by "Molly," Thailand
4 February 2009

Gon, 15-years-old, came to me after the last session of our youth camp had ended and asked, “Is it too late to receive Christ into my life?”

I joyfully told her it wasn’t too late, and I got to lead her into a relationship with him right then. About an hour later, as we were preparing to move to the location where 13 teens and children were to be baptized, Gon asked if she could also be baptized.

I asked if her parents (who live in a different province) knew of her new faith. She replied, “I asked what they would think before I started coming to your Life Skills classes. They told me I was free to choose whatever I wanted to believe.” It was a first for me: to be able to lead her to Christ and then assist with her baptism all within one wonderful day. I praise God for her boldness and her parents’ openness.

Opposition

But parents don’t always readily agree to their children’s baptism. Toon, 14, was already a believer with a passion to tell others of Christ. She was also at camp and was on the list of baptismal candidates. But after she went home briefly to get something she needed, she returned to camp in tears.

Her father had used those few minutes to publicly berate her with strong words of disdain directed especially at her faith in Christ. She said it was the most significant scorning he had ever given her, going so far as to evict her from the house.

After prayers and more tears, Toon was able to lead the worship at the closing service, and then she went ahead with her planned baptism, amidst more tears. I asked her if they were tears of sadness, and she said, “No!” She needs God’s help as she continues to live out her faith at home, at school, and among her friends.

Pray

Please pray for Gon and Toon and other young believers in Asia to be strong and to have an engaging witness.