Khu Khum's Story

Written by Peh Shi Yun

For the Christmas Concert this year, we featured Bethany’s work in Myanmar, both the orphanage and the bible seminary through the life story of Khu Khum. 

At the age of seven, Khu Khum’s parents left home to work and while away from home, his mum passed away in childbirth. His father never returned home and hence, Khu Khum’s grandmother raised him and his 3 siblings for 3 years before bringing him and his younger sister to the Bethany Orphanage when he was ten. She felt that the orphanage would be able to provide for Khu Khum and his siblings far more than she ever could. His uncle took the 2 older children to India. Hence, Khu Khum’s family was split even further.  Hence, Khu Khum grew up in Bethany Orphanage from then on.

By God’s grace, Khu Khum grew up well and eventually graduated from high school. He even did well enough to be admitted to Kalay University. However, as Khu Khum wanted to be a pastor, he enrolled in the Bethany Theological Seminary (Yangon) to be trained for ministry in 2009.

In November 2011, Khu Khum received a Diversity Visa from the government of the United States of America, which would give him the opportunity to emigrate to the United States. To the people in Myanmar, receiving the Diversity Visa is very much like that of winning the lottery and receiving it was a huge opportunity that many in Myanmar would have jumped at. However, to the surprise of many, Khu Khum chose instead to remain studying in the seminary to be a pastor one day.

This Christmas, as we look at the life of Khu Khum, Bethany’s orphanage ministry in Myanmar for the past 10 years becomes more crystallized. In carrying out this work, we seek to fulfill God’s command, to take care of the poor, the sick and the fatherless. And in doing so, we provide these children not only with food, shelter and a home but also an opportunity to know God.

Also, we see how hope was something Khu Khum found at the orphanage. This hope was manifested in both his physical and spiritual life. In material terms, through the orphanage, Khu Khum had the opportunity to study and be fed three meals a day. From someone who faced the possibility of starving to death, Ku Khum was given the chance of being physically provided for and found physical hope in simply living. But more than that, it was at the orphanage where Khu Khum found God to be real and found a living hope in Christ, choosing then, to give his life in service.

This Christmas, we are thankful that we can bring a little hope into a little corner of the world.