Being an international student from a country where there are less than one percent evangelicals give me a unique background as a seminary student. I grew up in a Buddhist family and was surrounded by a culture which places much of its focus on merits and the idea of earning things through one's action, which applies to the Buddhist conception of salvation. When I first heard the gospel in high school, I had a difficult time accepting the message because the idea that Jesus bore the sins and the penalty for sinners goes against the concept of earning salvation and rewards, whether in this life or next, through one's merit. At the same time, my religious backgrounds made me realize that actions have consequences, and that I am responsible for my actions, including those that are sinful. That further helps me realize my need for a savior, one who has to pay for the penalty of the sins I commit in order that I may have salvation. Sin has consequences, yet, the consequences are more severe than what I was taught under Buddhism. The penalty of sins is not something I can take responsibility of by trying to improve my actions, rather, I had to confess my responsibility of my sins and trust Jesus as the one who died and was raised for my salvation instead of trying to fix my actions on my own terms. If I ended up moving back home to Thailand and serve there, my background will be useful as a common ground and a bridge to gospel conversations. Roughly ninety-five percent of the populations identified as Buddhists, and while there are significant theological and philosophical diversity in Buddhism presented in Thailand, there are common beliefs in the role of merit in salvation and spiritual life. My background will not only serve as a common ground in conversations, it will also allow me to share my story of how Jesus opened my eyes to see the peril of a system which places the ultimate trust in one's own work and merit. The strong belief in the necessity of the consequences of one's action will also open the door for the people I will be evangelizing to to come face to face with the reality of their sinfulness and their consequences, opening the door to the story of Jesus being shared as God's provisions for the problem of their sins. My fluency in Thai will also help me accurately share the gospel there. If I ended up serving in a church in the United States, I do not believe that my background will be an obstacle or hinderance to my future ministry. There are increasing numbers of westerners exploring and converted to Buddhism, or at least what people here understand to be what Buddhism is. My background will come in handy in ministering to those who are "spiritual, but not religious", and those who are exploring different religions. In ministering to them, I hope to be able to help them working through their spiritual struggle by helping them see their greatest need. At the same time, my background will be helpful in helping people see the inadequacy of the merit-base religion they are seeking to pursue, which will open the door for gospel conversation and the opportunity for Jesus to be shared, for the spirit to work in the heart of the hearer, and for God to be glorified through the salvation of those who come to Him in faith and repentance.