Empowered

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Thomas gripped his hands to the steering wheel at 10 and 2 o clock. As a man entered his taxicab, he flipped out a small gospel track, turned to the backseat and with a smile, handed it to the passenger. He was a simple man trying to earn a living in a country struggling economically. In the late 80’s Myanmar was ranked as one of the most underdeveloped nations in the world. It was 1988 and for a taxi driver, work was scarce.

He was a Sunday school teacher, taxicab evangelist, and a part time Bible courier to China. He was happy. But with a wife, two children, and another child on the way he needed a better way to provide for his family. With a contact in Singapore, he planned to move his family south where he could find better opportunities.

It seems that God had a plan of his own.

With 15 dollars in his pocket he left his children and pregnant wife and boarded a plane to Bangkok, Thailand. From Bangkok he planned to find his way to Singapore. He was given temporary residence at ***’s mission’s house and office. The rule had been guests could only stay for a maximum of two weeks. He stayed at the house, afraid to open a refrigerator that belonged to strangers. He survived eating peanuts and rice and drinking water from the pipe. He had a talent for fixing things and he made himself useful repairing whatever he could and running errands to the post office. Eventually, the office workers took a liking to the humble Burmese man.

“You can stay here until you find a job,” they told him.

One day he was helping packaging Bibles to be sent to Vietnam. He prayed, “Lord I have never been to Vietnam, but if people become Christians because of these Bibles maybe I can receive part of the reward in heaven.”

It wasn’t long afterward that his contact in Singapore called. The opportunity had opened up for him to go and find work. He went to Sonny, who would later become ***’s International Director, and took him aside. His eyes glimmered with sincerity.

“If I can make two dollars in a secular job or one dollar serving the Lord, I will choose serving the Lord,” he told Sonny.

“Ok,” Sonny said. “Work with me.” He served at the *** offices fixing appliances and managing the facility.

He survived with a salary of 100 US dollars a month, keeping 50 dollars and sending the rest home to his wife
and three children. Until finally, he could no longer go on.

“I can’t go any further,” he told Sonny. “I need to bring my family.”

“Good. You can bring your family,” he answered.

After years working in the *** office, he was trained in the SOW-H program, an all-encompassing discipleship course that covered the essential aspects of Christianity. At the time his English was poor and his confidence had yet to evolved. After finishing the program he found himself empowered by the Holy Spirit and was emboldened to share his faith. He became a teacher for new students and a leader in the local Burmese church. The more he discipled others the more his confidence grew. In 1994, he replaced the senior pastor of the church.

Today, the church has flourished and includes five sister churches with altogether over 1000 regular attendees. Through the years his family struggled financially and experienced barely surviving on a month-to-month basis. Many times he and his wife cried on their knees, praying and entrusting themselves to God. He testifies today that despite financial hardships, since choosing to serve the Lord, all his needs have been met.

“When you take care of God’s business, he takes care of yours,” Thomas said.

Thomas sharing with a church in Myanmar

In January 2009, Thomas received an honorary doctorate degree for his work that has brought so many to faith. He is the respected head pastor of a growing church in Bangkok, a missionary to Asia, and also a loving husband and father.

Twenty years removed from his days driving a taxicab in Myanmar, Thomas has one thing he wants to tell the world:

"I will never regret serving the Lord."