History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Baptist mission among the Shan 59
in NamKham, buildings have been added to our plant, much work has been done in the
district and twelve persons have been baptized.” 59
Dr. M.B. Kirkpatrick returned to America because of failing health and Dr. Harper arrived NamKham
to take over medical work. Dr. Harper gave his first report in 1903, “The past year has been one of
satisfaction and regret; of satisfaction because I believe I am where the Lord called me and because of
His continued blessing and presence; of regret because MuongNai and I have parted and because I have
been in ill health and unable to do much work for a part of the year. The feeling of gratitude for the
privilege of service in this distant needy station is great. The people here need the gospel and they give
better attention to the preaching than the southern Shan. Since my arrival in NamKham last May I have
given most of my time to the medical work and although that department of our work is by no means as
satisfactory as the medical work in MuongNai yet there is encouragement. I hope to see a marked
improvement during the present year. I was also able to devote a good share of my time to the study of
the language and to make a few short trips among the Shan, Palong and Kachin to the northeast and was
fortunate enough to find, on my first tour, a fairly well timbered piece of country within two days’
march of NamKham. I made arrangements with the headman of this district to cut and square enough
posts for a new school building and place them beside the river so they could be floated down to
NamKham. I have now all the timber needed on the ground and hope to have this building completed
before the end of March. The posts and material for a new hospital are also in sight but how far I can
push that work before the rains is not certain. I am hoping to get a hospital building completed this year
and will do so if there is money sufficient after completing the school. Since Dr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick’s
departure my work is greatly increased but good health and plenty of work are a rich blessing when one
is alone and far from social life.” 60 In 1903 there was one Church, 52 members and 12 baptized.
Dr. Harper reported in 1904,
“The year under review calls for praise and thankfulness for the way God has
made his ways known and for the work which he has permitted us to do. Shortly after
Dr. Kirkpatrick left an uprising between the Shan and Kachin of MongMow, China, took
place and I was called to treat the wounded Shan but fearing the Kachin might think I
was taking side with the Shan against them I refused to go and invited them to bring
their wounded to NamKham. This action met with the hearty approval of the
superintendent when he was here last month. The medical work has given much
encouragement. Seven lithotomy cases from distant villages came for treatment before
the new hospital was built and all saved one recovered. One successful case of cataract,
one Colles’ fracture and one fracture of the upper third of the femur were treated,
besides a number of cases of fever, dysentery, conjunctivitis, etc. Some advance was
made towards self-support and $59 was received for drugs. The evangelistic work has
been that of sowing. Many of the distant states have been visited and the large villages in
the plain have had several visits from the teachers and the bazaar meetings have been
fairly well attended. A teachers’ Bible class was carried on through the rains and proved
a rich blessing to both the teachers and myself. A new school and a hospital have been
completed and I feel greatly encouraged as I look upon what was considered almost
impossibility a little over a year ago. I have also a new school and church well on
towards completion at our outstation, SeLan. This church building and school is the gift
of the Baptist Church of Bethlehem, Pa., and is to be called the “Bethlehem Mission
Church.” Five have asked for baptism but it seems best that they should wait till they
know more intelligently what it means to be a Christian. One of our best workers went to
KengTung to help Rev. Young. Four died, six were excluded and one restored.” 61
59 89th Annual Report, 1903, American Baptist Missionary Union, p103
60 89th Annual Report, 1903, American Baptist Missionary Union, p103
61 90th Annual Report, 1904, American Baptist Missionary Union, p93