When International Ministries (IM) leaders and American Baptist pastors from around the U.S. traveled to Myanmar in late 2013 for the huge celebration of the 200th anniversary of Adoniram and Ann Judson's groundbreaking trip to the country (then known as Burma) in 1813, they needed a tour guide. One name rose quickly to the top of the list: Rachael Htwe Htwe Hla.

IM had worked with previously with Rachael, a Christian businesswoman, tour guide and teacher in Myanmar. Rachael was chosen to be the tour guide, but for several group members, she became so much more. Read two of their stories below.

Contents
"A Witness for Christ" by Stan Murray
"An Inspiration and a Friend" by Angela Sudermann

A Witness for Christ
By Stan Murray

Rachael Htwa Htwe Hla is a remarkable woman—a vibrant Christian with a warm, inviting spirit. I first met Rachael at her Baptist church, Vinton Memorial Chapel, in Yangon, Myanmar (formerly Burma). She was there to meet me, Reid Trulson and 11 pastors from the Rocky Mountain and Nebraska Regions who were traveling in Myanmar. Each of these pastors had some connection with Myanmar, most having refugee congregations in their churches here in the U.S.

Rachael was there not only to introduce us to her historical church but also to take us on a tour of Yangon. She did so with an eye for demonstrating the influence that Adoniram and Ann Judson (the first missionaries from American Baptist International Ministries) had in bringing the gospel to this Buddhist nation. With great exuberance and a strong sense of humor, Rachael took us all over the city, talking about the Judsons as if they were her own family.

During that experience, I learned that Rachael owned a Christian tour company. She told me that she would be pleased to assist the many guests coming from overseas to witness the great 200th anniversary celebration of the Judsons arriving in Yangon in 1813. A friendship was struck, contacts exchanged.

An Inspiration and a Friend
By Angela Sudermann

The first thing you notice about Rachael is her giggle. Though she is of medium height and wears traditional Karen dress, you can still pick her out of a crowd. Her happy personality, ready laugh and sparkling dark eyes are endearing. What makes her a remarkable travel agent and tour guide is her passion for her country, her people and her faith.

Rachael was working in the hospitality business 20 years ago when a Baptist pastor, after returning to the U.S. from Myanmar, wrote her and told her that he had never seen a Baptist church while he was in Yangon. Rather horrified at this, as there were several prominent Baptist churches in Yangon, Rachael decided to offer travel tours that specialized in Baptist heritage.

Stan Murray and Rachael met in 2011 when Stan was leading the Nebraska and Rocky Mountain Region pastors on a study tour in Myanmar. This opened the door to a deeper relationship between Rachael and American Baptists around the country.

As International Ministries began planning the 200th anniversary trip to Myanmar for December 2013, Stan strongly recommended that Rachael plan the Judson history part of the tour. Stan Slade, teaching in Myanmar in 2012, met Rachael and returned with a video of this delightful woman encouraging us to "come to Myanmar!"

The next 18 months of working with Rachael to plan and organize this celebration tour were pure delight as she served with traditional Myanmar hospitality and efficiency. As the time grew closer to departure, she also became involved in several other aspects of ABC life, including taking care of arrangements for travelers attending the Karen Centennial celebration and the American Baptist Women Ministries activities. Upon arrival in Myanmar, we learned that she had recruited a young Kachin woman, Ah Pon, to assist her, as well as others. These young women were such a blessing to our groups, as they lifted some of the burden from Rachael and allowed us to see Myanmar through different perspectives!

As we got to know Rachael more, we learned that she had attended the 2013 Certificate Course in Social Entrepreneurship that Ann and Bruce Borquist had offered at the invitation of the Myanmar Baptist Convention. Through this class, Rachael was convicted that she should begin a small business to educate workers for the hospitality field. As Rachael sees the growth of tourism in Myanmar, she also sees the need for employees in the hospitality fields to excel in relating to Westerners.

It was fun to watch Rachael as we traveled through Myanmar. At each stop, the proprietors knew and respected her. At each place, Rachael always took an opportunity to encourage the employees with praise and suggestions for how to improve service for foreigners, always with good humor and grace. Although she seeks to begin training classes, it was clear that she is already raising the next generation of hospitality workers to new levels.

I miss Rachael. I can hear her laugh, her conspiratorial giggle as we share a secret tour leader joke. I learned a lot from her as we traveled together for two weeks. She is a role model for me as I observed her calmness under pressure, her grace when we were not at our best and her flexibility when cultures and time schedules bumped into each other. I thank God for the blessing of Rachael Htwe Htwe Hla and know that she will be in the hearts of all who come under her care for years to come.

Read more in the On|Location Spring 2014 Annual Report.