With all-out effort he had labored in the ministry of the Lord. As he had dedicated his life and service for Christ and Church, what he had done were mostly for Christ, church and younger generations.

When he was a principal of Anderson Adventist Seminary, he built a two-storey residential building for teachers. At the same time, he was asked to lead the rebuilding of Lezang Adventist Church, Tedim Township. He led the building of a 120 feet long two-storey administration building at Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary.

In 1990, Pastors Langh Sawm Mang and Suak Khaw Ngin printed out two Ellen G White’s books: Steps to Christ and Counsels for the Church, vol. 1, in Zomi dialect at Kinsaung Press, Yangon.[v]

When he was a director of education for Myanmar Union Mission, he sent thirteen students to Asia Pacific International University (APIU), Bangkok, Thailand for undergraduate programs. When he was in the Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary, he led the installation of a new transformer in the campus. In 2017, Suak Khaw Ngin was chosen as the Country-Coordinator for Encyclopedia Seventh-day Adventist (ESDA) by the committee of Myanmar Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists. He himself had written several articles for ESDA such as “Biography of U Maung Maung, History of Yangon Adventist Mission, Yangon Adventist Hospital, and Myanmar

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[i] Service Record, Archived in the Office of Myanmar Union Mission Office.

[ii] UMM – 1999-031, Minute of the Upper Myanmar Mission.

[iii] UMM – 2001 – 030, (January 2002), Minute of the Upper Myanmar Mission.

[iv] MYUM – 2021-038, (Mar 15, 2021), Minute of Myanmar Union Mission.

[v] Do Hen Pau, “Langh Sawm Mang,” ESDA articles

How We Entered into the Chin Hills

How We Entered into the Chin Hills

By Ngul Khaw Pau

The Chin Hills is a mountainous part of Upper Burma. In 1899 the American Baptist Missionaries entered Haka. Slowly they spread out through many parts of the Chin Hills until World War II. I became a member of that denomination and was appointed an elder of our village church. When we prayed in our meeting on Sunday, we asked God: "Oh Heavenly Father, Thou art the true God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day, today; Thou hast blessed and sanctified today (that is Sunday), so clean us, too, from all sin as Thou hast cleansed this day." We believed Sunday to be the seventh day of the week, and worshipped on that day.

In 1946 I met Vanlalrawna, a Lushai boy with a very good appearance. When I made his acquaintance I offered him some cigarettes, but he said, "Friend, thank you very much; I am a Seventh-day Adventist, so I don't use tobacco or any other unclean things, as unclean flesh, etc." Then I drew back my cigarette tin to me with shameful face, and wondered about him. Then I asked him, "What kind of people are Seventh-day Adventists?" That began a discussion about Bible truth. He told me his experience. He also had been a Baptist believer. But in our discussion, I objected very seriously, saying that Sunday is the seventh day of the week. In the Chin Bible the word for, Sabbath was translated "Nipi" and when we named the days of the week, "Nipi" was Sunday. But opening the Bible to Luke 4:16 and 23:50-56, my friend made it clear to me that the Lord was crucified on Friday and the next day was the Sabbath -of Creation. That is the day our Lord Jesus had observed. When I continued to discuss with him, he said: "You may become a Seventh-day Adventist someday, because you are a pious man and you love God." Then we each went our separate ways.

I wondered at all I had heard but didn't mention it when I went home. Moreover, I still served as an elder in my church. In the latter, part of 1952 my mind became agitated by certain happenings in the church and I remembered my Seventh-day Adventist friend's words, "You may become a Seventh-day Adventist someday." Pastor A. E. Anderson was sent to the Chin Mills to pioneer the work. When he went through the Tiddim Hospital, he talked to 'Me and showed me my last letter to the mission in India. He had already won several souls in the Chin Hills and 'in the latter part of 1953 he moved with his family to Tiddim. Within a few months of his arrival there many souls were converted to God, including Brother Go Za Kham, an editor„ of Lungvak magazine, as well as pastor of Leilum Village ABM church. Brother Go Za Kham contacted me and we joined the baptismal class conducted Brother - Anderson. After we finished our class, Pastor P. A. Parker came up and baptized fourteen of us on May 8, 1954: This was the first baptismal service held by us in the Chin Hills.

So I wrote a letter to the Assam Seventh-day Adventist Mission, Aijal, India, and asked the difference between Baptists and Adventists. They replied: "Brethren Zakhuma and Lalkhuma have been sent to the Chin Hills as missionaries from the Assam Mission. You can contact them, or our office at 68 U Wisara Road, Rangoon."

Before I could do anything about contacting these men I was accidentally injured by a bombshell explosion and admitted to the Civil Hospital, Tiddim. That was in April 1953. While I was at the hospital, 

In 1954 Pastor Anderson conducted efforts in the villages of Bukphir, Laitui, Kaptel and Leilum with the help of Brethren Kham and I went down toKalemyo fifty miles from Tiddim by truck. We held a short effort at Sing-u-nau village. There was also present an overseas missionary who had been invited to oppose us. He made us hold a debate as he still believed Sunday to be the seventh day of the week, as I had also believed in the past. He said, "We observe the seventh day of the heaven and the earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day. He also blessed and sanctified it. So we the Christians observe it for a memorial of Creation, and that day is Sunday." Then we proved from Luke 23:50-56 that the day of the crucifixion was Friday and that even now the Roman Catholic Mission abstains from eating flesh on Friday which is another witness that our Lord was crucified on Friday. The Scriptures told us that the crucifixion day was the preparation day before the Sabbath. "They rested the Sabbath day according to the Commandment." As a result of this discussion thirty souls decided to believe the Bible and accept the true message. They were baptized by Pastor P. A. Parker in 1956 and at present are - one of the most faithful church organizations in the Chin Hills.

Now we have over a hundred members in the Chin Hills and twelve workers. We also have several hundred interests. We are glad for God's blessing on our work. We also expect to open new fields in 1958, and increase the number of our believers.

The work opened in the Siyin. valley this year (1957). My family and I entered this valley last July. We located at Khuasak village in a rented house. The pastors and leaders of the local church forbade their people to listen to our mes7; sage. So we could not hold any public effort. But I tried visiting the homes, one by one, and now there are some faithful souls converted to God's last message. On November 16, 1957 Pastor R. H. Woolsey came up, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Murrill, and held a baptismal service for twelve souls. These twelve souls are the first group of baptismal candidates for this area. Among them is an old officer of the British Indian Army, who had served in Government service over thirty years. He is now pensioned. Another is the doctor for this valley and another is a man who donated his land to be used for God.

Southern Asia Tidings, (1958-02-01), 6.