Bangkok First Church of the Nazarene in Thailand has planted a new church thanks to the discipleship of a son whose walk helped lead his mother to Christ. Their home is where the Church of the 100 Nazarene Church was planted.

Years ago, Ahmat* invited a young man named Golf* to come to church. Golf showed interest in the Gospel, and Ahmat began to disciple him. Sometime later, Golf received Christ as his Savior and was baptized. Using his talents, he began playing guitar in the church’s worship band.

Roughly three years ago Golf contracted a virus that affected his eyesight and left him legally blind. For a while, he continued to lead worship and play guitar. When he was no longer able to drive himself, a church member regularly brought him to church. This was a long drive as Golf lived in the Chachoengsao Province, which is roughly an hour outside of Bangkok. Then that church member passed away in the spring of 2020 and Golf was no longer able to attend church in Bangkok.

In early 2020, Pastor Lamp visited Golf. While there, he shared the gospel with Golf’s mother, Khun Oauy, and she decided to become a follower of Jesus. 

“I was just beginning to learn about God and I didn’t understand much,”  Oauy said. “I watched with amazement as my son calmly accepted his blindness without a single word of blaming God. He just kept worshipping Jesus, playing his guitar at home.”

Ouay was previously a devout Buddhist. She had many relics, statues, and shrines of gods in her home and was very active in the daily practices of that religion.

“Every morning and evening, I chanted about three times daily,” Ouay said. “Each day I would chant before needing to hurry out to open my shop. It was all such a heavy burden for me.”

Her business was stressful and she lacked peace. She also struggled to have peace with Golf,  but she noticed her son had peace.  

“I have eyesight, but I don’t have peace,” Ouay thought to herself. “Golf is blind, but he has peace.”

“Then one day my son asked me a question,” Ouay said. “He asked, ‘Mom, when you are chanting, do you understand the words you are saying? Do you understand what those words even mean?’ I could not answer my son.” 

That question never left her mind. One night, she dreamed that she saw someone wearing a white robe open her bedroom door to look for her.  She didn’t tell anyone about that dream. Two or three days later, she dreamed again, this time with her son Golf carrying a cross as he came into her room.

“In my dream, I asked my son Golf, ‘Why are you carrying that cross in here?’ He replied, ‘You need to carry this cross.’ That morning after I woke up, I talked to my son about both of these dreams. We realized these were visions with good meaning,” Ouay said. “They were miracles of God wanting me to change the direction of my life and walk with God. God wanted me to offer my life to Him only, so I decided to get rid of all the idols and relics, regardless of their meaning or value. ” 

“Now I believe I only need Jesus,” she added.

*Last names excluded for privacy

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific