(AUTOBIOGRAPHY)
( 1965 – Present: 15th October 2021)
Early Life
Kap Lian Thang was born on May 1, 1965, at Saimun village, Falam district, Chin state. His parents were U Khuang Bil Thang and Daw Lian Zing, belonging to (Ngawn clan) Falam Chin tribe, a farming family. He has two younger brothers, U Sap Lian Thang, who is a township administration department clerk, and Dr. Do Lian Thang, who works at Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary (MUAS) as assistant professor in the business department. He also has four sisters: Daw Sai Lun Tial, Daw Van Bawi Nei, Daw Biak Hlei Sang, and Daw Thian Khaw Zam, who are in good standing in the Adventist church.
Education
Kap Lian Thang began his education at the Saimun government primary school from kindergarten through fourth standard. He continued his elementary education at Khawdar government middle school from standard five through eight. He transferred to Falam State High School when he finished his elementary education. However, he decided to discontinue his education at the State Government School because make-up classes often fell on Sabbath. He moved to Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary at Gyothonbin in Kalaymyo in 1983. He transferred to Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary at Myaungmya in 1984. After six years, he received a diploma (Ministerial Training Course) in March 1989. He earned his BA in Religion in May 1997. Further studies were completed at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in the Philippines in 1999 where he finished an MMin and MA-Min in 2002.
Ministry and Family Life
Upon graduation, Kap Lian Thang began work at Chanthagyi as church pastor and primary principal in June 1989. In March, 1990, he moved to his home village of Saimun where he married Miss Theu Dim in 1992. He has four children, Miss Lal Suan Mawi, twin sons – Phil Lian Bawi and Thian Bel Thang, and Matthew Philip Morgan. He moved to Teinkaya, Tamu district as church pastor and middle school principal in 1997 and served there two years. He was requested to complete additional studies in 1999. While awaiting the call letter and processing passport documents, he was appointed to care for the Sawbua Yeshin church for four months and the Kyikone church for three months. He left with his family for the Philippines in December 1999. He returned to Myanmar from the Philippines in March 2002, having earned Master of Ministry and Master of Art in Ministry degrees. He served at Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary (UMAS) as registrar for four years. He was later appointed to lead the school as principal in 2006. In 2010, the Union nominating committee elected him as Upper Myanmar Mission secretary. However, he returned the election to the nominating committee, and it was granted. As principal, one of his first challenges was a financial crisis, with a negative working capital. The school rarely survived a year without taking appropriations from the higher organization. Moreover, he was left to finish an uncompleted chapel hall and staff quarters.
These difficult circumstances became an opportunity, leading the staff and students to fast and pray, sometimes through the night in a ‘Marathon Prayer’. One miracle after another enabled the school to become debt free within one year. During an unexpected visit by the Division secretary, it was learned that the Division might provide funds to complete the chapel hall up to $20,000. Immediately a proposal was sent to the Division, which was granted. The building project continued with the funds from the Division and the roofing was finished. Through another miracle, Pr. Shin, a retired pastor among a Korean missionary team from the United States, offered an additional $20,000 to complete the unfinished hall. The building project was completed and dedicated on February 12, 2014, along with the staff quarters, which was completed with the school’s own budget in the same year.
As he received God’s unexpected blessings, further miracles and unforgettable blessings were given. He asked the staff and students to continue fasting and praying for the All-pass Award of the Grade 10 board examination. After four years of prayers, God allowed the school to receive the All-Pass Award in 2015.
On April 19, 2010, a storm destroyed the main building of the school. After earnest prayer, God turned this catastrophe into a blessing. While awaiting the insurance claim, reconstruction was completed through local donations. When the insurance monies arrived, the school was able to purchase a light, multipurpose truck on October 11, 2010. What an unforgettable blessing!
Other blessings followed in 2010. Pr. Kim and his friends came and conducted evangelistic meeting at UMAS. At the end of the meeting, 100 souls were baptized. God opened another opportunity for international friendship with Bogenhofen College in Austria. Dr. Christoph Burger, President of the College, visited UMAS on March 19, 2014. He stayed three days building bridges between the schools. As a result, three students – Christian Lutsh and Deborah from Germany, and Raffael from Romania came to UMAS as part-time volunteer teachers on August 8, 2014. They served UMAS not only by teaching but also by sponsoring needy students, forming the “Arm of Help” and giving a brick-making machine for income generation.
Because God’s grace is sufficient, more blessings continued to flow to UMAS through Mrs. Baek, a Korean lady from the United States. She has visited UMAS every year since 2010. In 2019, she gave $ 90,000 for the physical development of UMAS and $30,000 for church buildings in new places. Later, $20,000 was set aside for a church building and UMAS was able to use $100,000 to build a two-story girls’ dormitory and cafeteria. Mrs. Baek also purchased a truck for UMAS in 2021.
While Kap Lian Thang enjoyed his work at the school, he was sent to the Upper Myanmar Mission headquarters as an officer in May 2015. He was re-elected as president of Upper Myanmar Mission in December 2015. Heavy responsibilities at UMM while facing a court case with on off-shoot conference, led him to pray earnestly every morning and evening at the church. Relief was sought from the plaintiff and the court case was closed, another miracle from God!
In order to understand the needs of the church, Kap Lian Thang visited the churches in the field of Upper Myanmar Mission. When he saw the need for church buildings, he wrote proposals to the Division. Partnering with Division, Union, and the Upper Myanmar Local Mission, the Phulmawi, Aungywa, Minhla, Tuingo, Zonuam, Haikhawl, Pyinkhonkyi, Pyinkhone Lay, Varpui, Saloam, Munpi, Kanan, Teinkaya, Teekzang, Htantapin, Shwelong church buildings were built. With the donation from Mrs. Baek, the New Laibung, Kongkainglone, Lishi, and Aungmay church buildings were established. Besides these, partnering with General Conference, Division and Union, Agape Villa which is a rehabilitation center for addicts was established in 2017 and is situated at Grave Road, Duu Win Chhaung Ywa, Tahan, Kalamyo.
Knowing the nature of the organization, Kap Lian Thang along with his colleagues replicated Integrative Evangelism Lifestyle (IEL) in the Upper Myanmar Mission which was launched by the Southern Asia-Pacific Division in 2015. 157 souls were baptized on November 10, 2018 at Paangpi, Kalaymyo. Pastor Wendell W. Mandolang, Southern Asia-Pacific Division ministerial secretary and Pastor Thang Kaang Lo, Myanmar Union Mission Sabbath School department director and IEL & NDR coordinator honored the harvest. On November 28, 2019, another 160 souls were baptized at the same place. Dr. Abner De los Santos, General Conference Vice President, Dr. Bienvenido G. Mergal, Southern Asia-Pacific Division Vice President, and Pr. Thang Kaang Lo, Myanmar Union Mission Sabbath School department director and IEL & NDR coordinator were present at the Care-group harvest.
Along with his colleagues, Kap Lian Thang made plans to enter new areas with projects in several tribal areas: Valung, Falam district in Chin state, in 2016; New Laibung, Teddim township, Chin state in March 2018; and Kongkainglone, Lishi, in Nagaland in 2018. A church building was provided each place. Htamanti, Nagaland was entered in 2019, and the Lisho people, who live at Aungmay, Moemeik township, Shan state were reached in 2018, with a church building provided in 2020. Moreover, a group of Naga people at Wathan village, Pansaung township in Sagaing Region was reached in 2018. Since they were dislocated from their village, they fled to Tanaing in Kachin state. With donations from around the world in His body, a land was bought and 10 houses were built for their shelter. Furthermore, a group of Shan people, who live at Khemon, Naungcho township was reached in May 2021. An urban evangelism project in Sagaing, a historic city of Myanmar kings, was also begun in 2021, and Monywa, the capital city of the Sagaing Region was entered.
Kap Lian Thang praises God for His faithfulness through every trial and for the many blessings and miracles that have been received throughout his life. He continues to believe in the power of prayer and looks forward with earnest hope to the soon return of our Lord.