May 29, 2008
By Abby Wolters, MK in Burkina Faso, West Africa
“Abby, I have a question for you,” said my new friend, Khan*. “I want to write a song about heaven, but I need you to figure out the piano part. I already know the melody; I just don’t know how to play it.” Amazed, I asked, “Why do you want to write a song about heaven?” I was curious because Khan was a Buddhist. He was new to our [international] school and had heard his friends talking about youth group, so he started coming every Thursday night.
Khan first encountered God on a middle-school overnight trip, where a student told a story about a half-animal spirit woman. The entire class was spooked, and the chaperones and teachers had to calm everyone down.
My 13-year-old brother, Micah, was rooming with Khan. When my mother, a chaperone, came in to check on them, Khan was so frightened that he pleaded with my mother to stay in their room overnight. Micah reached into his bag, pulled out his Bible, and explained that when he was afraid, he would hold his Bible, his “sword.” Khan clutched the Bible tightly to his chest and said that he felt safe when he held it.
When Khan asked me to help him write his song about heaven, I was overjoyed to see that the seeds that had been planted had finally started to sprout. Khan told me that he wanted to write about heaven because Jesus was there to wrap His arms around him and love him. I agreed to work with Khan on his song.
When Khan began attending the EDGE, an English-speaking worship service, Khan’s father came one night and asked what his son was learning. Khan’s parents did not want their son to hear teachings about the Bible. “Khan is Buddhist and will remain Buddhist until he is old enough to change his religion,” they said, forbidding Khan to attend the services. They did allow Khan to attend youth group as long as he was not forced to convert.
A few weeks later, a member of the group gave Khan a Bible. Furious, Khan’s parents disposed of it and paid a visit to the school office. Because Alliance missionary Leanna Giesege is the youth leader as well as a teacher at the school, Khan’s parents believed she was using her position to pressure Khan into attending youth group. They forbade him from going but eventually allowed him to return on one condition—Khan must remain Buddhist until he was old enough to choose for himself.
One day after school, Khan asked Kari Nehlsen, a girl in our youth group (and Alliance MK), if they could talk, and she agreed to meet with him during youth group. That night, he shared his feelings of loneliness and pain, which opened up an opportunity for Kari to share about Christ. She explained that Jesus was a friend we could always count on who never leaves us. In the midst of Khan’s tears, Kari asked if he wanted to invite Jesus to come into his heart. Khan agreed.
I jumped for joy when I heard the wonderful news! God had answered our prayers. We also knew that we could not give Khan a Bible yet because his parents would not allow him to read it.
Our leadership team joined Leanna and Kari in prayer for discernment in finding a balance between honoring Khan’s parents and helping him to grow in the Lord. In a way, our youth group has become Khan’s Bible, sharing what we have learned to encourage him. Khan’s faith is still young, and he is in a vulnerable position. But I take comfort in knowing that one day, I will see Khan walk through the gates of heaven into the open arms of Jesus and sing forever in His presence.
*Name has been changed