In Luke 10:5-6, Jesus instructs his disciples to seek out a “person of peace” when they enter a new town to share the Gospel. When we encounter a person like that, they help us build relationships in the community. However, we are sometimes taken by surprise at who the Lord chooses!
In our cultural context, Naw seemed an unlikely choice.
Our Myanmar interns first met Naw when they were entering a new village in Mae Sot. She was a young adult with an intellectual disability, as well as being mute and partially both deaf and blind. The sight of her father struggling to guide his blind daughter deeply saddened them; Naw was constantly in danger of hurting herself. Our team decided to go out and purchase a wheelchair to make their lives easier.
After that, our interns returned weekly to visit the family. As trust grew, the Buddhist father asked to learn more about Jesus. One year later our team was filled with joy to hear him say, “I’m ready to follow Jesus. Would you help me remove all the idols from my home?”
When Naw’s father was ready to be baptized, his testimony stirred the hearts of two others in the village, who also desired to take this step of obedience. While they prepared, I gently asked if Naw would be baptized. The pastors looked surprised; in this cultural context, they would not consider Naw capable of making such a decision. “Naw may have intellectual disabilities,” I said, “but her spirit is whole. She communes with Jesus, and he welcomes her!”
Naw’s father was happy to hear that his daughter could be baptized. He only had one concern: “I think she might be too frightened,” he said, “but if she is calm and willing, let’s do it.”
At the end of the service, the whole church waited in suspense when we invited Naw forward. Before the father had even finished interpreting our invitation into sign language, she ran and threw herself into the wading pool with a big squeal of laughter! There, she knelt down and immediately grasped her hands together in prayer. That Sunday, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.
Naw was definitely an unlikely “person of peace”, yet through her the entire community has experienced the unconditional love of Christ, helping them see how everyone is welcome to come to the Father, just as they are.
