Originally Published in the Lutheran Agency for Missions to Burmese newsletter: lamb-fw.org

Written by Laura Burger

Soe Moe is a 23-year-old man from a family that is Karen, one of the ethnic groups of Burma (Myanmar.) Like so many other families, his was forced to flee their home country because of civil war. When he was three, the Burmese military invaded and set fire to the camp where his family was staying. Fleeing into the jungle with only the clothes they were wearing, they stayed there for a few weeks with little to eat or drink.

His family eventually encountered some Thai soldiers in the jungle, who took them to a camp where other Karen people lived. After a while there, the United Nations moved them to a new refugee camp in Thailand, where they were grateful that they no longer had to run from soldiers or hear regular gunfire. Soe remembers that the camp was beautiful, surrounded by mountains and rivers, his family was all together, and he made many friends. His grandfather built a church in the camp, and many people gathered regularly for Christian worship.

After several years of living in that camp, the United Nations wanted to give them a chance to have a better life elsewhere. Even though it would be difficult to start over in a new country, his family continued to trust that God would always be with them. When they arrived at the Allentown Airport in Pennsylvania, they were welcomed by a smiling sponsor and caring caseworker. They stayed with their generous host family for a week until moving into their own apartment and truly starting their new lives in America.

Soe and his family lived in Allentown for a year until his dad reconnected with his brother in 2009 and both families moved to Fort Wayne, where many other Burmese families were already living. His sister and her husband were the first in the family to become citizens. Later Soe, his mom, dad and brother also passed the exam and took the citizenship oath. They are profoundly grateful to be free and safe in the United States. Soe is humbled by what older family members endured so that he, and others his age, can have a better life.

He is also grateful to Fort Wayne for welcoming so many immigrants into this community. Pastor James Keller and people from New Life Lutheran Church have been working with refugees for more than two decades and, in 2008, Southwest Lutheran Church and Pastor David Maki formed the Karen Christian Fellowship. Soe became an active participant at both Southwest and the Karen fellowship, and was baptized as a young teenager.   

Soe attended North Side High School where he played soccer and football. He started attending Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Young Life, formed a Bible study for young men called “Keepers of the Flame”, and received the school’s prestigious Charles M. Hinton Award. He planned to join the military, thinking that was the only course of action available to him.

Then “Chief” got a job working in the kitchen at Camp Lutherhaven in the summer of 2016. Soe shared his testimony with many people, and his story touched lives. After working with the children during All Nations Outreach week, he realized how important it is for young people to hear about Jesus. In 2017, he was a counselor at Lutherhaven, and the Spirit continued to move in his heart that his calling was to minister to others, especially young people. 

Pastor Joe Ferry at Southwest Lutheran Church knew of a unique distance education program called the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology (EIIT), through Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis. It is a specialized curriculum of preparation for men who want to serve as pastors in immigrant and ethnic minority communities in North America. For men already serving in this capacity, EIIT is a course of study that builds on their present service and prepares them for ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod  (LCMS.) Ferry made the recommendation and Soe was accepted into the program.

Soe began his studies in the fall of 2018 and is now immersed in his second year of seminary coursework. He is a vicar, more often called “student pastor”, at Southwest Lutheran, where he leads the 412 Club youth ministry. He also assists Pastor Jim Keller, works part time as a medical translator, and plays in a Karen Christian band called Never Enough. Soe loves to spend time in nature, especially hunting, fishing and camping.

When he was a boy of nine or ten, Soe wondered what he would be doing when he got older. Would he have a better life someday beyond the refugee camp? He will tell you that the life he has now is more than a dream come true. Soe is a very active young man who shares the love of Jesus and ministers wherever he goes.

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