Former Westie conquers Thailand

Media Release 3 September 2009

Former Westie conquers Thailand

AUCKLAND — When former Lynfield College student Laurie Turner left school at age 17 to join the army, the last thing he thought he’d be doing with his life was learning a foreign language and working as a volunteer missionary in the hills of Thailand.

A former Warrant Officer, he was in the army for twenty years and stationed around New Zealand and Asia with catering responsibilities. After an exciting career he eventually left with dreams of owning his own restaurant with his wife Wandee, who he met on army station in Singapore. But at the last minute he decided not to sign the papers in the venture and became a minister instead.

Since then the couple have worked in Malaysia and various areas of Thailand. Currently they have over a million people to talk to in an area 250km by 80km, which they get around on a small 125cc motorbike. Laurie’s even conquered the language – something he had always wanted to do and is now fluent enough to preach to locals in the northeastern region of Phetchabun where they live.

Before this major change of direction, Laurie says that although successful in his work he dealt with stress through a violent temper and compulsive gambling. But a chance meeting over the fence with a Jehovah’s Witness who was waiting on a Waitakere street for a friend got him reading and thinking about life.

“Until then, all I read were the ‘Best Bets’. But I became interested in the debate about Creation versus evolution, and found the logical answers I was looking for,” says Laurie.

After considerable study he was convinced that there was a Creator who is interested in people. He also saw the need to make some changes and was able to conquer a few other things too.

“I was really impressed with this clean-living group of people that I had found,” says Laurie. “I stopped gambling cold turkey, and cut back the drinking, and my wife gave up smoking. As I dealt positively with my anger our marriage improved too.”

After 10 years in the tropics Laurie and his wife have returned to New Zealand for a brief visit to catch up with friends and family before heading back to their assignment in Thailand.

While in Auckland, they will be attending a free event - the ‘Keep on the Watch’ district convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses at the Telstra Clear Events Centre in Manukau City this weekend, 4-6 September. This will give interested members of the public sound Bible based information on what the near future holds, and on how to have rewarding personal and family lives.

“We’ve enjoyed our visit back to New Zealand, but we’re also keen to get back to Thailand. We have plenty of work to do there,” says Laurie.

ENDS

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