“I would say to be patient and confident in God. Pray and wait on God with hope.”
Those are the words of Adun, one of the 12 boys trapped last summer — along with their soccer coach — in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in the Chiang Rai Province of Thailand.
The Wild Boar team members were stuck in the cave for a mind-boggling 17 days before a harrowing, three-day rescue led to their escape. Now, one year later, Adun’s faith is flourishing.
Before the accident, Adun said his life was pretty mundane. It was good, but it was normal. He went to school from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., then he would head to soccer practice, which would end between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Then he’d go back to the church hostel where he lives for dinner. He usually ended his day by doing homework and having a little quiet time reading his Bible before he went to bed.
He described his life as “very laid-back” and even admitted it was “nothing exciting,” according to a recent post from Compassion International, a humanitarian aid organization sponsoring Adun.
All of that, though, has changed.
Now, in addition to going to school, competing in soccer matches, and attending church services and events, Adun’s free time is spent making occasional media appearances and traveling to events. He’s become something of a celebrity.
Adun’s parents traveled to Thailand from Myanmar years ago. Although they have since moved back home, they — like many parents — left their son at the church hostel in Thailand, where he would have more opportunities.
The hostel is a Compassion-assisted center and it’s where Adun still lives.
Looking back on the one-year anniversary of being rescued from the cave, Adun said help came from God “during the hardest time.”
“I very intently prayed, and God answered me with His help,” Adun said. “It was me and God together facing that situation, and I am thankful to Him for helping me get out of the cave.”
Life is looking up for Adun, who recently accepted a full-ride scholarship to attend a college preparatory boarding school in New York. He has completed all the government forms necessary to study abroad and is working on his English so he can transfer to the U.S.-based school as soon as possible.
“I’m so glad,” Adun said. “This means starting a new life.”
When asked what kind of advice he would give other teenagers going through stressful and difficult times, he said this: “I would say to be patient and confident in God. Pray and wait on God with hope.”