Inspired to Make a Difference

With President Greenhaw of Eden Theological Seminary

Hau Sian Suan is passionate about eco-justice and the ability of communities to impact climate change. A first year M.T.S. student from Myanmar, Suan hopes to combine his love of church history and his commitment to eco-justice when he returns to his country. Support from Eden's International Scholars Program and from his home congregation, Lawibual Baptist Church, has made it possible for Suan to attend Eden.
Through his involvement in a forum on climate change at his home church in Myanmar, Suan participated in planting 21 trees on the church grounds. This experience made a powerful impression and he vowed to continue the work in whatever ways he could. Subsequently, Suan participated in Youth for Eco-Justice, a program organized by the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation where he continued to learn and became more determined to share his knowledge and enthusiasm. He subsequently began a program called "Awareness Training on Climate Change" to educate young people about the latest technological advances in reducing the use of firewood and coal, thus reducing CO2 emissions.
Suan describes Myanmar as a country where communication is difficult and where the prevailing view is an acceptance of conditions as simply "the way things are". In a community where electricity is only available for limited hours in the day, families heat their homes by burning wood. Significant deforestation has occurred over the years which could be reduced through the use of more efficient wood stoves, resulting in the need for less wood to be cut and burned.
Suan has been inspired by new theological insights and hopes to make an impact on his community by preaching, lecturing, and teaching to illuminate how actions can effect climate change in either positive or negative ways. Suan looks forward to returning to his home community to share what he learns at Eden in his church and in Tedim Theological College where he works as a community educator and librarian. Suan's message to his community is that we are all God's creation and, "We can do something about climate change."