Knowing that my teacher was a believer in God, I had been praying for an opportunity to share Bible truths with her. One day when she said she wondered why there were so many different languages, I knew I had found my entry point. I began to share about Noah, the flood and the tower of Babel, and a 20-minute spiritual conversation ensued.
My language teacher, Khruu (the Thai word for teacher) Ice, claims to be a new believer in God, although she still considers herself Buddhist. She has shared how the Lord has worked powerfully in her life and helped rescue her from a destructive past. Knowing that we are missionaries has made her feel free to share with us about her spiritual journey and ask us questions. On several occasions, our class time has transitioned into spiritual topics. Recently, I asked Khruu Ice if she would be willing to help read through a rough draft Thai translation of Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, to which she readily agreed. After finishing the first chapter, she told us that a week earlier she had been praying and asking for forgiveness because she had forgotten to bring her Bible with her to Chiangmai and did not have any good Christian reading material. We marveled at God’s timing. We also marvel that she began teaching at our language school only a week before we enrolled.
Khruu Ice has told us that before she began working at the language school she had her own business and was involved in a Christian church. She commented that her Christian friends were well-meaning but aggressive and even rude in their attempts to reach out to her. In fact, it got to the point that she told them not to come to her house anymore. We pointed out that scripture portrays Jesus as the Good Shepherd who leads and guides His sheep gently, not aggressively. I offered to pray with her, but she told me she wasn’t ready, so I quietly backed off.
As we continue building a friendship with our teacher, we realize that in seeking to lead her closer to Jesus, we need to be careful that we not come across as pushy or insensitive. We must listen to her, empathize and do our best to answer her questions. Someday when she reflects on her experience with us, we hope she will see that we helped draw her closer to Jesus rather than turning her further away from Him. Please pray for us as we seek to teach our teacher about God, His beautiful truth and His great love.
