(AUTOBIOGRAPHY)
(1979 – Present 15th October 2021)
Early Life
The name, Hay Sha Ya was given by his parents. He received the name Isaiah Hai when he attended Adventist school at grade 9th in 1979. Actually, the two names are the same Bible names, one is Myanmar and the other is English. He preferred Isaiah Hai.
Isiah Hai was born on November 12th, 1960 at Nam Hpan Leu village, Payan Township in North-east Myanmar, near Myanmar-China boarder. His parents were U Kyar Hai and Daw Nar La from La Hu native tribe of Myanmar. The main occupation of his parents was agriculture. They cultivated rice, corn and vegetables for food. For income they used grow opium. In 1968 there was civil war broke out that area between Myanmar government and the Communist party army. Therefore, all his villagers ran for their lives and moved to Na Ma village, Lashio Township in Northern Shan State. His grand-parents were spirit worshipers but his parents became La Hu Baptist members before he was born. His father dedicated him to be God’s minister when he was born by a Baptist Pastor.
Education
He attended Na Ma village school in 1968 to 1972 for his elementary education. He continued his middle education at Thadaunggyi No. (I) State High School in Kayin State in 1974 to 1977. For Grade 8 and 9 he attended at No. (5) State High School, Toungoo, Pago Division in 1997. He got baptized at Kyauktaing Adventist church on April 15, 1979. He joined Central Myanmar Adventist Seminary at Thapyit village, Toungoo Township, Pago Division in 1979. After Grade-10, he attended at Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary in Myaungmya, Ayeyarwady Division. He graduated at MUAS in December 1985 with MTC diploma. In 1990, after five years of service in UMM ministries, he joined the Spicer Memorial College for further studies and received BLA, Bachelor degree in Religion on March 31, 1993. He returned to Myanmar and rejoined the mission work as a volunteer pastor at Hpakant Adventist Church in 1994 and full- time pastor in 1995. At that same year, he attended the distance learning program (DLC) for his master degree, given by AIIAS, Philippines. He got Master of Education from that University in October 2003.
Marriage and family
He got marriage with Miss Hkawng Nyoi, a lay member of Tatkone Adventist Church on June 4th 1996 at her church by Pastor Sonny Htein, the Kachin District Pastor. God blessed his family with two daughters and two sons: 1. Ma Jar Nan Aung, born on March 30, 1997; 2. Ma Jar Lu Aung, born on September 15, 1998; 3. Mg Victor Isaiah, born on May 24, 2001 and 4. Mg William Isaiah born on February 28, 2008. He strongly believes in Adventist education. His two daughters have graduated from MUAS, his elder son is studying at MUAS for his first year college and the youngest son is studying in Grade-7 at CMAS.
Career/Ministries
As soon as he was graduated from MUAS, he entered into God’s ministries in 1986 as the church pastor of Mandalay Adventist Church. During those four years, he felt that he needs a higher education for the effectiveness of ministries. So, in 1990, he went to Spicer Memorial College, in India for his further studies. After his graduation on March 1993, he returned back to Myanmar and worked as a manager in a lay member’s photo shop for a year and at the same time he voluntarily looked after Hpakant Church because there was no pastor. In 1994, he reentered into God’ ministries as the bonus church pastor at Hpakank Adventist Church, Kachin State. He was re-regularized in 1995. After two years in 1996, he was transferred to Wuyan Adventist Seminary to serve as the school principal. Again, in 1999. he was transferred to Mankhring Adventist Seminary as the high school principal. Again, in the year 2000, he was transferred to his native place, Na Ma village, Lashio Township in Northern Shan State as the church pastor. He was ordained to the ministry in 2002 when he was living at Na Ma village. In 2003 he was moved to Lashio City to serve as the church pastor and district pastor. Again in 2006, he was moved to Mandalay to serve as the church pastor and the district pastor. During the MYUM LEAD Conference in 2007, the Union president, Pastor Muller Kyaw made a great challenge to go to the frontline mission work. His heart was so impressed to accept the challenge to oversee the frontline missionary work to the East Shan State. So, he accepted and moved to Monghsat Town in April, 2007 to look Monghsat church and to mentor the Eastern Shan State mission works. He worked there for eight years and by the grace of God three cities mission stations (Tarchileik, Monghpyerk and Kyaingtong) and three villages small churches (Nan Leh, Saw Hawk and Ho-Hoek) were established during those eight years.
In 2013, he was called to take the responsibilities of stewardship ministries and communication departments at the Central Myanmar Mission headquarter in Toungoo. In 2015, he was reelected as mission director for communication and health departments. At that same year, he was elected as a GC delegate for five years by MYUM and approved by SSD to represent the frontline pastors. He had attended five GC Annual Councils from 2015-2019. During those five years he prayed and tried to raise funds for Kyaingtong mission land, mission house and a brand-new church. he also supervises three mission projects: they are ASAP (Advocates for Southeast Asians and the Persecuted), VIA (Volunteer In Action) and IV (Ivan Lust) projects. There are about 50 workers supported by these projects within our mission. These supporting ministries have a great impact for the growth of our mission work.
Contribution to the Mission
As director of the mission, he communicates and works with the nine district pastors of Central Myanmar Mission to enter new places and to plant and build new churches by the supports of the above-mentioned projects and other individual donors. The results were as follow: Kyauk Htut new house-church, Pyone church and house in Mindat district; Lo Pu mission house and chapel, Nankit church, Konethar house-church and Thayar house-church in Kayan State; Kharnar house-church in Southern Shan State; Kyaingtong mission land, mission house and a brand new church, Minehsat new church, Canaan school church, Sawhawk chapel and Nan Leh chapel in East Shan State; Pannyosan house-church, Naypyitaw house-church and Tittaw church in Magway Region were established.
Moreover, AWR studio was renovated by the donation and started to record four languages during his services as the mission communication director. Working with local pastors and project workers, he leaded so many health-evangelistic programs both in cities and villages and reaped hundred new souls and new churches were planted within the Central Myanmar Mission.
He also tried to find sponsorship for so many poor students from Kayan state and Shan state to have their dreams come true. Some students from Central Myanmar Adventist school have already graduated and serving the Lord in various areas of mission. Because of our mission’s financial crisis, the Canaan Missionary School in Minehsat district was supposed to close or discontinued in 2015. He was so sad for it. So, he prayed and applied school project application to ASAP organization. By God’s grace ASAP accepted his application and started supporting the Canaan School since 2016 until now in 2021.
He is the first La Hu Adventist graduate and minister in Myanmar. He thanks God that He chose and used him in His ministries. He has a great burden to share the Three Angels’ messages to his relatives and his own native people. He used to hold evangelistic meetings and Bible studies among them. By God’s grace, during Covid-19, he was able to create a Facebook account (La Hu Adventist Media) and share the Adventist Health Messages and the Everlasting Gospel to La Hu people around the world. His son, Victor Isaiah helps him to carry out this media ministries. He saw more than two thousand followers, so many likes and shares in these ministries. He hopes thousands of people could hear Adventist messages through this ministry. He is so happy to be part of God’s family and to be a servant in His vineyard. He has decided to serve Him as long as he lives.
Pastor Isaiah Hai
Director of Communication and Health Departments
Projects Co-ordinator
Central Myanmar Mission
Toungoo