History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Baptist mission among the Shan 70
Portrait of the first believer “Pha Ka Sai”
We are still facing such problems in 21 st
century. Sometimes we have to relocate our new
Shan believers and find a new place for them to
live. We sometimes have to establish new
village for new believers. How can we make it
possible for Christians and Buddhists to live
together without discrimination? Shan believers
are labeled by Buddhist Shan as “American
Shan” because when Shan believe in Christ and
become Christians they abandoned all Shan
traditions and practices and follow Christian
practices, which Shan Buddhists see it as
“American culture.” One year later Phak Ka
Sai’s daughter Nang Seng also baptized. Nang
Seng was the first woman convert in Eastern
Shan State. She later married to Thra Doo Paw,
a Karen missionary, who came along with Rev.
W.M. Young to KengTung. Phak Ka Sai and his
daughter lived in mission compound, helped
missionaries and learned the Bible from
missionaries. Phak Ka Sai later became
preacher. He led many Shan people to Christ.
He passed away in 1921 because of Malaria.
During his time of service the ministry among the
Shan in KengTung was very successful but after his death Shan believers were left behind as orphans
and the ministry declined. Some Churches did not even have pastors. Some lay leaders who were
literates but theologically un-trained had to preach, lead the service on Sunday and take care of the
Church. It was reported in 1904 that there was one Church, seven members and one baptism.
3. Mission compound
The mission compound was very large. There was a school, a church building, hospital and staff
quarter in the compound. How could Dr. Gibbens get such a big land from SaoPha? I was told, “One
day Dr. Gibbens went to see KengTung’s SaoPha and asked for land to build hospital and school.
SaoPha said “I’ll give you the land as big as you can measure by a cow skin.” How big is a cow skin?
Dr. Gibbens was so cleaver. He cut out dry cow skin into small threads and fixed them together. Then it
came out to be a long cow skin. He measured it by that cow skin and got acres of land.” 73
The first Shan Church
The first temporary chapel was built in KengTung in 1902. It had four members including the
first convert Phak Ka Sai. The first church building, NaungPha Church, was built of woods in mission
compound in 1922. It was completely destroyed during the war. Another new NaungPha church
building was built of bricks in 1936 under leadership of Rev. Ray Buker. 74 NaungPha Church was
multiracial Church consisted of Burmese, Shan, Lahu and Wa. Sometimes three to four languages were
used during Sunday worship service and lasted about four hours. It was reported in 1937 that there were
only 25 Christians in NaungPha Church in 1927. The church building is now belonged to Wa Baptist
Association when the properties in mission compound were divided to different racial groups.
73 As interviewed with Rev. Seng Tip on March 1, 2003
74 As interviewed with Rev. Ah Yai who was baptized by Rev. Ray Buker in 1938 on March 6, 2003