The Hard Knock Life

About a year and a half ago, Niw received a phone call from a concerned mom: “Tibet has been arrested for selling drugs!" she said. Obviously disheartened at her son's poor choices, she also expressed the hope that Tibet's sentence to juvenile detention brought her. Maybe this will turn him around, she thought.

When Tibet was a preteen, his dad passed away and his mom remarried and moved hours away from the city which meant that Tibet would have to move into a youth home in Chiang Mai in order to continue going to school. At the youth home, he was influenced by older kids and, in turn, became a regular drinker and smoker and soon dropped out of middle school.

At age 16, a friend hired him to deliver drugs. On his very first delivery, he was stopped by the police for looking suspicious. They found the drugs. Tibet was arrested and sent to the juvenile detention center.

Not long after that, Tibet's mom called Niw again. “Tibet is asking for you. He wants you to come visit," she said. Niw visited Tibet, making the best of opportunities to encourage him. On September 1st, Tibet was released and during his release procedure Niw shared with the juvenile detention center officers that we, Prosperous Youth Foundation (PYF), would welcome Tibet to live at our office (with two of our male staff) to continue mentoring him and helping him get on track.

Over lunch on the day of his release, Tibet told Niw about one of many conversations that he had with Pat, the leader of the juvenile detention center's Christian club:

Pat: Tibet, when did you become a Christian?
Tibet: I was born into a Christian family.
Pat: No, I don't mean like that.
Tibet: Oh…I was baptized at age 12.
Pat: No, I mean, when did you make a decision to receive Jesus into your heart?

Tibet was confused. “Aren't I a Christian because my parents were Christians?" Through many more conversations, Tibet made the decision to follow Jesus just three weeks prior to his release. It was a decision that triggered great change for Tibet: an authentic desire to change his path and to learn more about this God.

This past Monday Tibet enrolled in a local bible institute! He will also be volunteering at a local church and with PYF's ministries. Please pray for Niw as he mentors Tibet and pray for Tibet as he turns his life around. Additionally, pray for our upcoming youth conferences in October where more than 500 youth will hear Tibet give his testimony! Pray that God will use his story to impact these youth, many of whom are in the same situation that Tibet was in not many years ago.