MISIUNE

In the bustling heart of Los Angeles, where palm trees sway against Hollywood hills and the distant hum of traffic blends with ocean breezes, 11-year-old Sofia wakes in her cozy Echo Park apartment to the chime of a small meditation bell.

From a Thai-American family with Buddhist roots, she starts her day lighting incense before a home altar, joining Mom and Dad sharing mango sticky rice and fresh pho noodle soup around the kitchen table.

Sofia grabs her skateboard, backpack slung over one shoulder, weaving through colorful murals and food trucks to her public school. Mornings buzz with maths drills, science experiments on solar panels, and English lit discussing dreams like those in Langston Hughes poems.

At recess, she joins friends for kickball on the asphalt court, trading Pokémon cards and high-fives under the California sun.

Afternoons mean homework at the community center, where Sofia helps with art projects, her thanaka paste swirls on cheeks from family tradition.

She zooms to soccer practice on the grassy field, dribbling past cones and cheering teammates amid laughter.

Evenings unwind on the balcony overlooking Dodger Stadium lights, grilling satay skewers and practicing loving-kindness meditations for peace.

One vibrant afternoon at the park, Sofia pauses her kickball game, eyes widening as a joyful group is surrounding a street preacher. In the group there are new believers in Jesus, arms raised in praise, sharing how His forgiveness broke their life’s heavy cycles.

“Jesus loves you freely, no striving needed,” one whispers to the kids.

She was shocked to learn this, and began to ponder what that meant. That night, alone with her thoughts, Sofia prays to Jesus for the first time, feeling a warm peace flood her heart like sunlight piercing LA smog - changing everything, from fear to fearless joy.

She began to look for other Christian children in school she could read the Bible with and learn more about Jesus from. They were very welcoming, and soon her faith was growing every day!

Her family began to notice a difference in her. They began to ask questions and she brought them to the group of Christians she had been learning from in the after-school program. At first they were angry with her, but as she continued to pray for them their hearts changed.

After many years, her mother became a Christian and both of them would pray together at night for the rest of their families. It was slow work, but God was moving in their hearts and knew that soon they would bring many more to know Him!

Colour Sofia and her friend with a skateboard in Los Angeles.

Today’s language is Thai. Try saying hello and thank you using the words on the page.

As you colour and learn new words, pray for Buddhist people everywhere who do not know Jesus yet.