MISSION TO LAOS

Article by Dr. Johannes Maas, publisher of Mission of Mercy Magazine

Dr. Johannes Maas is on a mission to Laos. After founding a new children's
home in Burma in 2013, he will meet with our representative in Laos
during June 2014.
After completing his BA degree in 1958, Maas joined the Wesleyan
Methodist Church, and was later ordained an elder. He served as the
principal and business manager of Allegheny Wesleyan College, a school
affiliated with I the conservative holiness movement. He was a Professor of
Religion at Hobe Sound Bible College from 1961-1963. In 1967, Maas
received a M.Ed. degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and was granted
advanced standing for his Ph.D.
Maas later served as director of the Wesleyan Missionary Council. While on
a world tour for the Council, he spoke at a convention conducted in the
Indian eastern state of Andhra Pradesh. It was in a primitive area near the
Bay of Bengal, where he saw many malnourished children, homeless
widows, and sacrificial pastors and evangelists laboring under great
difficulties with little support. It was there that he received a challenge to
care for these impoverished people.
It was on that tour that Maas visited Burma for the first time. In 1972 the
country was almost completely isolated from the rest of the world. Foreign
visitors were few and unwanted. Outside help for the country was
forbidden by the autocratic regime,
In 1977, with the help of several American Christian business leaders, he
founded Worldwide Faith Missions. This organization has been instrumental
in building 25 Childrens Homes in India. Maas has appeared as a guest on
many television shows, including the700 Club and 100 Huntley Street.
While serving as a co-host of the latter program, he interviewed Dr. Mark
Buntain, founder of Calcutta Compassionate Ministries. Dr. Buntain built the
Mission of Mercy Hospital which cared for many of the dying people from
Mother Teresas ministry. Buntain arranged for Maas to spend a day with
Mother Teresa to discuss their mutual ministries in India. It was during that
day-long visit that Mother Teresa shared her call from God and subsequent
ministry of 50 years to the dying people of Calcutta. She related to him
how God had spoken to her that her ministry would be to help the dying of
Calcutta to die with dignity.
It was on that tour that Maas visited Burma for the first time. In 1972 the
country was almost completely isolated from the rest of the world. Foreign
visitors were few and unwanted. Outside help for the country was
forbidden by the autocratic regime,
Dr. Maas returned to Burma in 2011, at the invitation of a pastor in
Rangoon, Rev. Siang Ban Mang, Mission Director, IGO Mission and Vice-
Principal, GTC.
Dr. Maas recently was quoted as telling a colleague, I have some great
news! I have had a new vision to pioneer in Burma as I did in India about
40 years ago. Burma is even more unevangelized than was India when God
called me there. The democracy movement is just beginning. Two years
ago when I went things were really closed--even the Internet was banned.
Our pastor, Rev. Siang will meet him in Mandalay. Worldwide Faith
Missions is pregressing with plans for a new children's Home in Burma.
The missionary organization is requesting donations which will supply the
funds for the newly-started home with five orphan children.
Maas will fly from the Worldwide Faith Missions International Headquarters
in Chonburi Provence, Thailand, to Udon Thani, where he will travel to the
Makong River Friendship Bridge to cross into Laos..