New Life in Christ
08/10/2010 9:19 am OMF Thailand <th-itSPAMFILTER@omf.net>
‘Paan’ is the second year student at CTS. He was born in Northeast region (Isaan), an area with the least Christians in Thailand. In a population of 21.4 million in Isaan, only 0.16% are Christians. Paan is the youngest of 5 siblings and grew up in a strongly Buddhist culture.
His mother thought that he had a very feminine nature and reared him as a girl, dressing him in a girl’s school uniform. He felt like and acted like a girl as he grew up. At school he would observe his friends and know that he was different. At his core he was eaten up with insecurity, confusion and developed an inferiority complex.
After graduating from high school, he fled from his home town to Chiang Mai. In Chiang Mai he studied at college, majoring English. His first college year overwhelmed him, and he shed many tears. College life was hard, he missed home and he was lonely. He continued to behave as an effeminate boy.
At a Christian English Camp, however, he heard of a testimony of another college student, who said “the Lord changed my life.” He was challenged by the testimony, and eventually came to believe that there was a true God. He accepted Jesus into his heart to be his Lord.
Paan dreamed of returning to his hometown to be an English teacher after graduating. He sensed that he needed to study the Word of God before returning home, so he applied to CTS in 2009 to study God’s Word. Now he is in his second year at CTS as he continues preparing himself for his future ministry.
His parents and relatives in his hometown continue to be soaked in the rain of darkness. It give us such joy to think about Paan who will soon be returning to this place with the Light of Christ, and be the vessel God uses to plant His church in that place.
A dysfuctional young man, Paan, has been born again as a healthy young man, rooted in the Lord. Praise the Lord. (Daniel Kim, Chiangmai Theological Seminary CTS)
- Pray for Paan and other men and women in CTS as they prepare for the ministries God has called them to.
- Pray for the staff at CTS who mentor, and pray for the Thai pastors.
- Pray for a focus on the major essentials as God’s workers are being raised up.