Living in Myanmar, Michael is a graduate of DAI’s MA programme which was held in Yangon and completed his studies in 2017. Michael is from the Chin tribe, a primarily Christian people group which was once oppressed by the Bamar, the dominant ethnic group in Myanmar, who we often think of as ‘Burmese’, and he is currently serving as a pastor in a village of Bamar Buddhists in one of the poorest communities in Yangon.
One of the final courses in the MA programme is the “Culture, Ethnicity & Diversity”course which helps to build understanding and cooperation across cultural boundaries. Reflecting on the DAI course, Michael commented:
“The MA in Organisational Leadership has been very good for my life because it has really broadened my worldview of leadership”
Specifically commenting on the “Culture, Ethnicity & Diversity” course, Michael said:
“Culturally we are very different than those we serve in the village, but I chose to be here because I want to help them as much as I can. I want to share the gospel so they have the hope in a living God and their life will be changed. I decided to do this ministry because many children and their families do not know Jesus. We’ve had about 40 convert from Buddhism and 150 children (many Buddhist) participate in our weekly children’s ministry. If it were not for the DAI programme I do not think I would be serving where I am today”
Although not an official MA student, Hannah, Michael’s wife, has been studying the course materials independently:
“I am not an official student of DAI’s programme” she shares, “but I studied the materials Michael brought home. The materials were so applicable, practical and really helpful and effective for me. It has really improved my teaching and mentoring skills”
