(AUTOBIOGRAPHY)
( 1963 – Present 15th October 2021)
Early Life
Pastor Morris Chit was born on November 7, 1963 in Adventist Mission hospital, in Yangon. His parents were Saya U Shwe Chit and Daw Aye Tin. His father is from Min Zee village, Hpa-an township, Kayin state and her mother is from Hteelernel village near Mah Eh village, Hlaingbwe township, Kaying state. Though his parents were from Buddhist family background, his father, U Shwe Chit was converted to Adventism by attending Ohn Daw Adventist School and MeikHteelar Adventist School. They were a big family having 9 children. As a baby child, Morris Chit grew up in Yangon for 2 years and he spent his childhood in Hpa-an as his father moved there after he resigned from his work as a compounder at Yangon Adventist Hospital which was nationalized by the Myanmar Military government. He was baptized in 1974, by Pastor Elijah Bwint in Hpa-an church.
Education and Service
Morris Chit lived in Hpa-an up to 1978 and began his schooling from KG to grade 8 in the No. 2. Basic Education High School there in the capital city of Kayin state. The school he attended was once a Seventh-day Adventist middle school which was nationalized by the Myanmar Military government in 1964. He was talented in drawing, painting, writing essay in the middle school and he received many distinguish awards from the school.
In 1978-79 school year, he went to the Belugyune Adventist Bible School. Pastor Aung Sein was the principal and Pastor Wiseley Kyu was the head master. Sayama Daw Ruth Kyu, Sayama Daw Apsel and Sayama Daw Nan Lin Myaing were teachers in the school. Students came from Yangon division, Dawei circle, Ohn Daw circle, Mawlamyine circle, Hpa-an circle, and Donyin circle for their education in Belugyune Bible School.
In 1979-80 school year, he went to Mountain View Adventist School, located in Tarbyay, Thandaung township, Kayin state. It was the first time going to Yangon, Taungoo by train. For 2 years in Mountain View Adventist School, he studied for grade 9 and grade 10, (DHSC) Division High School Certificate. By the time, Pastor Moses Po was school principal, and teachers and staff were Sayama Daw Reeni Po, Pastor Herbert Sein, Sayama Pricilla Sein, Saya U Ye Ko, Sayama Daw Than Myaing, Pastor Thang Kuma, Sayama Naw Salome Tin, Sayama Naw Junie, Sayama Naw Cherry Chit, and Pastor Aung Shein. During these years, His father was suffering from terminal sickness and was on sick bed. The family had financial problem and he had to stay in school and work during summer holidays. He and his friends, Saya Thein Lwin (Bon), Saya Tha Htoo (from Kayah), and Saw Sa Mok Tha (from Hpa Doe church) dug a big well near the paddy field for water supply in the campus.
In 1981, he attended in Myaungmya Bible Seminary for (DCEC) Division College Eligible Certificate and continued the Ministerial Training Course (MTC). He graduated for Ministerial Training Course (MTC) in December, 1985. Before he was employed in the ministerial filed, as a requirement of the MTC, he went out as a Literature Evangelist (LE) for 2 summers, 1983 and 1984, in Hpa-an and Dawei district.
In 1986, he was called to serve as a church pastor in Hteepadoe church in Dawei circle. He served for 3 years as an evangelist and church pastor. He was very active in church work and leading young people in the church. He could extend a house church in Longminpa village that is far from 45 minute walk from Hteepadoe village. He led and worked together with the church members and young people to have a cashew nut plantation for the local church.
In 1989, he was called to serve as a school teacher in Ohn Daw Bible School when Pastor Aung Sein was the school principal.
In 1990, he took a study leave and went to Spicer Memorial College for further study to prepare himself to serve better for God. He studied Religious Philosophy major and Religious History minor from 1990 to 1994. He graduated from Spicer Memorial College in March 1994 and came back to Myanmar in March the same year.
In 1994 June, he was called to serve as a school teacher in Ohn Daw Bible School. In 1996, the school was moved to Hpa-an due to the complicated political-religious situation and conflict between various ethnic armed groups in Ohn Daw district, Kayin state. He served as a registrar of Hpa-an Bible School.
In 1996, supported by the South East Seventh-day Adventist Mission, arranged by the Department of Education of the Myanmar Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists (MYUM), he was privileged to study Master of Arts in Education through distance learning center, in Yangon. No sooner had he finished his MA Ed program in 1999, he was sent by the Myanmar Union Mission Executive Committee to study (EdS) Education Specialist program in the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), in Philippines. In October 2001, he finished Education Specialist program. He came back to Myanmar Union Mission and he was called to serve as an instructor in Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary (MUAS). In 2002 he was promoted as an assistance professor in the education department of MUAS. He was appointed as a worker education program director, spiritual development language seminar coordinator, and public relations director in MUAS.
Family Life
He found his other half while he was serving as assistant professor in MUAS. His later to be spouse was Naw Kaw Ray Paw, the eldest daughter of U Saw Say Ray and Daw Saw Tin, from Kamamaung village.
Their matrimonial ceremony was solemnized by Pr Yan Aye in the Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary in life married to in March 24, 2003. His marriage life has been blessed with 3 sons and 1 daughter. They are Andrew Chit, Samuel Chit, Grace Chit, and Samuel Chit.
His Contribution/ Legacy
He was promoted as an associate professor in the education department in 2005. He was appointed the director of Public Relations and Human Resources Manager In 2006.
In 2007, he was promoted as the Vice President for Public Relations and Human Resources Management in MUAS. In 2009 July, he was reshuffled to be a Vice President for the Students’ Administration. In that position, he organized work education program, spiritual development language seminars, and English communication skills classes.
In 2010, he was called to serve as a secondary school principal in the South East Myanmar Adventist Seminary. He introduced a computer learning program with 20 desktop computers for high school students. He also promoted English communication skills for students and teachers in the school.
In 2011, he was elected to serve as an executive secretary of the South East Myanmar Mission from 2011 to 2015. He accomplished visiting all churches in the territories which include Hpa-an circle, Kamamaung circle, Dawei circle, Myawaddy circle, and Donyin circle. He promoted and supported in building new churches, new schools in remote villages, and conducting city evangelistic meetings in the big cities and cottage meetings in all local churches. He raised funds from ADRA Myanmar, ADRA UK, ADRA Norway, ADRA Japan for supporting teachers’ stipends, school materials and kits, and new school buildings. In 2016, he was called to serve as a district pastor in Beelin circle, Mon state. In August, 2017, he was invited as a delegate of Myanmar to attend the Myanmar Adventist Convention which was held in Minnesota, United States of America. In 2018, March, he was appointed as a director of education in headquarters of Myanmar Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists. With that capacity, he has been serving until now.
During his tenure, with the help of Education Department of South-East Asia Pacific Division (SSD), the Union wide English Language training program for teachers of all levels was conducted in 2019 summer. He visited for school evaluation in Upper Myanmar Adventist schools in Paanpi, Tahan, Letpanchaung, and Pyinoolwin during the month of November, 2019.
He made AAA accreditation and evaluation visits in Upper Myanmar such schools as Pyidawtha Adventist Seminary (these all grade level schools are called seminaries similar to schools run by Buddhist monks in Myanmar because of political reason), Mankhring Adventist Seminary, Wuyan Adventist Seminary, and Anderson Adventist Seminary during the month of January 2020.
He assisted 102 teachers and church pastor to continue further education studies for Master of Arts in Ministry, Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Education, and Doctor of Ministry programs in 2020 and 2021 through Cohort program from AIIAS with the bursary funds from SSD.
He encouraged the Voice of Youth evangelistic meetings in the secondary school such as Yangon Adventist Seminary, Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary, Mankhrine Adventist Seminary, Wuyan Adventist Seminary, and Ayeyarwaddy Adventist Seminary.
The union and mission wide events and programs were conducted as follows:
In April 26 to 28, 2018, the Union Wide Teachers Convention was conducted by Pastor Claudius Brown, the union education director and the presenter and resource person was Dr King Patot, a Professor from Philippines.
In October 17-19, 2019, the union wide Teachers Convention was conducted in the South East Mission and the resource person and the presenter was Dr Canadaian Panjaitan, Associate Education Director of Southern Asia Pacific Division.
In October 22-24, 2019 the Union Wide School Principals and Administrators Conference was conducted and the presenter and resources person was Dr. Lawrence Domingo, Director of Edu in SSD, Southern Asia Pacific Division.
In October 5-7, 2018, the Upper Myanmar mission wide Teachers Convention was conducted in the Kyothonebin, Kalaymyo and Dr. Canadian Panjanitan, SSD associate education director was the resources person and presenter.
In April and May, 2019, the Union Wide English Proficiency Seminar was conducted by SSD Education Department and Mr. Nitchelson Ray De Guzman, a lecturer from Adventist university in Philippines, was a trainer and presenter.
Myanmar has been in the crisis with the spread of COVID 19 Pandemic and political unrest in 2020 and 2021. The schools have been closed down for two years by the government. However, under the leadership of union education committee, all the Adventist schools in Myanmar are open through online and correspondence programs and some schools are in school campus classroom.
In social activities, he has been serving as the president of the MUAS Alumni Association since 2016. He promoted the development of the MUAS and the yearly alumni homecoming events in MUAS campus and also by ZOOM meeting.