(AUTOBIOGRAPHY)
(1966 – Present 15th October 2021)
Early life and Education
Alvin Po Po Hla was born on November 10, 1966 in Kyar Inn Seik Gyi, Kayin State, Myanmar. His parents are Dr. Sein Han Hla and Carolyn Chit. He is the eldest son and he has four younger brothers namely David Hla, Conally Hla, Robert Hla and Aung Hla. The Hla family had lived in a number of cities such as Yangon, Hpa- an, Magwe, and in a smaller town such as Kyar- inn- seit- gyi, and Parpon during the years Dr. Sein Han Hla worked for the governments in the government hospitals before his retirement.
As the first born son, Alvin Po Po Hla had no choice but to serve the Lord because his parents had given him to the Lord and they reminded him from time to time during his younger years to serve the Lord. He went to Mountain View Adventist Seminary or Academy and studied there as a grade 9 student for one school year. Alvin Po Po Hla then went to Myaung Mya and studied there at Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary from grade 10 onward. He completed and passed DHSC examination in 1983. It was in 1985 when he completed and passed DCEC examination. Alvin Po Po Hla continued to study at MUAS and completed Ministerial Training Course (MTC) in 1988. It was the year 1989 that Alvin Po Po Hla went to India to study at Spicer Memorial College in Pune City. He graduated from Spicer Memorial College with B.A in Religious History as his major field of concentration and Religious philosophy as his minor field of concentration. He later obtained M.A. in Education from Andrews University, U.S.A at Spicer Memorial College.
Ministry and Marriage
Alvin Po Po Hla began the ministry of the church as a teacher. He worked as a teacher of Central Myanmar Adventist Seminary which is situated 8 miles away from Toungoo city from 1999 to 2002. He served as the Registrar of CMAS from 2002-2003 before he became the principal of CMAS in 2003. Alvin Po Po Hla was married to Mu Mu Say, the teacher of the same school on May 1, 2003. They were blessed with their first born son, Abram, who was born on February 20, 2004 in Toungoo city. Alvin Po Po Hla served the Lord as the principal of CMAS till 2007 and he was appointed and elected as the president of Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary in the year of 2007. He served the Lord as the president of MUAS from 2007 to 2011, during which time the second son Gabriel was born on August 1, 2008 in Myaung Mya. Alvin Po Po Hla, then moved back to Central Myanmar Adventist Seminary as the principal and he served the Lord there from 2011 to 2015. He was then elected as the president of the Central Myanmar Mission and he served the Lord as the Mission President from 2015 to 2021 in Taungoo. Alvin Po Po Hla became ordained minister when he was ordained in the year 2011 in Kalay city during the Union-Wide convention.
The Contribution Made for the Church
Pr. Alvin Po Po Hla took the God given opportunity that, under his leadership, the school administration succeeded to make certain developments in the school campus during the years he served the Lord as the principal. A compromise between nature and development had been made. Malaria was eradicated. The campus has good and sufficient water supply as the school administration succeeded in constructing water reservoirs, digging water pond, fish pond, dug wells and installing submersible pump and water pipe lines with the helps of the donors, well wishers and the church. The new drive way was constructed in the campus of CMAS and the drive way was paved in the campus of MUAS during his terms as the principal in CMAS and as the president in MUAS. More churches and companies were organized and more new church buildings were also constructed during his term as the mission presidents. Remarkably, with the leadership of the late Pr. Khing Maung Tin, the Thayet district leader and with the support of the mission administration during Alvin Po Po Hla’s term as the mission president, Kone Taing village which has more than 90% of the villagers as the Adventist became a model village in Thayet district. A new house-church building also came into existence in that village. It is indeed God’s leading that Pr Alvin Po Po Hla has achieved things for God together with his colleagues and comrades, and as the disciples of God, they will continue to achieve more for God together till the end.
Pr Alvin Po Po Hla
1. Date of birth: November 10, 1966
2. Place of birth: Kyar-inn-seit-gyi, Karen State, Myanmar
3. Nationality: Myanmar
4. Parents: Dr. Sein Han Hla and Carolyn Chit.
5. Siblings: (1) Alvin Po Po Hla
(2) Kyi Thu Hla (David Hla)
(3) Conally Hla
(4) Robert Hla
(5) Aung Hla
6. Wife: Mu Mu Say (Married to Mu Mu Say on May 1, 2003 at Yangon Central Adventist Church, Yangon.)
7. Sons: (1) Abram Hla (born on February 20, 2004 in Toungoo.)
(2) Gabriel Hla (born on August 1, 2008 in Myaungmya.)
8. Education: (1) Passed DHSC Examination in 1983
(2) Passed DCEC Examination in 1985
(3) Completed Ministerial Training Course (MTC) in 1988.
(4) Graduated from Spicer Memorial College in Pune, India with B.A in Religious History (Major) and Religious Philosophy (Minor) in 1993.
(5) Graduated from Spicer Memorial College in Pune, India with M.A in Education from Andrews University, U.S.A.
9. Occupation: (1) Teacher of Central Myanmar Adventist Seminary from 1999 to 2002 (in Tarbyay, Toungoo)
(2) Registra of CMAS from 2002-2003 (in Tarbyay, Toungoo)
(3) Principal of CMAS from 2003-2007 (in Tarbyay, Toungoo)
(4) President of Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary from 2007-2011 (in MyaungMya)
(5) Principal of CMAS from 2011-2015 (in Tarbyay, Toungoo)
(6) President of Central Myanmar Mission from 2015-2021 in Toungoo
10. Ordained as a Pastor in 2011 at Kalay during the Union Wide Convention.