17 April 2007

	Paul Zealey's bungee jump

"Ready?" "OK." "3, 2, 1, Bungee!" While this may have been a special birthday adventure for Paul Zealey, a British student on short-term assignment in Thailand, ministering cross-culturally can sometimes feel like a jump into the unknown.

Challenges and Benefits of Cross-Cultural Ministry

Paul and his teammate Nathan Sherwood, are serving on a six-month internship with the SIM-UK Global Awareness Program (GAP) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Reflecting on month three of his time there, he said, "[It] has been a month of ups and downs as we have come to terms with the frustrations and difficulties of working in a different culture and with a different language."

Despite the stress of living in a new culture, Paul and Nathan are having many opportunities to grow and be used by God. "We are enjoying ourselves so much that even the mention of going home is banished immediately," Paul adds. In addition to studying Thai language three mornings a week, they spend most of their energies at "The Centre" a ministry for Thai university students. Students come to The Centre to learn and practice English, as well as investigate Christianity.

Influencing Lives for Christ

Both GAPers are giving English classes, leading discussion groups, and organizing the weekly Friday night party at The Centre. All of these activities build relationships with the students, and God is using them. One of the students from first semester has chosen to follow Jesus. Another, one of Paul's students named Aun, has been asking questions about Buddhism and Christianity, and he invited Paul to visit his family.

	Nathan Sherwood with a group of students

Bank, a Thai Christian and a student at The Centre, has been an encouragement to Nathan. His life has completely changed since he chose to follow Christ in September 2006. Before Bank was a "ladyboy," a cross-dresser with ambitions of having a sex change. But now, Nathan says, they talk about God's work in their lives nearly every day. "To see the power of God changing Bank's life so much in response to Christ's call is a massive encouragement to me to go on speaking to those students whom I sometimes think will never see Christ for who He is."

Paul and Nathan are just two of the 12 GAP students serving across the globe this year. The GAP gives students a chance to see God at work in their lives and in another culture. Please pray for God to use Nathan, Paul, and the others as they continue their internships through June 2007.

Go

You can join the team at The Centre and show the love of Christ to Thai students. Learn more

If you are a Christian student in the UK interested in taking a GAP year, learn more at www.sim.co.uk.