What kind of husband is he whose wife sings all day long?

Beginning about 10 years ago, in my prayer letters then, I made occasional mention of a language teacher, Tha. Inexperienced as he was then, he taught well and helped me lay a good foundation in the Khmer language. Many missionaries were his students and some were OMFers. Naturally, he was much prayed for since he was not a believer then. Today, he is one. How did it happen?
It began when part of his house was rented to an OMF couple, Tim and Jenny Kangas, my team leaders, who had arrived to do church-planting in late 1997 and were expecting their first child. As a shrewd young man, Tha observed his tenants. Foremost in his mind was the question, “What kind of a husband is he whose wife sings happily all day long?” Yes, Jenny has a beautiful voice and loves to sing but there must be some reason why her husband can make her so happy that she sings so much! And so began the road on which Tha was led to know Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour.
He met many more missionaries and as he taught them, he learned about them and their faith. He went to church. The turning point came when he laid a fleece before the Lord asking for healing of his stomach ulcers, which were very severe. His side of the bargain was, “I will believe that you are real”. The Lord answered and in 2002, through some ups and downs in his faith, he got baptized.
Over the years, Tha has shared with me lessons in faith that he learnt from various missionaries. As I listened, I feel that no missionary will take all the credit for Tha’s salvation. Instead, by the grace of God, each was a building block for Tha to see more of who God is.
A young person on a short-term mission asked me what the best method to reach Cambodians was. I said, “Relationships are key, not money, not special programs in the church, not etc.” Tha’s story is proof, isn’t it?