MMN June Mag 2026 Online - Flipbook - Page 10
enlightenment. Comparing Chris琀椀anity to Buddhism through the lens
of this worldview, it is easy to understand why Thai non-believers
perceive Jesus’ teaching to that of
Siddhartha Gautama. Morally, both
agree on many things. Peaceful living, honesty, kindness, compassion
and generosity are just a few examples of the hallmarks of living life
well echoed throughout both theologies. In short, not only is conversion seen by many as an abandonment of their cultural heritage, but
also as trading their belief system
for one that is apparently analogous to what they already follow!
However, it has also been because
of these similari琀椀es that disability
ministry has radically altered the
way the gospel is being understood. Disability is where these two
philosophies diverge. Where Buddhism teaches personal culpability
for you or your loved one’s condi琀椀on, Chris琀椀anity speaks of a loving
God who created you on purpose,
with a purpose. Where Buddhism
teaches personal responsibility for
improving your karmic standing
through gaining merit and moral
ac琀椀ons, Chris琀椀anity emphasises
that there is nothing we can do
to a昀昀ect God’s love for us. We all
have sinned and fallen short of the
glory of God, and we are all made
blameless in His eyes only through
His son, Jesus. This message not
9
only provided an avenue of hope
and acceptance to families living
under a cloud of resigned isola琀椀on,
but it also e昀昀ec琀椀vely reshaped the
gospel message to en琀椀re communi琀椀es in a way they have never
heard before.
Stronger Together
In 2022, Stronger Together was
founded with the purpose of using this pla琀昀orm to minister to the
lives of families a昀昀ected by disabili琀椀es through churches throughout
Thailand, providing tangible, needed assistance to those in need, as
well as introducing families to a life
of hope in a body of believers that
loves and accepts them as they
are. That 昀椀rst year, we set a goal to
