.

"WISDOM IS TRUE LIFE, WEALTH AND HONOR, PROVERBS 3:13-20."

(2004 - 2024)

   Kingdom Educational Mission (KEM) provides educational support for students from war-torn regions of Burma, particularly Kachin and other ethnic regions, after six decades of civil war. It is a partnership mission of the Kingdom Mission Society (KMS), Kachin Baptist Churches, Kuki Churches of Manipur, Baptist Churches of Nagaland, Singhpo Baptist Community, and the Churches of Assam and Arunachal. KEM is rooted in Christian and democratic principles and seeks to instill in every student faith in the Bible, Christian ethics, spiritual maturity, and a spirit of leadership. Although Christianity has been used historically to justify imperialism, this corrupts the teachings of Jesus who himself struggled against unjust powers. Thus, KEM maintains that promoting education and democracy serves the Kingdom of God. Without educated citizens, a peaceful democracy cannot flourish. KEM strives to educate young Christians citizens who will help bring about and participate in a democratic Burma. KEM welcomes all students regardless of denomination or ethnicity. It is funded by donations and student fees, with scholarships available for poorer students, and provides access to primary through higher education in Burma and neighboring countries. KEM emerged out of the Kachin Baptist Churches and resurrects a mission school tradition that flourished from the late nineteenth century until 1962 when the mission schools were outlawed. The Kachin, Shan, and Kayah ethnic regions have been particularly damaged by Burma's ongoing warfare. Burmese troops have targeted Kachin churches and about 40,000 students have had even a basic education disrupted. During the past decades, English language and ethnic language educational systems were dismantled in favor of a Buddhist-Burmese curriculum that functioned as "local colonialism" for religious and ethnic minorities. KEM seeks to resurrect both the Union of Burma's original 1948 democratic vision, and the Christian education system that previously served religious and ethnic minorities.