Marking three decades of providing a home and education to children of all faiths, the Nazareth Boarding House in Kyonepyaw, Myanmar, celebrated its 30th anniversary with a solemn Mass on Wednesday, honoring a legacy born from a simple, courageous response to a papal call.

Bishop Henry Eikhlein of Pathein Diocese presided over the Jubilee Mass on December 31, joined by 32 priests, religious sisters, former students, and benefactors. The institution, located in Kyonepyaw, has served 461 students since its humble beginnings in 1995.

In his homily, Bishop Henry traced the boarding house’s founding to a moment of inspiration. He recounted how its founder, Fr. Justin Saw Lwin, attended a youth congress in the Philippines where Pope St. John Paul II delivered a powerful message: “Be not afraid.” Upon returning to Myanmar in a challenging socio-economic climate, Fr. Justin acted on that call, establishing the boarding house to provide quality education and holistic formation.

“Had Fr. Justin hesitated, Nazareth might never have existed,” the Bishop said. “A good time is when we do a good thing.”

The boarding house began with 12 students. It was built on land originally allocated for a chapel in 1982, a project initiated by Sayar U Johnny and Fr. Justin. The name “Nazareth” was chosen to reflect the values of the Holy Family—simplicity, love, and shared life—and to welcome children irrespective of race or religion.

Bishop Henry emphasized that the institution’s growth is a testament to divine grace working through human effort, quoting scripture: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”

Now under the guidance of trustees Raju (U Myo Min), Associate Martha Aung, and Stella, Nazareth Boarding House enters its fourth decade as a living legacy of faith-in-action, continuing to offer a home of hope and unity to the young people of the Pathein Diocese.

By RVA Pwo Karen Service