Story from my work

Taken from the April 2011 Joni and Friends Newsletter:

At the age of 3, Satit contracted polio. Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, he was the eldest son in a Christian family that loved God's word and believed in the power of prayer. Even though he could no longer walk, Satit prayed for God to use his life to bring others to Christ in Thailand.


At 16, Satit felt God's call to ministry and applied to many seminaries, only to be turned away. Pointing to his weak legs, he was told over and over again, "God can't use you." Without a wheelchair, it seemed they might be right.


But Satit's faith and prayer never wavered. Even though he did not have a wheelchair, "I attended as many Bible studies as I could," said Satit. "God has called me to be an ambassador for Christ. I prayed for strength, for God's provision of a wheelchair ... and for souls."


Today, Satit and his wife work tirelessly to rescue children from the streets, where they are used in drug trafficking, slavery, prostitution, and unfair labor. "We bring them to live with us," said Satit. "We show them God's love and teach them His word." Living all together in a renovated church basement, Satit and his wife have rescued 42 children who now call him "Papa."


Recently, your love and faithfulness sent a Wheels team to Thailand and Satit joyously received a beautiful, custom-fit wheelchair. This gift you provided brings special joy and hope to 42 rescued children in Thailand ... because Papa now sits in a wheelchair that proves God answers prayer!

I find it a bit irritating that the story is not clear on whether or not Satit never had a wheelchair prior to the Joni and Friends distribution or received a replacement. Either way, he received a custom-fitted wheelchair,and that is tremendous in a developing country. It's great to be a part of something like this, and these sorts of stories remind us that we're not unparalleled Americans saving the world but rather simple humans choosing to be part of what God is already doing. Satit has done far more with his limited resources than most Americans will in their lifetimes.