What do eggs have to do with Easter?

Unlike the Western culture where I grew up, in Thailand we had none of the traditional reminders that Easter was approaching.  There were no decorations in the stores, no jelly beans to buy, no advertisements for egg hunts in the park, no chocolate bunnies in the market, no baskets overflowing with plastic grass.  Honestly, many times I forgot it was the Easter season all together. 

Most Thai people have never heard of Easter unless they are Christians (only 1.33% of the population according to Joshua Project), have Christian friends, or have had extensive Western exposure.  If they have heard of Easter, they usually are more familiar with the eggs and bunnies than the real meaning.

A full class for Sunday School on Easter

On Easter morning, when I asked the kids in Sunday School, "What is Easter?"

It was no surprise to me that they hesitated then responded, "Eggs...and rabbits!"

So I asked them a question that many of my Thai friends, both Jesus followers and not-yet Jesus followers, had asked me in the days leading up to Easter,  "What do eggs have to do with Easter?"

I got a lot of blank stares, so I helped connect the dots.  "Inside an egg is a baby chicken, right?   A new life.  When Jesus died and rose from the grave after three days, he had a new life, and if we believe in him we can have a new life too."

The kids helped read the full story in Thai and then illustrated the main points.  By the end of class they could retell the Easter story, and they had a new connection between eggs and Easter.  

Guards at an empty tomb!

Jesus made time for children, so my team and I want to do the same.  Our hope and prayer is that God opens the hearts of these children to truly understand His Word and through them, their families also come to know Christ.