Baw Dee (1904–1974)

By Timothy Muna Paul

Timothy Muna Paul, M.A. in religion (Spicer Memorial College, India), has served as a pastor and administrator since 1983. Currently he is president of Myanmar Union Mission. He is married to Daw Cho Cho David and has a daughter and twin sons.

First Published: January 29, 2020

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Baw Dee, evangelist and church administrator, was born in March 1904 at Kywè Phyu Daung Village, Shwenyaungbin Township, Kayin (formerly Karen) State. Baw Dee had six siblings.¹ He was baptized on January 23, 1924. He completed primary education at his village (Kywè Phyu Daung) and his middle-school level education at Kamamaung High School under Eric B. Hare’s administration. Then, his parents sent him to the Adventist high school in Meiktila for higher education.

Baw Dee completed grade 10 at Meiktila Adventist Technical High School. Baw Dee married Daw Tha Aye Sein from Naungkaraing Village in Karen State on May 18, 1932. They had one son and five daughters, Sandy, Rebecca, Esther, Loretta, Ohmar, and May Paw.²

He served as an evangelist from 1930-1941 in Shwenyaungbin Village, Karen State. Between 1942-1955, he continued serving in the same place for another 14 years.³ He was transferred to Tedim, Chin State, as an evangelist from 1956-1961.⁴ Pastor Baw Dee was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1957.⁵ He was elected as president for Tanintharyi (formerly Tenassarim) Section from 1962-1965.⁶ For the rest of 1965-1966, he served as section president of Central and Upper Myanmar Section in Pyin Oo Lwin (formerly Maymyo).⁷

As Pastor Dee neared retirement age, he was arranged to move to Central Myanmar Mission as a church pastor of Taungngu, and he worked there until 1967. Pastor Baw Dee served the Seventh-day Adventist Church for 38 years and retired in 1968.⁸ He settled down permanently in Taungngu, Bago Region. On January 11, 1974, Pastor Baw Dee died at age 66.⁹

Sources

Burma Union Committee Minutes, 1956 and 1962, Myanmar Union Mission archives, Dagon, Myanmar.

“Baw Dee Workers Service Record.” Retained in the file of Employing Organization, Myanmar Union Mission Archives, Dagon, Myanmar.

Notes

“Baw Dee Workers Service Record,” retained in the file of Employing Organization, Myanmar Union Mission archives.↩
Ibid.↩
Ibid.↩
Burma Union Committee Minutes, Action No. 56-98, 1956, Myanmar Union Mission archives.↩
“Baw Dee Workers Service Record.”↩
Burma Union Committee Minutes, Action No. 56-98, 1962, Myanmar Union Mission archives.↩
Burma Union Committee Minutes, Action No. 65-7, 1962, Myanmar Union Mission archives.↩
“Baw Dee Workers Service Record.”↩
Pastor Lyun Kyin, personal knowledge as a grandson of Baw Dee being eye witness to his life and ministry.↩