April 2006

From "the Land of the Morning Calm” to "the Golden Land”

Dear Friends,

In these days when we speak so often of mission partnerships, a unique partnership has developed between the Asia Pacific Graduate School of Theological Studies at Hanil University and the theological schools of Myanmar (Burma). One of these theological schools in Myanmar—called “the Golden Land”—is the Yangon Graduate School of Theology. This school has close ties with the Pusan Jin Presbyterian Church here in Korea—known as “the Land of the Morning Calm”—and this past year this church donated $20,000 so that a new campus building could be purchased. During the winter term of 2005-06, we made our second journey to Myanmar to serve as visiting international professors at Yangon Graduate School of Theology, and to lecture at other theological schools.

The president of YGST is the Reverend Dr. Aung Myint Thang, who received his Th.M. from Hanil. His wife, Ms. Hnem Iang, received her M.A. in Christian education from Hanil. Together they serve a team ministry at YGST, an ecumenical graduate school which offers the M.Div. degree. We now have over 20 Hanil alumni serving in Myanmar as pastors, missionaries, ecumenical leaders, professors, and theological school administrators. Other Hanil alumni who are leaders in theological education include the Reverend Khin Hla, president of Tahan Theological College of the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar; the Reverend Van Kung, academic dean of Lorrain Theological College of the Mara Evangelical Church; and Professor Kyaw Moe, academic dean of Myanmar Institute of Christian Theology of the Myanmar Baptist Convention. All received their Th.M. degrees from Hanil, and all have returned home to serve their churches and theological schools.

The Reverend Mang Bik, who teaches missiology at Zomi Theological College, is also a Hanil graduate. The partnership between the Land of the Morning Calm and the Golden Land has been a fruitful one for theological education, and similar fruit can be found among the pastors, missionaries, and ecumenical leaders of Myanmar who have received graduate degrees from Hanil University.

When we first began teaching in 1983 at what was then Hanil Women’s Seminary, we never dreamed that the school would eventually play such a significant and exciting role in international theological education. Currently, in the Asia Pacific Graduate School of Theological Studies we have students enrolled from Indonesia, Madagascar, and Myanmar. Plans are now underway to strengthen the international program so that even more Asian and African church leaders can come to study at Hanil.

As we receive word of impending cuts in the budget for international mission in the PC(USA), we are alarmed that this might have an impact upon the ongoing partnership between the Land of the Morning Calm and the Golden Land. Our work as mission co-workers has been, and continues to be, integral to the maintenance of this partnership, both through our teaching and interaction with the students, and through the solicitation of vitally needed scholarship aid. We would urge you to continue to support this unique partnership in theological education through your prayers and your giving.

May God grant you grace and blessing during this Easter season.

Faithfully in mission,

Carol Chou Adams and Daniel J. Adams

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 249