When You Need Something More
GCA Myanmar
Shared June 2026
When GCA Myanmar first met Daw Thin Thin Myat, we could tell she needed something more than tangible support. She needed a supportive community; one that would hold her up while she made her way through a season of hardship and consistently showed up for her in her darkest hours. Ultimately, Daw Thin Thin Myat needed a relationship with someone greater than GCA; but thankfully, GCA knows exactly how to connect her with that relationship, one that is available to all of us.
But we should start at the beginning- the moment life became too heavy for Daw Thin Thin Myat to bear on her own.
Daw Thin Thin Myat was married with two young daughters. Her beloved husband, U Myo Min Oo had recently died in a tragic manner. At only 35 years old, he was summoned to the local authority in Myanmar, forced to confess to being a rebel to the government, and upon his denial, was beaten so severely that he was hospitalized and later died from his injuries.
After that unimaginable loss, life became increasingly difficult for 27 year old Daw Thin Thin Myat and her two girls, Ma Myo Thin Myat and Ma Su Tin Zar Phyo. Thankfully, she found a house to rent and the kind landlord waived the rental fee for a time. Daw Thin Thin Myat was able to enroll her children in school and she did odd jobs whenever she had time. She began working with some regularity doing household tasks for a local family.
Things were not dire for Daw Thin Thin Myat’s family, but they were far from thriving. This is when GCA’s Myanmar team met her for the first time. We began regularly visiting Daw Thin Thim Myat’s and her daughters and have come to understand their situation more intimately.
Picking up the pieces after tragedy…
When U Myo Min Oo was alive, Daw Thin Thin Myat did not have to work; she was a caregiver to their daughters and lacked workforce skills. After U Myo Min Oo’s passing, she struggled with daily survival skills and even though help was offered from family members or others in the community, Daw Thin Thin Myat had difficulty accepting help while in her grief.
Then came illness. Daw Thin Thin Myat and her younger daughter both contracted Tuberculosis which further prevented her from finding stable employment. She became very depressed and even contemplated taking her own life to be free from the daily burdens and struggles she could not escape.
GCA was there for her and her daughters emotionally, consistently providing counseling and support.
We also began assisting with the family’s material needs like food and clothing. Daw Thin Thin Myat began to attend GCA’s trainings on parenting, financial management, time management, attachment building, trauma, and brian development. Through all of this time, GCA teams prayed with her and for her.
This is when her worldview began to shift.
Daw Thin Thin Myat expressed an interest in learning about God! The Myanmar team shared the Gospel with her and had many conversations about her life and at the right moment, introduced God's story and shared His desire for her. You can imagine the transformation!
Now, after about a year of consistent support, Daw Thin Thin Myat is showing incredible improvement! Both she and her younger daughter have now fully recovered from TB, and Daw Thin Thin Myat has resumed working regularly and successfully. GCA no longer provides material support for her family because she is standing on her own, empowered to work and care for her children without tangible assistance. GCA continues to visit Daw Thin Thin and monitors her progress.
During a recent visit, she shared that she feels she has grown a lot! She articulated that she once had a dependent mindset, believing that only through outside help could her family survive. Now, she says her mindset has shifted, and she proudly shared that she was able to purchase a small clothing wardrobe with her own earnings, bringing her great joy and pride. She also expressed her intention to continue working diligently to meet her and her daughters' needs independently.
GCA shares her joy and we are profoundly proud of her progress. We commit to continue to encourage her toward even greater growth and will keep visiting and checking in on Daw Thin Thin Myat and her sweet family.
Will you join us by giving to ensure we can continue to commit to keep families together?