“If there’s no church in my village, can I start one in my house?”
That was Yut’s sister, Got, wondering about how to live as a Christian in her Buddhist community if she were to start following Jesus.

I had met Got once before, another time that she visited her sister in Bangkok. I had invited Yut to our combined church Christmas party in 2007, and Got joined us. I hadn’t gotten to ask her about her experience at the party, but it sounds like it made an impression. She started reading materials about Jesus and seriously considering following him.

Once Yut became a believer she started sharing with her family what was happening to her and who God is. When she found out her husband needed to make a trip to Bangkok at the end of July, she decided to come along– she wanted to learn more about Jesus, and to see Kevin and I again (who she remembered from the party).

The afternoon Got arrived, Kevin was leading a discipleship time in our house with the new believers, primarily about honoring God with our finances. Got came along. It became a significant time of sharing about the deep pain and anxiety these new believers are facing due to their deep debt. They confessed addiction, and recent failures. They prayed, and wept, and made new commitments. Got watched and listened.

Afterwards, Yut shared how Got has been really interested in Jesus, and may even want to start following him. That’s when she started asking about whether she can worship and pray from her house since there’s no church nearby. Will God hear her prayers? If her husband converts, could they be a church together? She seemed hungry, and excited. But there was some hesitancy and it wasn’t clear if she was ready right then to accept Jesus or not, and we didn’t want her to feel pressured into anything. Kevin asked if we could pray for her, and tomorrow we could talk again and she could say yes to Jesus then if she was ready.

She agreed, so we all laid hands on her and prayed. At the end, I caught a glimpse of her face and her eyes were wide, like she had experienced something powerful as we prayed.

She went back to Yut’s house, and spent the evening reading the Bible and talking more with Yut about her faith. The next day she ended up having to leave earlier than expected, so we weren’t able to meet again with her. But before she left, she told Yut that she really wished she had said yes the evening before. Is it okay? she asked. Will God know that I want to commit myself to him? Yut assured her he would. She encouraged her to pray, and later told me that she closed her eyes and said simply, “Dad, your child wants to receive you.”

Got didn’t have a Bible, so Yut decided to let her take hers, though she parted with it sadly since it was a nice version that really loved. But she felt like God was asking her to sacrifice for her sister. So now she’s using one of our cheaper ones until Got has the chance to come back and exchange with her.

Since then, Yut has been calling her sister regularly, making sure she’s praying and reading the Bible every day, teaching her what she’s been learning in our church and discipleship times here. Got has completely stopped going to the temple located adjacent to her house, stopped all idol worship, and though people have been looking down on her she’s stayed firm in her new beliefs.

Recently Yut shared with her, “Jesus is always with you. He’s right beside you when things are going well or when they’re hard, he’s with you every time you laugh or cry.”

“Really? Really?” Got asked, crying. “I’m so glad.”

We are hoping that some of us will have an opportunity to visit Got upcountry before I leave in October. Got is also praying that her husband will become a believer soon, and when we visit we’ll be able to baptize them both together. Pray for this! And that Got’s testimony and changed life will draw more people from that village into Jesus’ arms.