My name is Wayne Sehmish. In the past, I worked with Bro. Hershel Case as assistant pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Brisbane, Australia, and later became pastor there. I married my wife, Suzanne, in 1988. We have three children: Sarah, age twenty-four; Justin, age twenty-two; and Curtis, age thirteen. Justin and his wife are expecting their first child in January. In 1993, I became senior pastor of our sending church, Good Shepherd Baptist, until the Lord called us to Thailand in 2007.
Thailand has brought us many challenges. The obvious ones are the culture and the language. Suzanne and I both attended language school upon our arrival. I can speak Thai fluently enough to communicate with most of the people I meet. Suzanne can speak some, though she understands more than she can speak. Since Curtis was so young when we arrived, he has mastered the spoken language and is continuing to learn the reading and writing. Most Thai people are friendly enough, but working with them on a close level brings challenges. Because they do not like confrontation, dealing with issues is sometimes frustrating. They usually say what you would want to hear. Another challenge is the cheap quality of many items. We are constantly returning electrical things to have them repaired, and we have ongoing problems with our computers, printers, etc. Yet another challenge is traffic that we face on a daily basis. There are many new cars on the road every day, but the infrastructure lacks the capacity to support the additional vehicles. Hence, going to the store is never a quick trip. In addition, road rules do not mean a whole lot; therefore chaos is often present everywhere we go.
Thailand is ninetyseven percent Buddhist with Buddhism woven into their lives from a very young age. In the minds of many, to be Thai is synonymous with being Buddhist. It is therefore difficult to evangelize the Thai people. Of those that do accept Christ, many face a measure of persecution and rejection from their families. Their decision to become a Christian is sometimes viewed as a betrayal of the family and of the Thai culture. This fact, compounded with the nature of the people— which is to avoid conflict if at all possible—means that many simply prefer not to become Christians rather than to deal with the troubles that Christianity can cause with their families.
We utilize several methods of evangelizing the Thai people. We distribute tracts, booklets, and our church brochures. We also have an animated DVD that we give out, which covers Creation to the Resurrection of Christ. A good number of our people have been saved after watching it. For me personally, I like to meet and work with people on a one-on-one basis. It takes a great deal of time and patience for a friendship and trust to develop. I have had the privilege of leading many souls to the Lord, most of whom are going on well. Many have been the result of a lengthy friendship and the prayer of many co-laborers. In regard to discipleship, our new converts receive one-on-one training and are encouraged to attend all services. I personally take the opportunity to spend time with each person and work with each one through times of fellowship and teaching.
It was almost two years ago that we opened Nakhon Sawan Baptist Church. It was birthed from the small group of young men that God had given me to work with. They all have a unique story. It was quite amazing to learn of the circumstances which led each of them to me and to watch the transformation in their lives when they got saved. These young men come from various backgrounds. It has been encouraging to see what God is doing in and through them. They all have a desire to see their loved ones saved, and they all want to work and become involved in the church. We are currently training these men with the goal of sending them to start a church either in their own village or wherever God leads.
My goal is to purchase some land and build a church and continue training young men for the ministry. If God allows, I would also like to open a school and, in the future, maybe an orphanage. I would even like to open some sort of drug rehabilitation center to help young people who are involved in drug abuse. Drugs are a major problem in Thailand, especially in Nakhon Sawan.
In conclusion, my advice to anyone preparing to serve as a missionary to Australia is to learn the culture and try to understand the Australian mindset. You will be a blessing to us by praying for us. We are aware that of ourselves, we can do nothing but by the grace of God and your prayers.
