Myanmar

At St James today, the preacher was The Most Revd Stephen Than Myint Oo, Archbishop of Myanmar.
He preached on the Gospel, Mark 4.35-41, Jesus stilling the storm. He described how until 1940 the Anglican Church in Myanmar largely prospered as it was the time before the storm. However much of the time since has been one of facing the storm when Jesus appears to be sleeping. Many faithful servants were martyred during the Japanese occupation. The Church of the Province of Myanmar (CPM) has around seventy thousand members who are spread across the country in 6 dioceses and became independent in 1970.
The archbishop listed each of the dioceses and its problems. HIV was a major problem in one while in another it was the longest civil war in the world. Of course the southern dioceses were affected by Cyclone Nargis last year with the death of nearly 200,000 people.
While Jesus appears to be sleeping, the disciples in that country are not paralysed by fear but ministering to the people.
The Archbishop is in Australia and visiting Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane to launch the disaster appeal for the Anglican Board of Missions.
One of our associate priests at St James, the Rev'd John Deane is the executive director of ABM.
Episcopal Relief and Development is also working in Myanmar