If my calculation is correct, I was probably in grade 5 in 1996. Around Christmas time, my English teacher, Khru Warin, prepared special lessons for us about Christmas. I loved it because we got to sing Christmas songs, enjoy snacks, and exchange small gifts. That class also made me fall in love with learning English. December was always a little cooler than usual, and with the Christmas atmosphere, everything felt wonderful.

I often wondered who Jesus really was, but I never had the courage to ask my teacher. I was just a kid, after all. lol. As the years went by, every Christmas I would sit in front of the TV, watching news about celebrations around the world.

Fast forward to 2004, my first year in university. I came across a group called “San Sai Yai,” members of Our Home Chapel who were inviting people to join their annual English Camp. It took me a few weeks to decide, but eventually I joined—and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life.

The camp, of course, was run by Christians who wanted to share about God. Since I had always been curious to know Him, I started going to church. The person who looked after me back then was P’Honey.

A few months after I was baptized, one of the church members asked if I wanted to help the worship team by preparing PowerPoint slides for announcements and worship songs. That sparked my interest in working with computers, because I wanted everything on the screen to look beautiful. From there, I started learning programs, Photoshop, video editing, and other creative tools.

The church also opened an English School, taught by American missionaries. It gave me even more chances to practice English—on top of the music, movies, and TV series I was already learning from. Eventually, I had the chance to teach English to kids aged 4–12 and later worked as a staff member at the school.

A few years later, one of the church members opened a travel agency, and I joined as a tour assistant. My job was to take care of mission teams from the US, Canada, and Australia. I got to travel to the north, visit hill tribes, and support different churches. We built classrooms for Burmese refugee children, donated food and medical supplies, taught in local schools, organized English camps, and shared the gospel. Sometimes I even worked as an interpreter—translating sermons from English to Thai. That was one of the coolest things I ever got to do.

I learned so much from my time with the church. Honestly, everything I am today is rooted in those experiences. If I hadn’t met those people, I can’t imagine what my life would look like now. Even though I haven’t gone to church for about two years, it doesn’t mean I don’t believe in God. I’ve faced many struggles, and He has always been there to help me through them. He’s never late—always on time. One day, when I’m ready, I might return to church.

I was born Buddhist, but I chose to follow Christ in 2004. It’s been ten years, and I’ve never regretted that decision.

Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, and for me, it’s always a reminder of Him and how grateful I am for everything He has done in my life. Maybe it sounds crazy, but I believe it’s important to hold on to something that gives us faith and keeps us moving forward.

Merry Christmas, everyone! And Happy Birthday, baby Jesus.