One the brilliant opportunities that I have had as a missionary in Thailand is to hold an evangelistic kids club in a local elementary school.  While school officials in the U.S. continue to close the door to any religious influence in public schools, many Thai schools at all levels are opening the way for the Gospel to be proclaimed to Buddhist students.

Not all Thai schools are friendly to Christians but a surprising number of Buddhist teachers are willing to grant permission for Gospel proclamation alongside English teaching.  While living in Central Thailand, every Friday I went to a small elementary school in a rural village, teaching English through games and songs to twenty to thirty Buddhist children.... and telling them Bible stories.  As often as I could, I got Thai Christians to tell the stories, and over the course of year and a half we covered a number of major Old Testament and New Testament stories.  

The school officials were more interested in English teaching than Gospel, and I made sure that I taught some simple English in a fun way.  This was a positive benefit for the children, in the minds of both teachers and parents.

I also made sure that I told the school about the religious content that I had planned.  I assured them that I would not be inviting the children to change their religion.  I made no altar calls and led no children to pray a salvation prayer.  But we did tell them the Gospel, talk about sin, the need to repent, and the wonderful love of the God who made them and takes care of them.  It is my hope and prayer that this foundation of key Bible stories will prepare the hearts of these children to hear the Gospel again as they grow up, and that in due time, some will believe.

Similar opportunities exist throughout Thailand.  And many missionaries and Thai Christians are taking advantage of them.  But the number of schools outnumber the Christians who can take advantage of these opportunities.  

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