Raising Micah

“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6, NKJV.

One of the challenges of living as a cross-cultural witness is deciding how to educate and involve your children in ministry, especially when they are very young. Kyle and Christine Faircloth prayed over the decision to send their 4-year-old son, Micah, to Thai school. Micah is very outgoing and social, and they decided that he would do better if he had the chance to make friends at school.

While there is the positive of socialization and language learning at school, there is also the negative of Buddhist thought and rituals that Micah would be exposed to as a student. God in His providence turned the potential negative into an opportunity for Christine to witness to parents and teachers.

Micah prays before he eats lunch, just like he does at home. All his teachers know this, and they will always ask him if he has prayed. In the afternoons the children say a chant before they take a nap. It is believed that the chant will protect the children from having bad dreams. Because the teachers know that Micah is from a Christian family, they do not make him say the chant with the other children. Christine has been able to share with several of the other parents that because of Jesus Micah doesn’t need to chant to sleep and have good dreams.

While Micah has not yet made a decision to follow Jesus, he is learning very young that people are watching how he lives, and that a follower of Jesus must live a good life before unbelieving friends. “The lesson of living your faith because people are watching is good for our son,” said Christine. “It’s a good reminder to all of us to live in a way that pleases Jesus, and allows a watching world to see Jesus in us.”

Pray that:

God will give IMB workers the wisdom to raise their children in cross-cultural settings.

Micah and many of his classmates will come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Christine will continue to be a bold and wise witness to the parents, children and teachers at Micah’s school.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.