Family Link Myanmar
AGM May 21[st] 2025
Chairman’s report
A report for our work March 1[st] 2024 to end February 2025.
Our year opened with the news that conscription was to be activated soon. Our house was visited and all the older eligible children were listed. It would apply to all adults 18-35, with all men over 65 expected to do a one month’s military training.
The banks were threatening to limit withdrawals to £117 which would have been disastrous but this appears to remain unactioned. However the receipt of our monthly support via Western Union is now accompanied by heavy and detailed questioning.
The military situation continues to deteriorate, with airstrikes and burning villages common. Many thousands are on the run in the inhospitable jungles, including many of Suan’s family in Chin state. This includes his 86 year old grandmother. Among our pastors’ network there have been several midnight snatchings by the military.
The UN has expressed its concern at rising hunger in the country. Basic foodstuffs and fuel are hugely inflated, and wherever Suan goes he brings sacks of rice and oil. This hunger is close to home in Yangon itself and Suan sometimes cooks an enormous pot of food on an open fire to feed up to 340 neighbours.
Mary, Suan’s 8 year old daughter, contracted an eye infection which should have been readily treatable. Sadly the wrong antibiotic was given too late and despite travelling to Thailand to receive better care, it was too late and Mary has lost all sight in one eye.
In mid-September one of our lads was doing a 6 week Bible course in a town north of Yangon and was snatched outside a shop and man-handled into a military truck. They proceeded to take a further 27 boys from the streets and drove them up country for military training. He was forced to sign to say he was 20 although he was 17 ,and was shocked to see many children there of 12. Further up the road was a camp of girls. Treatment was brutal with daily beatings and sleeping in bitter cold with no blankets. Several were killed cruelly for attempting to run away.
Anna’s family tried to visit as he was in Shan state but were turned away. Suan then went the long journey with clothes and blankets but couldn’t make contact and returned home devastated.
In the autumn we were thrilled to be told that the Hurst Methodist church in Cheshire were once again going to support us for a year with fundraising events. Already they have raised a substantial amount.
In December there was terrible flooding in the north. One family with 3 children lost their father in the floodwater. Their mother fled with one child leaving her two very small ones with a local pastor. Suan was contacted and the children were transported to Anna’s family a few hours’ drive away. We then funded airfares for the little ones and Anna’s sister and aunt to bring them to our home. They are well settled and much loved by all the children. We now have 57 in Suan and Anna’s care.
Our great joy was to see Kimpu, one of our oldest boys, graduate from university in December after doing a long and arduous online degree.
Also in December Ye Win was given 9 days leave to come home. He had voluntarily joined the army in 2019 after suffering a broken romance. Apparently he was caught trying to run away but instead of what could have been capital punishment, he was given compassionate leave. Utterly amazing. He had a wonderful Christmas with the family but so sad at parting again.
Because of the rise in hunger and the horrific inflation, our monthly giving has risen to between £750 and £900. This will be seen in the Treasurer’s report. Funds remain healthy as sadly we are unable to visit and run camps
and other projects. We dug two wells in remote and risky areas but work then ceased due to military encroachment in the area.
In summary the children are all well but living with a high measure of stress due to the prevailing situation. Night-time raids and head-counting by the military cause much alarm.
We here long for the day that the coup ends and we can travel out after 5 long years to be with them. It will be a wonderful day when we can resume all of our projects and it is something many join us in praying for.
We have much prayer and financial support here and formally acknowledge our immense gratitude for the continued encouragement during this harsh time. Suan, Anna and all the children are overwhelmed with the love shown in so many ways.
Our greatest thanks though in all this is to God who birthed and called us to this work. It is a huge privilege and joy and we have seen His hand in so many amazing situations.
Florence Bevan
Chair
| Summary Accounts | 2024-2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| in | out | |
| 2.03.2024 | 236 | 855.49 |
| 463 | 1905..49 | |
| 4335 | 496.77 | |
| 1421.5 | 2069.97 | |
| 664 | 868.9 | |
| 1727.48 | 1130 | |
| 829 | 429.49 | |
| 416 | 479.49 | |
| 256.18 | 1126.16 | |
| 379 | 454.49 | |
| 624.18 | 454.49 | |
| 426 | 755.49 | |
| 360 | 1212.59 | |
| 3387.6 | 1508.992 | |
| 495 | 254.49 | |
| 1120 | 1208.99 | |
| 2406 | 1208.99 | |
| 519 | 206.19 | |
| 232 | ||
| 85 | ||
| 1,3,2025 | 20381.94 | 14720.98 |