She Was Our Lydia

Pastor Khumi Was Called Home to the Lord After a Battle with Malaria, Yet Her Fruit Remains

Some of the most important people in God's Kingdom never become famous. Their names rarely appear in books, and their pictures seldom flash across conference screens. They do not lead large organizations or speak before thousands. Yet heaven knows their names, and eternity bears witness to their faithfulness.

Pastor Khumi was one of those people.

On June 7, 2026, Pastor Khumi entered the presence of Jesus after a courageous battle with malaria. For eight years, she served as a pioneer missionary in the remote villages of Northern Rakhine, one of the most difficult and least-reached regions of Myanmar. As news of her passing spread through our network of pastors and church leaders, a profound sense of loss was met with an outpouring of deep reverence.

A Quiet Heroine of God's Mission

Pastors from across Myanmar immediately began sharing memories and tributes.

“She was a good soldier of Christ.”
“She remained faithful until death.”
“You did not avoid any difficulty that came upon you. You faithfully carried out your work until the very end.”

Reading these messages, I realized they were not simply mourning a pastor. They were mourning a missionary, a disciple-maker, and one of the quiet heroines of God's mission in Southeast Asia.

From Nine Mile Church to the Rakhine Frontier

Pastor Khumi's story did not begin in the remote villages of Rakhine. It began years earlier in a humble bamboo house connected to Nine Mile Church.

There lived a widow named Lin Puii. She was not a pastor, held no official title, and possessed little influence by the world's standards. Yet she loved Jesus deeply and opened her home for prayer, fellowship, discipleship, and mission. Over time, her small bamboo house became a gathering place where new believers grew in faith and future leaders discovered their calling.

At the time, no one could have imagined what God would do through that simple act of obedience.

In Acts 16, Lydia opened her heart and home to the gospel, and a church was born. In Myanmar, Lin Puii became a modern-day Lydia. Her life helped inspire what would later become our Lydia EDC Strategy—the conviction that God often sparks movements through ordinary believers who simply say “yes” to Him.

Among the disciples shaped in that bamboo house was Pastor Khumi. Like her mentor, she was not seeking recognition. She was pursuing Christ. She learned to pray, to serve, and to understand that following Jesus always leads outward—to neighbors, to surrounding communities, and eventually to people who have never heard the gospel.

Sent to the Unreached

As her faith matured, God placed a heavy burden on Khumi's heart for the unreached people of Northern Rakhine. She was trained, empowered, and sent. What began as discipleship blossomed into leadership, and leadership transformed into mission.

Northern Rakhine was an incredibly challenging place to serve. Roads were scarce, meaning many villages could only be reached by boat. Medical care was severely limited, poverty was widespread, and in most communities, there was little or no Christian witness.

Yet Pastor Khumi did not see obstacles. She saw children who needed hope, families who needed Christ, and villages waiting for the gospel.

And so she stayed.

When Faith Began to Bear Fruit

Over the years, that unwavering faith yielded an incredible harvest. Pastor Khumi did not accomplish this work alone—many faithful workers contributed—but she was undeniably one of the key leaders who carried the vision through hardship, political instability, and spiritual opposition.

When the Northern Rakhine pioneer work first began, the ministry was small and fragile. Yet God continued to bless the faithful efforts of local believers, pastors, and missionaries who refused to give up. Reports from the early years showed that five churches had been established, 82 people had been baptized, and 177 new Nazarenes had joined the fellowship. By 2020, the ministry had expanded to seven mission-type churches with 182 members.

The movement continued to grow. Eight local licensed leaders were trained, and four students were sent to Chapman International College for ministry preparation. By 2025, the Rakhine work had grown to twelve churches across the pioneer area. Today, approximately 700 believers worship Christ across the wider Northern Rakhine pioneer ministry.

These numbers are far more than statistics. They represent fathers and mothers who now follow Jesus, children who have learned Bible stories for the first time, young leaders preparing for ministry, families transformed by God's grace, and villages that once had little or no Christian witness but now gather regularly to worship Christ.

Faithful Until Her Final Breath

In early June 2026, Pastor Khumi became ill. At first, she remained in the village where she was serving. The fever was high, but she stayed among the people she loved. Day after day, the fever would not break. For four days she battled the illness as her condition worsened.

Eventually, she became unconscious. Church leaders arranged transportation to Minbya Hospital. Despite every effort, Pastor Khumi never regained consciousness.

On the morning of June 7, 2026, at approximately 8:30 a.m., she entered the presence of the Savior she had faithfully served for so many years.

Romans 15 Was Her Mission; Revelation 22 Is Her Reward

As pastors reflected on Pastor Khumi’s passing, two Scripture passages were shared that beautifully captured the meaning of her life and ministry.

One pastor quoted Romans 15:20:

"It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known."

That verse describes the heart of Pastor Khumi’s calling. She did not choose an easy place to serve. She gave herself to villages where the gospel witness was still small, where churches were few, and where many people had never clearly heard the name of Jesus. Romans 15 was not only a Bible verse for her; it became the direction of her life.

Another pastor quoted Revelation 22:12:

"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me."

That verse now speaks to our hope. Pastor Khumi’s earthly labor has ended, but her service has not been forgotten by the Lord. The prayers she prayed, the rivers she crossed, the villages she visited, the believers she discipled, and the churches she helped establish are not hidden from heaven.

Romans 15 was her mission. Revelation 22 is now her reward.

Today she rests in the presence of Christ. The suffering is over, but the fruit remains as a living testimony of God’s grace.

Bill Kwon