This week I had two opportunities to share the story of Abigail,” Alisha said in her sweet, gentle tone. It was sharing time in our small group, and I had just asked the question, “Does anyone have a story of how God used them to share the Abigail story that we learned about last week?”
For several months now, each Wednesday evening a small group of ladies have met in our living room to sing, pray and study together. At our first meeting in April, we discussed various options for material to use in our study. Since we were all ladies, it was suggested that we read the book Daughters of God by Ellen G. White. The messages of this book have proved a great blessing for all of us. We have been focusing on a different woman in scripture each week.
Each of these precious Filipino ladies in our Bible study have come to Thailand for employment and have found jobs teaching English in public or private schools.
Since Bruce and I travel often, these ladies have agreed to take over leadership of the Bible study and carry on whether I’m here or not. It is our plan to divide the group in two soon.
We have adapted a form of the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) method. After reading the story in the Bible and our chosen book and discussing it briefly, we then ask: 1) What did this story tell us about the character of God? 2) What did this story tell us about the natural responses of the characters in the story, and how did this play out to God’s glory? 3) How did you personally relate to this story, and what is the Holy Spirit challenging you to do about it? 4) Who could you share this story with this coming week?
The story can be shared in person, on the phone or through media, but the ideal is to pray for God to provide an opportunity to share with someone in person, guided by the Holy Spirit, and if possible to pray with that person.
Each week we look forward to hearing reports from each other. My role is more and more to coach them as they gain confidence and deepen their walk with Jesus. They are missionaries to these secular schools and their mostly Buddhist students and staff. Each lady is a light in this spiritually dark city. Each one is challenged to see themselves as a missionary. “You are the light of the world. . . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:14, 16).
