Started by Divine Appointment

The strong burden for Burma comes from our founder, who himself, is half Anglo-Burmese.

The first major contact of COC Thailand took place in 1991.  Through a divine mandate and calling, Jonathan Vickers was led into the country and made connections with key national leadership there.  In his first foray, he was able to preach the Gospel to 250 key military leaders and saw the miracle working power of God touch many children who had been injured while fleeing from war.

After a divine appointment with a key national leader, Pastor Jonathan asked this leader why he felt they should work together. The leader said, “Oh, I know it” and began to tell an amazing story that became the beginning of the ongoing partnership between this group and COC Thailand.

As the story goes, the leader told Pastor Jonathan how two weeks before his arrival in the country he and his intercessors were praying and one of them went into a vision.  In the vision, the Lord showed her a man who looked like a cowboy.  He wore a stetson hat, riding boots, and had a long droopy mustache.  And the Holy Spirit told them, “This man will come in two weeks and you are to work with him for a move of God across the nation.  And his name will be Jonathan Vickers.”  ”So, you see pastor, God even gave us your name,” said the leader.  At this time, this description also exactly fit the look and profile of Jonathan.

Pastor Jonathan relates that he felt both humbled and terrified at the same time.  He is still very much humbled by it.  That leader has since been removed from the country because of the threat on his life but the move of God continues.

True Growth Among the Burmese

The movement started with 27 churches and now there are well over 250 churches in the network today under several key leaders within three different movements.

2,800 orphans are being cared for in 32 children’s homes.  There are homes for widows and the elderly as well as medical outreaches/ministries being run by Burmese nationals.

COC Thailand sends key leaders in on regular basis for the purpose of training leaders in agriculture, medical, business, strategy, and in the Gospel.