Siriwon’s change of heart

The young woman didn’t want to buy a Bible for fear of being exploited. Now she has a strong desire to share its message with others

Siriwon Choonharungroj, pictured here with her husband, has bought more than 100 Bibles from one of the Thailand Bible Society’s mobile units and distributed them to sick people. Thailand. Photo: TBS/Taweesak Intapong (THA03DJ-1)

Siriwon Choonharungroj left her Buddhist roots behind her and became a Christian when her mother told her about Jesus. She loved listening to stories about him and attended church, but was sceptical about the value of the Bible.

When people at church suggested she buy one, she declined. Why, she wondered, should she spend money on a Bible when she could learn about Jesus through her mother and other Christians?

Money was tight and she had a young child to bring up. Feeling that people were pressurising her to buy a Bible because they wanted to make money out of her, she stubbornly stuck to her decision.

And yet, she felt uncomfortable with herself. One night she prayed about it, asking God to confirm that she had done the right thing. As she talked to him, however, she felt him saying, “I am not selling you the Christian religion – I am giving you my life in Christ.”

The next day she went to the Bible Society and bought herself a Bible.
It was a turning point for Siriwon: any doubts she had had about the Christian faith were gone, and she felt a strong desire to share the message of the Bible with others. She told staff at the Bible Society that Christians should be proud of the Bible.

A year later, she fell ill. Growing increasingly weak and tired, she struggled to take care of her child. Her husband was working very hard to provide for the family and all her friends were too busy to spare her much time. She felt alone and afraid.

Started to recover

Her Bible was her only comfort and as she read it, she started to feel some hope that God would heal her. One day somebody came to her house and suggested she go to a healing spa. She did so and started to slowly recover from her illness.

As her health improved she thought about how the Bible had brought her comfort and hope during her lowest time, and decided that she wanted to help other people who were also suffering.