Today’s article was written by a CAMA staff member who has been serving in one Southeast Asian country for nearly 30 years. CAMA’s founding work with refugees in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era laid the groundwork for CAMA to eventually go serve where the refugees had fled. Because of this, CAMA was able to send international workers to one creative-access country in the early 1990s, leading to the founding of a language school which CAMA assisted from 2002 to 2014. Since then, the school has continued to operate under the management of local partners.

Starting a School to Share Skills and the Gospel

One of the dreams of the CAMA international worker team in this country had been to start a language school that could also serve as a sustainable business—a context through which we could witness for Christ while providing quality education and training. By working with our local partners, an educational space where both English and and the local language could be taught was born. This school became a place where people grew in confidence and competence as they practiced the skills they were learning in a supportive environment with qualified teachers—something that was rare at the time. The school also allowed for discipleship through shared life, which many young people needed since most came from non-Christian families and had never had an example of how to live out their faith or the Word in their daily lives.

Coming Alongside Others with Christ

Here, we taught English classes to local professionals and young people who wanted to improve their skills. Many of our students said that the school was the first place where they were able to learn and use English. Through personal interactions and special activities, such as monthly coffee house gatherings, our students began to hear bits of the gospel and see it lived out, often for the first time. Several of them became Jesus followers. Many others went on to work for the national government, for local businesses, and for various local initiatives or nongovernmental organization (NGO) projects that came alongside vulnerable communities such as ethnic minorities, vulnerable women, drug addicts, and street children.

Noy,* who came to work at our school after graduating from university, said she didn’t know how she would find a job because all the places she had tried had wanted people with previous work experience. However, we were glad to hire and train her, and we were delighted when—within her first year at the school—she led two people to the Lord. Years later, Noy held a key role in a Christ movement in the northern part of the country working for a Christian organization—using skills and experience she had gained at our school. One of our school’s former teachers has gone on to work independently as a highly sought-after local language teacher for expatriates. Some of our former English students have gotten back in touch with their teachers after returning from receiving master’s degrees abroad and have since thanked their teachers for their patience and encouragement on their journey to gain foundational skills in English. Others have attributed the good jobs they now have to what they learned while with us.

Equipping the Equippers

We also offered local language classes to expatriates serving in this country. Over one hundred of them went on to use their local language skills to minister throughout the country in a variety of contexts—including drug detox centers, translation work, community development, and education. We also provided expats with trainings on how to learn the local language and culture, which provided a good foundation to newcomers as they adjusted to life overseas and grew in their ability to share Christ. Furthermore, we facilitated training courses in community health evangelism (CHE) and provided a master’s degree program in community development management. Many of the graduates from that program are now leaders in various local businesses and NGO projects.

During the first 10 years of the school, we had over 30 student volunteers and interns receive on-the-job training while learning more about Jesus. We invested heavily in these young people as well as our local staff—many for whom the school provided their first job. They learned both valuable work and people skills and grew in their faith as we came to better understand the local language, culture, and values, as well as how to better share our faith. As they gained practical experience, confidence, and knowledge of Jesus, we built a supportive community together in which we all shared burdens, joys, and life. Years later, almost all these local staff members have gone on to play significant roles in local Christian ministries and witness.

Glory to God

We are thankful for the opportunity we had through this school to minister to and work alongside local believers—to be a part of place that allowed us to all learn and grow together. As one expat woman who did not yet know the Lord said, “There’s a different presence here that I can sense.” Years later, our prayer for her and the many others who have passed through the school’s doors has been that they would come to know the ever-present God and witness to His faithfulness, wherever they may be.

*Name changed