Iiya’s Story

My full name is Tongwai Ruanmaat. I first came to Bangkok with my family to find work and stayed with my husband’s older sister’s family who introduced me to the Abundant Life Center. There was a place to work in their sewing department and they allowed me to care for my toddler there, too. I was introduced to worshiping God and learning about Him but I did not believe because our country is Buddhist. It wasn’t long before I left ALC and found work elsewhere and I stayed away many years. When a family crisis occurred and I was alone with my son, I was given an opportunity to return to work at ALC Crafts. I went to the cell group meetings but I had built a high wall keeping me believing some and disbelieving some of what I heard. I prayed inconsistently and most often only when I had problems. Sitting sewing for long periods of time brought about back problems which I worked on healing for many years. The doctor finally had me do an MRI and found I had a herniated disc. I was doing physical therapy exercises at work one day and couldn’t get up or move my legs. I didn’t even think to pray but my Christian friends took me to the hospital where the doctor wanted to operate on me. I remember only having great fear at that time and finally prayed and asked God to lift the symptoms I had so I wouldn’t need an operation. A great miracle happened after that as I was able to move my body and the symptoms slowly disappeared. I couldn’t believe that God did this for me. Since then I have fully believed in God, destroyed the wall and hard heart that separated me from Him. I

chose to follow Him and was baptized..

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During the Covid shutdown, many jobs were lost all over Thailand. Her nephew and his wife came back to live with her sister and Iiya needed to find housing elsewhere. She found a housekeepers job at an apartment complex in the city and is now planning to return to Bangkok to join us when ALC Crafts reopens. Pray for this season of change and transition for many of our ALC friends.