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1st year student Da (front) & roommates.
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First year student Da has not had much to be thankful for during her life. Her mother was very sick, alone, and pregnant. The mother's illness had a negative impact on Da's health that she has struggled with all her life. Shortly after Da was born her mother made her way from Bangkok to Chaing Mai where she found a home in a shelter run by a foundation. At age 6, Da's mother died from her illness. Da has lived her whole life in the shelter.
Fast forward about 18 years and Da is getting ready to graduate from high school and is thinking of college. She was looking forward to leaving the shelter and going to a college far away and experience a new life. Her sponsor had other plans. Not wanting Da to go far away to a place where she would not have a Christian influence in her young life, the sponsor found out about Lanna Theological Center, just a few miles away. Here is where the sponsor was willing to send Da.
Da enrolled at LTC this past September but was not happy about coming. "My first day was a big disappointment to me when my sponsor brought me here. I did not want to be so close to the shelter where I grew up". At first Da's face was closed. But after a few weeks we began to notice a smile beginning to appear; she began to open up and participate in class and group activities. At the end
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Da (3rd from right) & classmates perform a rap song they composed as part of a group assignment for "How to Study the Bible" class.
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of three weeks she gave this testimony:
"I didn't want to be here because it was so close to my home. And at first I thought the school was too small. The buildings were too small. How
could this be a school? But, now that I have been here, I have changed my mind.
First, I see that there is a lot of love here. The faculty love the students and care about how they are doing and wants them to grow spiritually.
Secondly, I see that there is equality here. All students are treated with the same level of respect and concern.
I feel valued and special. I have not always felt that way in other educational settings (because of my
illness).
Third, I see that there is a deep concern for God and for his
Kingdom. That is exciting to me.
So, I am Thankful God brought me to LTC"
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