History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Baptist mission among the Shan 84
is a feast or celebration, young people come. But I don’t see young people come at ordinary situation
and Sunday worship service. The attendances of Sunday Church service also drop. I think only about
50% of believers attended Sunday worship service. Spiritually we are not very strong.” 89
Fond Memory of Rev. Ai Pan
He was the best preacher among the Shan preachers. I cannot find a Shan speaker as good as
him until today. I can still remember the message he preached 45 years ago about “Adam & Eve.” This
message will last in my head and my heart forever. Whenever he came to preach at MuSe Church there
was no empty seat. The Church was always overflowed. He used to ride on his bicycle fitted with
machine (motor-bicycle) that could run faster. Since MuSe and NamKham was only 20 miles distance
he could ride his motor-bicycle in one hour to get to MuSe. He used to leave his motor-bicycle at our
home before going to the Church. I still remember having a chance of trying his bicycle. Great fun.
He was a faithful servant of the Lord and great leader of ShweLi Shan Baptist Mission.
SeLan Shan Baptist Church
SeLan Shan Baptist Church is a second
Church planted in ShweLi after First Baptist
Church, NamKham planted in 1894.
Dr. Kirkpatrick reported in 1899, “On account of
the hostility of the native officials all of the
children have left the school at SeLan.” It
indicated that there was a mission school in SeLan
in 1899. Seven people also baptized.
It was reported by Dr. Harper in 1904 that a new
SeLan Shan church building seen in 1982 school and Church were well on towards
completion in SeLan. This Church and school
were the gift of the Baptist Church of Bethlehem, Pa., and was to be called the “Bethlehem Mission
Church.”
Dr. C.A. Kirkpatrick sent Saya Tha Dun, Saya Htun Pyu and Saya Myat to SeLan. It also mentioned in
1910 report that evangelists were actively preaching gospel in SeLan. The church building was rebuilt
and dedicated on July 15, 1956. The total cost of the building was Kyat 1860.85, ShweLi Valley Baptist
Association contributed Kyat 900 and American Baptist Mission contributed Kyat 960.85, Rev. Kham
Maung preached the message from Psalm 84 and 1 Cor 3:16. 90 The church building was again
renovated and roofed with zinc, concrete floor and brick wall in the year 2000. It cost about Kyat
800,000 and dedicated on April 28, 2000 and was named Rev. Ai Hmoon Memorial church building.
Rev. Tha Dun, the first pastor of SeLan Shan Church, passed away on November 26, 1926.
Then Saya Paw Lu served as pastor for two years and Saya Paw Kham served as pastor until he was
killed by Japanese soldiers during Japanese occupation in 1942. Then Saya Lao Wu served as pastor for
three years and Saya Ai Hmoon became pastor in 1937. Before he became pastor he was a
schoolteacher at SeLan Primary School since 1927. Saya Ai Hmoon was ordained on February 29,
1964. SeLan Church diamond jubilee was held on January 1, 1980.
89 As interviewed with Saya Hton Wah on March 13, 2003, NamKham.
90 As recorded by Saya Hsaw in his daily.