For months before this trip I had been asking God to provide at least one person for me to share His love with. I believe this person was my new friend from Thailand, Jenny!
One day my team and I went to get foot massages in order to minister to the girls in the massage shop. Jenny was the girl who massaged my feet. We got to talk a little, but communication is limited because “Annie no speak Thai.” One thing I did get out of the conversation was that Pad Thai was both of our favorite Thai foods, haha! So I told Jenny that I wanted to eat Pad Thai with her one day before I left.
A few days later I passed Jenny’s massage shop and she was standing outside. She recognized me and we talked for a little while. I gave her an ice cream cone and we made plans to go to lunch the following Saturday because it was her off-day. (Yaya, the sweet Thai lady who lives at the church with us, was with me so she was able to translate for us.)
I was out with Yaya the next day, and she said that Thai women love to get gifts. So we stopped at a friend’s shop and got Jenny a dress. We went to her massage shop and she was outside waiting for customers. I gave her the dress and she hugged me and thanked me a lot. Then we talked for a little while and confirmed our plans for Saturday.
Saturday came and my team and I got back from Phi Phi Island a little later than planned, so I was worried that Jenny would not be waiting for me when I got to the shop. My friend Meredith walked with me to Jenny’s massage shop and we hoped she would be there! (She lives there so she normally is, but it was her off-day so we thought she might have gone out.) When we got to the shop, Jenny ran out wearing the dress I got her and was smiling so big. My heart was so HAPPY!!! We rode a tuk tuk to a restaurant and got some Pad Thai, and then we got milkshakes on the walk back to the church. I introduced to her my friends at the church and Yaya. Yaya was able to share her testimony with Jenny (because she used to work in a massage shop as well) and explain the gospel to her in Thai. God didn’t open Jenny’s eyes in that moment, but YaYa told her that she is always welcomed to come to the church if she wants to learn more or has any questions.
Sometimes it’s hard to do the work and not see the end result. I really wish I could see Jenny accept Jesus into her life…but I trust that God’s timing is perfect. After we spent the day together I learned that for weeks before she ever met me, Jenny had been struggling with loneliness. She had spent her off-days alone…and now I can see God’s providence in our friendship even more! I told her that I asked God for a friend in Thailand that I could share His love with, so I hope she will realize that God loved her enough to send a random girl from America to be her friend when she needed it most. He is faithful to grow the seed that has been planted in Jenny’s heart. 1 Corinthians 3:7 says, “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” I don’t have the ability to open anyone’s eyes to God’s truth, but He does and I believe that He will. I am so thankful that God placed her in my path here in Thailand! I will continue to pray for Jenny, and I hope you will too!
