(Photo courtesy Flickr/CC/puuikibeach)
Thailand (WMI/MNN) — There’s a familiar saying in Thailand: “To be Thai is to be Buddhist.”
It’s history, and it’s assumed that the idiom is really an indicator of national identity.
Now, throw in the fact that the wars were of kingdoms and kings, and there’s potential for misstep when visiting with the Burmese in Thailand. However, Greg Kelley of World Mission says what they saw in Thailand was not about grasping, but about giving. He shared this observation while in the region recently.
“We are in Thailand in the city of Pattaya.
“We’re connecting with a ministry that is distributing the Treasures to amazing evangelists who are taking the Gospel to families and households that have never heard the name of Jesus. It just happens to be that these missionaries and evangelists are children under the age of 10, who are passionately in love with Jesus.
“You can hear them singing worship songs to the Lord in the background. It’s just amazing. It’s touching our hearts so deeply that these children are taking the Gospel to their parents who have never heard the name of Jesus—on The Treasure.”
(Photo courtesy World Mission)
Let’s explore some of the key points:
- Children make the best evangelists. They don’t discriminate as adults do. They know that smiles are contagious, and they aren’t too concerned about speaking the same language. Most of the time they play and communicate in other ways. Their purity of heart allows them to recognize God working in their lives in simple and profound ways.
- Children have their parents’ ear. What parent won’t listen to a story as told by a child? Kids are natural sponges for information, and they talk about the new things they’re hearing. When that is accompanied by a subtle heart shift, the adults take notice.
- Children are often the most effective in sharing the Jesus stories with their peer group. Every major movement in history has grasped the need to target the next generation in order to advance its agenda and secure its legacy into the future.
- According to field studies, 70% of the world prefers a non-literate form of learning. For oral learners, The Treasure is World Mission’s field-tested solar-powered digital audio Bible. It is pre-loaded with God’s Word in a mother tongue.
Using this tool, thousands are hearing the Gospel for the first time, and many are coming to Christ. Each experience is unique, but in most instances an oral learner will listen to The Treasure within a group of 8-12 people.
Pray for eyes and hearts to be opened as people hear. Please pray for new believers as there will be oppression and persecution from their families, relatives, religious leaders, and community.
