It was a humid Sabbath afternoon, and I was enjoying the chance to go into the city and pass out literature to the many Western tourists in Chiangmai. Sure, the majority of the people had refused any literature, and one even cursed at me. But I was so thankful for the two who had said they would read the book. As I made my way back to the center of the city to meet a friend, I spotted a lonely looking middle-aged man drinking a beer at a sidewalk bar. Before I could even offer him the free book, he motioned for me to sit down. Taking the seat directly across the table from him, I prayed silently for the right words.
We chatted for about 10 minutes. He told me he was a retired truck driver from Australia and had just recently moved to Chiangmai. I began telling him how much I enjoy Chiangmai and some of the things I have done in the city. As we continued to talk I sensed a loneliness and deep soul hunger in this man. After a few more minutes, my friend, who was also passing out literature, called to tell me he needed to get back to the church. Before closing my conversation with the Australian man, I offered him some literature. “No thanks,” he replied. “I’m an atheist.” Not knowing what to say next, and not wanting to leave without giving him something, I felt impressed to offer him my phone number in case he ever wanted to talk. He gladly accepted my offer. I looked for something to write my number on, but all I could find was a GLOW tract about the prophecy of Daniel 2. I opened the tract and wrote my number right next to a diagram of Daniel’s multi-metal image!
As I walked away, I silently prayed that the Lord would speak to the man’s heart and use that small piece of literature to plant seeds in His mind. Please pray not just for the unreached people in Thailand but also for the many tourists coming here each year, many whom are looking to find something to satisfy the emptiness in their souls.
