Faith in Action
Nateekan Nithan (third from left) stands with the author, Youssry Guirguis (left), with whom he studied the Bible; Nateekan’s sister; his aunt and her husband; and M. Varah, AIU church senior pastor.
A Conversion, Adventist Education, and the Holy Spirit A winning combination
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orn into a Buddhist family in Saraburi, Thailand, Nateekan Nithan attended Asia-Pacific International University (AIU), a Seventh-day Adventist institution in Muak Lek, to earn a bachelor’s degree in English. His parents were Buddhist farmers, but when Nateekan was about 10 years old, his aunt converted to Adventism. She later became a college professor at AIU. His aunt’s conversion introduced Christianity into his family circle and was the reason Nateekan decided to attend the school. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
A few months after Nateekan arrived at the AIU campus, he learned that his parents could no longer afford the cost of tuition and fees, so he moved in with his aunt and began commuting to school to reduce the cost of food and lodging. While studying at AIU, Nateekan discovered that all his professors—even for his general education courses—talked about Jesus in their classrooms. 22
February 2021 AdventistWorld.org
Am I here to study English or Christianity, particularly about Jesus Christ? he wondered. His first general education classes were “The Life and Teachings of Jesus” and “Fundamentals of Christian Beliefs,” in which the lecturers introduced Jesus to Nateekan as taught in the Bible, particularly in the Gospels. The courses sparked a deep spiritual interest in him, and slowly a seed of faith was implanted in his heart. Nateekan excelled in his studies, which distinguished him among Photos: Courtesy of the author
