(AUTOBIOGRAPHY)
(1956 – May 2021)
Early Life
Suak Khaw Ngin was born on May 1, 1956, at Buanman village, Tedim Township, Chin State, Myanmar,1 to Suang Khaw Thang and Hen Cing. He was the eldest among the five children of his parents. His father was the first blind man in Chin Hills who can read braille in English; and also a devoted and dutiful Adventist. He had given high regards to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the Spirit of Prophecy of Ellen G White in all circumstances. He was the founder of Seventh-day Adventist Reform Movements in Myanmar. Suak Khaw Ngin had four siblings: Ngo Khaw Nang (June 26, 1958), Vung Za Niang (1962), Mang Pum (January 11, 1963), and Mang Sing (1969).
Education and Marriage
In 1963-64, Suak Khaw Ngin attended Kindergarten at Thuklai State High School, Chin State. In 1964, he was transferred to Seventh-day Adventist Middle School at Gyothonbin ywa, Kalay Township and passed grade 1 and two in 1964-66. On 5 April 1966, the Myanmar Revolutionary Government led by General Ne Win nationalized the Gyothobin Seventh-day Adventist Middle school, and then he transferred to Senam Primary School, Tonzang Township for studying grade four in 1965-66. After passing grade four, he transferred again to Thuklai State High School and attended grade 5-9 in 1967 – 1973.
He was baptized in April 1972 by Pastor Pe Yee, president of Upper Myanmar Mission of Seventh-day Adventists. When he was in government school, he faced many difficulties such as Sabbath problems and lack of financial support. Kenneth Suanzanang, pastor of Siyin Valley Adventist Church told him that the church opened a school in Myaungmya. So, he Vum Za Dal of Khuasak and gave one hundred Kyats for travel expenses. With his help, he came to Burma Union Bible Seminary, Myaungmya, Ayeyarwaddy Region and passed the Division School Leaving Certificate (DSLC), equivalent to matriculation, conducted by Southern Asia Division Education Department, Poona, India in 1974-75. The following year 1975 – 78, he joined the ministerial training class of Burma Union Bible Seminary and received the Ministerial Training Certificate in 1978. As his parents were just menial laborers, they could not support his education. However, he happened to complete his ministerial training with the help of Seventh-day Adventist Church. All the days in the Seminary, he received two thousand kyats only from relatives. He was to work to get his boarding fees and tuition fees.
While serving as principal of Tuingo Adventist Seminary, he studied at the Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary and received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion degree in 1991 -1995. The next year, he joined the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Manila, Philippines, majoring in Curriculum and Instruction & Educational Administration and received his Master of Arts in Education in 2003.
When Suak Khaw Ngin married Pau Za Dim, the seventh daughter of Pau Khaw Thang and Ciin Khaw Man of Thuklai on June 17, 1984, the Holy Matrimony was conducted by Pastor Lalhlunna according to the rules and regulation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She was born on October 20, 1964. She was very simple, kind, loving and gentle in nurturing and caring for her family and also all the people who were dealing with her. She was selfless, and had no pride and pomp in matured things. She never sought her own benefits but sacrificed herself only for the benefit of others. Suak Khaw Ngin and Pau Za Dim had a son and three daughters: Thang Thawn Khai (23-6-1989), Cing Thaw Ciang (5-1-1991), Man Dik (20-9-1998), and Thang Mun Huai (2-11-1999). They had a grand-daughter Cingsan Kuntong, and a grand-son Liankhual Kuntong of Cing Thaw Ciang and Dal Mung, Maryland, Washington DC, United States of America.
Career and Ministry
Suak Khaw Ngin began his denominational service on April 4, 1978, just after finishing studies at the seminary. He was assigned to Kaptel village, Tedim Township, Northern Chin State as an evangelist. The following year he was transferred to Kinsaung Press, Yangon as a Compositor for 1979-1983. He was called back by the Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary in 1984 – 1990 for teaching. He was appointed as a Principal of Tuingo Adventist Seminary in 1991 – 1994. When Robert Van Tum, a registrar for Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary suddenly passed away in 1994, he was called back to the Seminary as a registrar for 1994 – 1996. During 1997 – 1999, he was the principal for Anderson Adventist Seminary in Tedim, Northern Chin State. In 1999-2000, he was the principal for Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary.2
Because of some unexpected reasons, he was deposed and sent to Hiang Zing, Tedim Township, Chin State as an evangelist for one year 2000 – 2001. In 2002, he was elected as a director for education for Upper Myanmar Mission (2002 – 2005).3 During that time, he was ordained for the gospel ministry on April 6, 2002.
In 2006, he was elected as director for education of Myanmar Union Mission for five years (2006 – 2010)4. From 2011 to 2015, he was appointed as Vice-president for Academic Affairs of Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary; a college church pastor and chaplaincy for 2016 -2017; and associate professor of education for 2018 – May 2021.5
Later Life
Suak Khaw Ngin served the Seventh-day Adventist Church community for forty-two years and two months. He retired from the church organization on June 1, 20216 and settled in Yuzana Garden City, Yangon.
Legacy (blue).
He had to live a disciplined life under his parent’s control and he regarded it as being very strict. He had served the Lord with heart and soul. With all-out effort he had labored in the ministry of the Lord. As he had dedicated his life and service for Christ and Church, what he had done were mostly for Christ, church and younger generations.
When he was a principal of Anderson Adventist Seminary, he built a two-storey residential building for teachers. At the same time, he was asked to lead the rebuilding of Lezang Adventist Church, Tedim Township. He led the building of a 120 feet long two-storey administration building at Upper Myanmar Adventist Seminary, Gyothonbin-Siyinywa, Kalaymyo. In 1990, Pastors Langh Sawm Mang and Suak Khaw Ngin printed out two Ellen G White’s books: Steps to Christ and Counsels for the Church, vol. 1, in Zomi dialect at Kinsaung Press, Yangon.7
When he was a director of education for Myanmar Union Mission, he sent thirteen students to Asia Pacific International University (APIU), Bangkok, Thailand for undergraduate programs. When he was in the Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary, he led the installation of a new transformer in the campus. In 2017, Suak Khaw Ngin was chosen as the Country-Coordinator for Encyclopedia Seventh-day Adventist (ESDA) by the committee of Myanmar Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists. He himself had written several articles for ESDA such as “Biography of U Maung Maung8, Heber Herbert Votaw (1881-1962)9, History of Yangon Adventist Mission, Yangon Seventh-day Adventist Hospital, and Myanmar Union Mission.”10
(Endnotes)
1 Service Record, Archived in the Office of Myanmar Union Mission Office.
2 UMM – 1999-031, Minute of the Upper Myanmar Mission.
3 UMM – 2001 – 030, (January 2002), Minute of the Upper Myanmar Mission.
4 Service Record, Archived in the Office of Myanmar Union Mission Office.
5 Ibid
. 6 MYUM – 2021-038, (Mar 15, 2021), Minute of Myanmar Union Mission.
7 Do Hen Pau, “Langh Sawm Mang,” ESDA articles
8 https://www.adventistreview.org/a-member-of-burmese-royalty
9 https://www.adventistreview.org/%E2%80%8heber-herbert-votaw-missionary
10 https://encyclopedia. adventist.org