42-year-old Myanmar pastor, Tun N., who served a humble church of 50 members for 20 years has returned after being presumed dead.
When Pastor Tun N. refused to join the rebellious Arakan Army in their cause to overthrow the government, he was forced out of his home at gunpoint. Weeks after his kidnapping, it was reported that he was killed along with a church elder but the police and the government were not able to trace him.
In June 5, 2019, KP Yohannan, the founder and president of Gospel for Asia or GFA, shared his grief for the presumed death of Pastor Tun N., "It is with heaviness in our hearts that we report on the death of Pastor Tun N. from Myanmar, one of GFA's field partner workers. After being abducted at gunpoint on January 19, Pastor Tun, aged 41, was reported dead on February 1."
However, Tun N. was not dead and was instead held captive for 14 months which he describes his time as "the most hellish time of my life." Tun N. had been released on March 7 but with threats by the rebel group of future harm.
On April 4, 2020, GFA rejoiced the return of Pastor Tun N in an announcement, "To our great joy, we recently received information that Pastor Tun, who we believed had been killed, ... is alive and reunited with his wife and children."
Pastor Tun N's miraculous return is a reminder for us that the shock and rejoicing we experience in Pastor Tun N's return should be as prevalent in our daily lives when thinking upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
