{"id":54043,"date":"2026-08-18T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/?post_type=prayerline&p=54043"},"modified":"2026-08-17T22:58:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T21:58:01","slug":"defying-chaos","status":"publish","type":"prayerline","link":"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/defying-chaos\/","title":{"rendered":"Defying\u00a0Chaos"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The fledgling student movement was flourishing across four cities. While it wasn\u2019t easy in this Buddhist-majority country, students were managing to engage in regular Bible study groups, community action, and outreach camps.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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And then? <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The lethal 2020 pandemic was followed by a devastating military takeover that remains in force today. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Five years on, students continue to be at risk \u2013 conscripted without warning or kidnapped for blackmail or trafficking. Today, official meetings on campus are forbidden. Today, limited ministry plans are frequently thwarted. Nanda*, general secretary of the movement admits: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cSometimes we\u2019re very discouraged because we don’t really know what to do. But we feel that we are not alone, that people around the world are standing with us in prayer. <\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Defying Chaos among Today\u2019s Students<\/strong>\u00a0<\/mark><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Some students still attend classes, despite the risk and depleted teaching staff. Nanda supports them by visiting campus for \u201ca chat\u201d. Although he\u2019s often ID-checked and firmly questioned, he\u2019s allowed in to visit \u201cfriends\u201d for a juice or coffee in the canteen. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Some days, he may have as many as 15 around the table. They discuss life and faith, and he responds to their questions. He might manage to use a printout of some Bible verses to guide the conversation.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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At the weekend, he opens his home so that some of these students can worship and study the Bible together. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Similarly, Nanda has not given up on camps. It\u2019s tough \u2013 he\u2019d planned one for 40 students but due to last-minute security concerns, he had to change its location and condense it into a day-retreat. Nevertheless, around 25 students attended. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cIt was very encouraging. Some were from a Buddhist background. And many from a Christian background had only ever read the Bible as a duty. They all said they\u2019d never had a chance to study Scripture like we did.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Defying Chaos for\u00a0Tomorrow\u2019s\u00a0Students<\/strong>\u00a0<\/mark><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n

Nanda also recently spoke at a church youth camp, where one young man\u2019s encounter with Christ ended his drug abuse. His parents were so grateful that they invited Nanda to run a week-long \u201ccamp\u201d for their son \u2013 in their home! Nanda used the opportunity to include another boy who\u2019d stopped going to school. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

\u201cMany young people feel like their future is gone. Some turn to drugs while others stay isolated at home. It\u2019s a great thing that God is working in their lives.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

After the education system collapsed and the military imposed a Buddhist-centric curriculum, Nanda and his wife began teaching their children at home. Others joined, and today more than 70 children attend what\u2019s become a private school with a Bible-based curriculum. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Authorities demanded, then denied, the school\u2019s registration. Thankfully, the regional body accepted an appeal that showed students\u2019 academic improvement. But that paperwork has now been stuck for months at the Ministry of Education. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n

Nonetheless, whether in school or at university, the team trust a higher authority: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re so thankful for your prayers and hope that God may enable us to make closed doors open again.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Pray\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/mark><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n
    \n
  • Thank\u00a0God\u00a0for the faithfulness\u00a0of this student movement\u00a0through the pain, trauma, and uncertainties of the last six years. Pray for\u00a0students\u00a0engaging with\u00a0Scripture for the first time\u00a0\u2013 that they will find life in Jesus\u00a0and\u00a0grow in\u00a0his\u00a0joy\u00a0and peace.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
    \n
      \n
    • Pray for\u00a0the safety and wellbeing of those in the movement and for\u00a0a peaceful and just resolution\u00a0to the\u00a0country\u2019s political crisis.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
      \n
        \n
      • Pray for the\u00a0future of the\u00a0school. Registration is\u00a0not the only hurdle\u00a0\u2013 many parents\u00a0cannot\u00a0afford even the low tuition fees, while import costs and customs\u00a0rules limit\u00a0access to materials.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n
        \n

        *Name changed to protect identity. <\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":54045,"template":"","area":[669,463],"theme":[],"class_list":["post-54043","prayerline","type-prayerline","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","area-myanmar","area-south-asia"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDefying\u00a0Chaos · IFES Prayerline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The fledgling student movement was flourishing across four cities. While\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/defying-chaos\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Defying\u00a0Chaos · IFES Prayerline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The fledgling student movement was flourishing across four cities. While\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/en\/prayerline\/defying-chaos\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"IFES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ifesworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pexels-kuntal-biswas-222328453-13601685-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1707\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/\",\"name\":\"Defying\u00a0Chaos · IFES Prayerline\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/pexels-kuntal-biswas-222328453-13601685-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-18T08:00:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"The fledgling student movement was flourishing across four cities. While\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/pexels-kuntal-biswas-222328453-13601685-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/pexels-kuntal-biswas-222328453-13601685-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1707},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/defying-chaos\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Prayerline\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/en\\\/prayerline\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Defying\u00a0Chaos\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ifesworld.org\\\/es\\\/\",\"name\":\"IFES\",\"description\":\"A movement of students sharing and living out the good news of Jesus Christ. 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