They Asked Me

“Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel.” Daniel 1:9, NIV.

God opened the door to teach at two schools up in mountain villages in Northern Thailand. Noi is a 27-year-old nurse, who stayed to start a new ministry after the Baptist medical clinic in Chiang Klang closed. She uses her medical background to teach health classes in the schools for one hour every week.

Whenever volunteer teams would come from the United States, Noi would have them come to the schools and teach English and share the Gospel. Between volunteer groups, she would teach English and health and build relationships.

One morning, before Noi went to teach her weekly class in the mountain schools God began to convict her that she needed to be teaching about Him every week, and not just wait for the volunteer groups to come. Noi was fearful at the idea of trying something new. She thought the administration might stop her from teaching if she asked to teach about God. She wasn’t even sure how to go about asking them. Not knowing what else to do, she prayed and asked God to show her the way.

When she got to the school, she met a teacher in the halls. Before she could say anything the teacher said, “Noi, can I go to church with you? I’d like to learn.” After she agreed to meet the teacher and go with her to church, she met another teacher. This teacher asked, “Noi, I’ve seen that Christians have communion. What does the bread and wine mean?” Noi shared with her, and then thanked God. She knew that these conversations were to show her that God had gone before her and prepared the way for her to ask about teaching the Bible in the schools.

When she did ask the administrators for permission to teach about Christian beliefs, they enthusiastically agreed. Since then, Noi spends her hour with the children teaching English, then health, and finishing with a Bible story. She has over 200 students every week.

“It’s amazing to me because the children are sometimes noisy for English and health, but they get very quiet when I tell them about God,” said Noi. “We are planting the seeds and trusting God to do His work. I know God is doing something, because the teachers asked me to tell them before I could even ask anything. In His time, God will definitely make these seeds grow.”

Pray that:

Many of Noi’s students will become followers of Jesus.

God will continue to give favor and grace to believers teaching in Thai schools.

Noi will continue to be sensitive and obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit in her ministry among the hill tribes of Northern Thailand.

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