A Buddhist boy’s journey to Jesus
“From heav’n above to earth I come To bear good news to ev’ry home Glad tidings of great joy I bring Whereof I now will say and sing…”
As the clear tenor voice rang through the small room and out through the open windows into the warm December air, Pornprom Nathalang took the opportunity to covertly study his new father’s face, the face so unlike his own.
His dark eyes took in Herbert Gernand’s light hair, bright blue eyes and the fair skin of the hands cradling the hymnal.
The young boy’s heart was a swirl of conflicting emotions. A descendant of an honored Thai family with a rich heritage, Pornprom’s upbringing stressed the importance of being a good Thai and a good Buddhist. With his American looks, his American ways and his American God, Pornprom’s father was anything but “good Thai.”
was limited, an understanding of this mysterious God began to emerge.
“To you this night is born a child Of Mary, chosen virgin mild; This little child, of lowly birth Shall be the joy of all the earth.”
Was this Savior truly for all the earth, even for brown-haired, brown-eyed, brown-skinned boys like him?
Even for his beautiful mother, Staporn, and his three brothers and sisters, who until recently had matter- of-factly accepted the Buddhist traditions of their people? Puzzled, Pornprom listened and tried to understand more of the hymn’s foreign words.
“This is the Christ, our God and Lord, Who in all need shall aid afford; He will Himself your Savior be From all your sins to set you free.”
And yet…Pornprom couldn’t ignore how his stepfather’s gentle teachings about his God beckoned. Daily, his stepfather gathered the family for devotions, and though the children’s English
Could this be true? How could a little baby save all mankind? Pornprom fingered the good luck charm that hung around his neck. He and most Buddhists relied on such things to protect them from bad luck and danger, but even at his young age, Pornprom felt the heavy burden of fear. How could he ever do enough good deeds to merit
good karma? Could this Savior truly deliver the freedom the hymn promised?
As the months passed, Pornprom continued to watch his new father, who patiently modeled the faith he hoped his stepchildren would someday embrace. As he taught in English from Luther’s Small Catechism, Pornprom’s mother carefully translated the words into Thai for her children. Slowly, the Holy Spirit began to take root in Pornprom’s heart.
“He will on you the gifts bestow Prepared by God for all below, That in His kingdom, bright and fair, You may with us His glory share.”
The Heavenly Father did indeed bestow untold gifts upon Pornprom – who now went by Ted, since the family had relocated to Fort Wayne, Ind. His parents enrolled their children in a Lutheran day school, where the teachers took Ted under their wings.
Though Ted’s English was still far from perfect, his fellow students made him feel like part of the family, eagerly using charades to act out the meanings of unknown words.
“My heart for very joy doth leap, My lips no more can silence keep; I, too, must sing with joyful tongue That sweetest ancient cradle song.”
God’s plan for Ted began to take shape. Freed from the heavy burden of his sin by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Ted felt compelled to share this Good News with others living with that same heavy weight. As a young newlywed, Ted decided to study at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. When the time came for
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Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church celebrates 20 years
by Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise, LHF executive director
When the calendar flipped at the turn of the century to the year 2000, there was no Lutheran church in Thailand. But by the grace of God, in October 2024 the Thailand Concordia Lutheran Church (TCLC) celebrated its 20th anniversary, which I was blessed to attend, along with representatives from TCLC’s 10 congregations and 4 preaching stations.
“Touched by His Grace” was the theme at the TCLC anniversary celebration. In a world where grace is a foreign concept, it was a joy to hear Southeast Asian Lutheran leaders talk about the vibrant mission work going on in countries as varied as Cambodia, Burma, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.
leaders, one story I often heard was that it takes time for the seeds of faith to grow, especially in a soil that has been infertile so long.
One Malaysian colleague related the story of how the Holy Spirit brought faith in Jesus to an 88-yearold woman, who had often lived in fear. Three days after her conversion, she died with a peaceful expression on her face.
In Singapore, the grandson of an elderly lady witnessed to her and brought her to his Lutheran church, but she remained quiet for years. Finally, one day she said that she wanted to be baptized at the age of 102! The pastor asked, “Why do you want to be baptized?” “What do you think?” she exclaimed.
But why is the concept of grace ― the grace so generously poured out on humankind when God sent His Son to be born in a stable and then to die for us on a cross ― so conspicuously absent in this part of the world?
A Religion of Fear and Dread
It’s not so surprising that people in the Buddhist world struggle to see grace. During my visit to Thailand, everywhere I looked I saw gifts being offered to statues of spirits or buddhas, all with the hope that some blessings might come the giver’s way.
But alongside the almost sleepy-looking buddhas reclining lazily on their sides, there were also some fierce looking gods that evoke fear and dread. At the entrance to the hometown of our LHF Southeast Asia project coordinator, Rev. Ted NaThalang, we were greeted by a statue of an angry Chinese god (yes, Chinese folk religion blends in with the Buddhism so prevalent in Thailand). Those frightening images reminded Rev. NaThalang that growing up, he feared ghosts. He recalled how he would pray at night that the evil spirits wouldn’t get him.
As I visited with Southeast Asian Lutheran
his first call, the Holy Spirit answered Ted’s prayer to send him and his wife Gunya back to their homeland.
Now they could bring the Gospel Light to friends and family who were still living in spiritual darkness. But how to begin? The Thai people were so deeply entrenched in the darkness of Buddhism. Many thought that Lutheran referred to “that black man from America.”
And the Bible seemed overwhelming to people who had never heard of concepts like original sin and baptism. The students grew frustrated. Ted wondered how he could help them see the Savior. As he looked back on his own path out of Buddhism into the Lutheran faith, Ted realized the answer he needed.
He recalled his father’s gentle
“I’ve been listening to you for some time now, and I believe!” Just like the Ethiopian eunuch, what was to prevent her from being baptized?
I continue to be amazed that God does His work in mysterious ways throughout the world, in His time, through His Word.
The Impact of the Small Catechism
Yes indeed, the Word works! It worked in young Ted’s life as he came to faith, and it works in the lives of many others, in the hill tribes of northern Thailand, Burma and Laos.
A big part of sharing the Good News of God’s grace in this part of the world has been Luther’s Small Catechism, translated by LHF into Thai and 22 other Southeast Asian languages.
“LHF provides the good teaching materials that are needed, not just for Lutheran churches, but for all Christian denominations in Southeast Asia,” Rev. NaThalang told me. Christian materials are few and far between in many of these countries, so even though the books come from a Lutheran source, people and pastors in Presbyterian, Baptist, nondenominational and even Catholic churches are eager for their own copies!
“They see that the catechism has good teachings,” Rev. NaThalang shared. “They have to admit that it’s from the Bible. And so the catechism pulls them from their false teachings and into the Truth.”
teaching, translated into his language by his mother, and the Christian love and guidance of his teachers and classmates. The constant in all this was Luther’s Small Catechism and its answers to every new Christian’s question, “What does this mean?”
Building on his mother’s example
Now the young missionary knew what to do. Years earlier his mother had translated the first sections of the catechism into Thai. Ted knew he needed to complete his mother’s work and use this time-tested tool of the Spirit to bring the Savior to his people.
Again, the Holy Spirit opened doors to accomplish His will. As Ted searched for someone to help him translate and publish the catechism, he discovered the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, who
would provide the funds for printing this important little book.
Ted accepted a call to serve at LHF and in just a short time, the Thai catechism was rolling off the presses and into the eager hands of new Christians. As they read, Ted heard again and again how there was nothing else like it in Thailand. No other book explained the Christian faith so simply and so well.
After only 12 months, the 3,000 catechisms Ted had expected to last for years were gone, enthusiastically snapped up not only by young Lutherans, but also by Methodists, Pentecostals and Catholics who appreciated the simple explanation of Scripture. A second printing would be essential, and now Christians in Cambodia, Indonesia,
Laos, Burma, Malaysia, Japan and Vietnam were also asking LHF to translate the catechism into their languages.
From heaven above to earth Christ has come – through Herbert, through Staporn, through Ted, through LHF – to the Thai people, and to all the nations.
Rev. Pornprom “Ted” NaThalang has served as LHF project coordinator in Southeast Asia since 1999. In his 20+ years with LHF, he has overseen the translation, printing and distribution of our good Lutheran books, from children’s Bible books to the Book of Concord, in more than 20 languages.
Rev. Ted NaThalang, LHF project coordinator for SE Asia and TCLC president, opened the anniversary celebration.
Buddhist boy’s journey to Jesus cont. from previous page
Joining in worship at the TCLC anniversary celebration
A Thai nativity set: Touched by God’s grace!
LHF: Building a Lutheran foundation in the printed Word!
