A Testimony (cont.)

If you will turn the clock back five years into the past, a woman named Noina prayed to the Lord, asking him to increase in her the value and meaning of life, to fill within her his love- to make up for what she thought was ‘missing’.

And increase the meaning of life, God, indeed, do.

For the first two years, he gave her care over a ‘youth’ group. The group consisted of four University Students in Chiang Rai, all of them from the Hill Tribes and even one of them was living at her house. As she went into her third and forth year of ministry, eight more students joined her. Praise the Lord that, now, five years into her ministry, she has more than twenty youths, (young adults, really) in her group. All but three of these young people came to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. They were all from poor, farming families- and none of them have ever had what most would consider a ‘normal’ past.

She spent much of her time with them to build relationships, and she did it by:

1. Holding fellowship time after work and having dinner with them at least once a week in the first two years, then it was three times a month in third and forth year. Currently, due to the size of the group and economic reasons, they would carry this activity for once or twice a month. However if there was a plan to do outreach there would be additional get together.

2. Take time to listen, share, advise and pray with them, for they are young adults…and young adults problems, they are keen to have!

3. Raise support for those who are in need. Praise Lord, however, that seventeen of our students received sponsorship for lunch, dormitory and, more importantly, a sponsorship for their tuition.

4. Leading the group to work with non-believers and to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ and through this activity, the Lord used this opportunity to teach both the group and the group leader all at the same time.


For the first two years, God filled what was missing in these youths, as they learn to “receive,” while at the same time, Noina learnt how to “give”. Give warmth, love, care, and advices. She would hold fellowship time, lead activities, go shop hunting for Christmas presents. Many times, she would seek advice from those in the pastoral positions- she thought if some of the people truly deserve sponsorship, but as one missionary states ‘we pass on the blessing not judgment .

We should thank God as, into the third and forth year, the youths eventually learn the true meaning of what it is to ‘give’. This change came about as they go into outreach, the young men and women were more willing to put in ideas and the labours. They started giving more support instead of receive , and as such, their quality of live seemingly improved. This is when they start sending presents to the supporters. And this year, Noina received a surprise from her ‘youth’ team, for on her birthday, they held a secret party, had cakes, singing “Happy Birth-day”, and telling her that it is for “our second mum”.

Through these years in her ministry, she saw growth in her youths: physically, spiritually, and mentally.


To the Lord be all gratitude and glory for His answer in Noina’s life. Now she feels complete.