My testimony

Paul Smith : January 2010

            My parents were missionaries to central Africa, and it was there that my twin brother, younger brother and I were born. When my twin brother and I were nearly seven years old, our family traveled to England.

            At the age of eight, my brothers and I were placed in a home for missionaries’ children, which had very recently been opened by the Worldwide Evangelization Crusade (WEC International), the Mission with which my parents served God. After staying with us at the home for several months, our parents returned to central Africa to serve God for the next 8 years.

            At the age of 14, I had my first major spiritual experience. God called me through a vision. In the vision, I was standing on the side of a mountain looking down into a valley, which was quite dark. From almost at the bottom of this big valley on the other side, God called me by name, “Paul, I want you”. I was immediately aware of 2 things; (1), this was the voice of God calling me to Himself, and (2), I was making an eternal decision. I hesitated, because I had already decided I wanted to be a professional football player. The vision remained, and after a short time, God called a second time – “Paul, I want you!” Almost immediately, I said “Yes, Lord;” and started to run down into that dark valley. The vision then disappeared. I woke up next morning aware that God had called me to Himself, and to serve Him.

            About 3 years later, at the age of 17 years, 7 months, I had my second major spiritual experience. After about 8 years serving God in central Africa, my parents had returned to England, and we were living together as a family in a home kindly provided by my father’s sister and her husband. At the age of 17 years 7 months, I experienced a real hunger in my spirit for spiritual life and reality. I had begun to study architecture, and was working in a small architectural company. After several days of this hunger in my spirit, one Thursday morning, I decided to give God my lunch hour, to pray and to ask God to meet my spiritual need. Ten minutes after kneeling at my chair in my office, God gave me His Holy spirit: an experience that changed my purpose for living, and my life. I now knew God as my Father: I now knew that I was spiritually born of God and clean in God’s holy sight; and my heart was filled with God’s love, peace, joy and power. It was a wonderful, life changing experience. My desire to become a professional sportsman was gone: I wanted only to do my Father’s will and please Him.

            About 6 months later, I attended a camp for Christian young people. While at this camp for 3 weeks, I had opportunities to share my testimony. When I went back home, the first Friday, I experienced the presence of Satan in an unusual way: this continued all day Saturday. So early Sunday morning, I got up, went downstairs to the living room, and knelt in prayer. After a short time, I remembered what James tells us-“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4 vs. 7-8. On the authority of the Word of God, I then resisted the devil and told him to go in the name of Jesus. Immediately, he left me, and I experienced the joy of victory in Jesus.  This was another wonderful experience.

            When I  was 21, I went to Emmanuel Bible College, near Liverpool. I went together with my twin brother. While at Bible Collage, I learnt an important lesson in prayer. Every time I knelt to pray, I would remember past things I had said or done which I knew did not please God. Then one day, when I remembered something like this, I began to take that thought that bothered me and I would say to myself in prayer_ ‘ this thing that I remember , I put in under the blood of the Lord Jesus and pray for His forgiveness and cleansing. And from that moment, I knew it was gone. A few days later, I couldn’t remember it. In this way, God the Holy Spirit cleansed me from every thought that didn’t please Him. I felt clean in my heart, and I could pray with a clear mind.

            About 2 years after I graduated from Bible College, I went to help at a mission conference, organized every summer by WEC. Together, with several other volunteers to prepare the conference site for about 600 people. We also helped with preparing the big hall, washing dishes, cleaning, etc, during the 3 weeks of conference meeting and activities. I also helped in the meetings by playing the piano. During one of the mission meetings in the evening, I ‘heard’ a voice in my heart telling me that God’s will for me was to go to Thailand to serve Him. I resisted this call to go to Thailand for about 6 months, but finally, I said ‘yes’ to God’s will. My twin brother was at the same conference, but several months later, God called him to go to North Africa. We both applied to join WEC International, and at the end of the candidate training course, we were both accepted by the WEC Mission. Then we went in different ways, to serve God. I arrived in Thailand in March 1965, and went to Tak province to begin language study, with 2 other colleagues, at the small school organized by the Mission. My burden was for the young people, especially young men, and I tried to use football, badminton and tennis to establish relationships with the purpose of witnessing about the Lord Jesus. The war in Vietnam was growing, and some of the young men, who thought I was American, asked me more than once how much money the American government was paying me to propagate the Christian religion among them. Even though I told them that I was English, not American, and that I did not get any money from my government, I realized that my status as a missionary was a barrier to my efforts to communicate the Gospel with them. After praying about this, I finally decided to resign from the Mission. I returned to the Mission headquarters in London, England. After completing my resignation, I applied to attend a special language course in London for teaching English. I returned to Bangkok alone in May, 1969, and stayed a few days with a kind Mission friend. I came trusting only the Lord. I had no financial support; one medium-sized suitcase with a few belongings, and about £35 (pounds) in my pocket.(one pound was about 56 baht). Thus I began a new life of trusting God; and only God. I soon found jobs teaching English, and so was able to support myself. On Sunday mornings, I attended a Thai church, and Sunday evenings I went to a small, English language evangelical church. In January, 1972, I married my wife, Anat, whom I had met while teaching a few doctors and nurses at Chulalongkorn Hospital. At about this time, I made a promise to myself before the Lord, that I would support myself and, if we had children, support my family. As the apostle Paul supported himself in serving God by making tents. I trusted the Lord to provide enough work, and during the past 40 years, The Lord has been faithful. We have always had enough for all our needs. I praise the Lord.

            After our 2 children were born, I decided to send them to schools which taught in the English language. After kindergarten, both our daughter and son attended the British Pattana School; then for high school, our daughter went to Ruam Rudee International School and my son went to a boy’s boarding school in England. After graduating from high school, our daughter went to Assumption University, and our son attended university in England. Even with these expenses, we always had enough to pay all our bills. And with The Lord’s help through a wonderful Christian family, we were able to buy a townhouse on soi 49,as our own home. The Lord has been very kind to us, and I share this to praise and thank The Lord.

            Together with English-language school, we also decided to attend an international English language church near Sukhumwit, where I served the Lord for more than 30 years. I served by teaching the adult Sunday School class; preaching when invited, twice serving as pastor’s assistant, counseling, playing the piano, serving on the church Board, and for more than 25 years, as an elder. Other activities include, organizing an international Christian conference for about 5 years (in the 1980s); publishing 4 gospel booklets and 2 gospel tracts in the Thai language, (more than 20 years ago), and in the past few years, I have published 4 booklets in the English language. These are available free. At present, I am attending   Wattana Church Soi 19, Sukhumwit. During the past year; I have had the honour of serving in the church by teaching 3 different classes. And very recently, I have been appointed to assist on the pastoral team as (associate) lay pastor. This is a great honour, and I thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity to serve Him and His people in this way. Our Bible studies can be found on the internet at the church’s w.w.w. site. Praise God for His love, mercy and faithfulness.

            I am also working on a big project, which will be made public in 2010, God willing.