To be honest, Thailand has been the toughest month on the field so far. Our teams were changed in the beginning of the month, so I’m still trying to get to know my new teammates. Along with getting to know the people I’m serving alongside of for the next few months. Thailand is also filled with so much distraction. It’s been hard to keep my eyes focused on Christ. It’s easy to get distracted amid all the materialism, sexual sin, and idolatry everywhere we go. I was also sick a few days and constantly felt tired and unmotivated throughout the month.
The biggest encouragement that kept me going was our friend William. We met him in Malaysia and he surprised us in Thailand, so we have been traveling with him the past two months. He was searching for something greater in his life, and that’s when he met us. We introduced him to Christianity and showed him what it looked like to be a follower of Jesus. He was eager to listen to what we had to say, and he joined our journey in following the voice of the Lord. His enthusiasm for reading the Bible and seeking God was a constant encouragement to me as I was struggling this month.
We have been going through the book of John as a team praying that the Lord would speak to William through His word. We also wanted to give William a better understanding of Jesus and His unconditional love. As I was praying for William’s heart to be changed, I saw my heart begin to change as well. It was easy for me to become discouraged this month because it felt like God was silent when we needed guidance or direction. The team and I couldn’t seem to connect and intentionally serve others. We started questioning God’s provision and wanted to see miracles happen. We were quick to forget the abundant blessings He has constantly poured out on us the past five months.
One day as the month was coming to an end, I attempted to blog but couldn’t find any words as I looked back on our time in Thailand. God reminded me that everything we did during the month was not a coincidence, and He was at work through us even when we couldn’t see it. I began to look back on our month and focused on the small, every day encounters we had with people. It wasn’t a coincidence we found a Chinese hostel in Phuket so Nat could translate and encourage them in their language. It wasn’t a coincidence that the people staying at the hostel were Christians. We had bible studies and worship nights with them. We had the opportunity to invest in their lives and encourage them as they go back to China where Christians are getting persecuted every day.
It wasn’t a coincidence that as we were leaving Khao Sok National Park we ran into a woman that helped us get to Koh Phangan Island. God placed this island on our hearts, but we couldn’t go because it wasn’t in our budget. This sweet woman helped us get transportation for much cheaper than we originally anticipated. She also had a V.I.P. card to a hostel on the island that allowed the seven of us to stay three free nights. God put this woman in our lives at the perfect time. We had the opportunity to witness to people at the hostel. We also met a woman who invited us to her house every morning for coffee. Every morning we had the opportunity to pray for her family. They were so thankful for the prayers and we got to show this Buddhist family what the love of Jesus looks like.
We then went to Bangkok where we continued to pursue these small acts of kindness. I visited a woman at her clothing shop every morning. After talking with her, I prayed for her and her business. Every morning I went back and she was excited for more prayer. Sometimes we don’t recognize the power of prayer and the impact it has on others.
Throughout the month we were praying for William. He could see God working through us every day and he was constantly being poured into. We began to see seeds grow in William’s life. He never wanted to stop reading. As we worshipped, he never wanted to stop singing. He would buy food and sit with the homeless. He would cry out to God for hours and through him I saw Jesus. I saw the desire in his heart to want more, and this was the encouragement I needed.
With less than a week left in Thailand, during a worship night, William gave his life to Jesus! It was a beautiful reminder of Christ’s unconditional love. Even though I was struggling to see the fruits from our time in Thailand, God was using our time here to change William’s heart. If we did nothing else the whole month but share the love of Christ to William, it was worth it. Honestly, the whole race is worth it now that my friend knows Jesus. That’s why we’re here and I can’t even begin to explain how proud I am of my new brother in Christ. It was the highlight of my race and I will never forget the night that William got saved.
Two days later we had a worship night on the beach with another World Race squad. There is nothing like worshipping on the beach with 70 other believers in a place that is less than 1% Christian. God’s presence was felt in that moment, and after worship William got baptized. He said he was ready to surrender his life to Christ and submit to Him every day for the rest of his life. I remember having a conversation about baptism with him back in Malaysia when I was getting baptized and he said he wanted to wait until he fully understood what it meant to follow Jesus. God spoke to him and my prayer is that William continues to pursue a relationship with Christ every day from here on out.
This was a letter William showed me after he got baptized.
To God:
“Why do I wanna get baptized? I was seeking for a spiritual path, searching for God. At first, I didn’t even know who I was looking for… I just felt kinda lost until in Penang. I was on a vacation, trying to spend some time with myself, until I met Taryn. I believe HE sent her to affiliate me. I had seen enough for the past two months, and yesterday I asked Walter to help me on the listening prayer because I just want to try and reach out for Him to see what will happen. Then I had a vision. There was a pendulum clock, a bird, and a lion. I didn’t know what was going on until that night I had thoughts passing through my mind during worship, and that is how I realized the message that the Lord is trying to give me. It says don’t waste your time, set yourself free and follow Jesus… and I want to walk with the Lord Jesus for the rest of my life and I want to wash away myself and be reborn. I declare that I am a man of the Christ. After I come out from the water, I will devote myself to the Lord Jesus. That is why. “
My heart was so full as I read this letter and I hope William’s story encourages everyone reading this right now. God is so good! He is working in people’s hearts throughout the world, and I cannot begin to express how thankful I am to be on this trip. It’s not just a mission’s trip, but a lifestyle, something I will pursue the rest of my life.
