When Galena was placed in Marvel Vander Kooi’s English class, she wondered what her exposure to the Bible and Christian teaching had previously been. From her wide eyes and fascinated demeanor, it seemed clear that Galena was hearing each Bible story for the first time. As she soaked up every story, Vander Kooi thought Galena and her parents must not be believers. 

Over the course of the school year, she started to notice a change in Galena. She no longer seemed as fascinated, but she was still eager to learn. She started agreeing with biblical truths, indicating they were her truths. She started making prayer requests and comments as someone who believed. She was so confident that Vander Kooi started wondering if maybe her parents were believers and that she had been wrong about Galena having no prior knowledge.

When she had the opportunity to chat with Galena, she asked, “Do your mom and dad follow Jesus?”

“No, but I’m teaching them some,” Galena said.

“What do your parents think?” Vander Kooi asked.

Galena said, “They think it’s a good idea.”

Galena knew nothing about the Bible prior to attending the School of Promise. Now, her faith has grown so much over the course of the year that she is teaching her parents about Jesus. Her child-like, sincere faith is being used to teach her mom and dad. The Holy Spirit’s power is truly amazing!

Marvel Vander Kooi and her husband, Joel, are the founders of the School of Promise in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific