Lailah Thabatah

The World’s Her Classroom

When spring break hits—or summer vaca—or just a longish weekend—Lailah Thabatah is out the door and on a plane, ready to share the Savior and her own servant’s heart with strangers.

She’s served on 10—yes, 10!—Daylight ministry trips as an MLC student. She’s taught English in China, done hurricane cleanup in Puerto Rico, canvassed in Washington, taught VBS in Idaho, and led an art camp in NYC—and that’s just the half of it.

“Ministry, outreach, and traveling are my passions, and Daylight is all of those put together!” she says. “You get to meet all different kinds of people. You learn so much, and you get to see how exciting and fun ministry will be.”

Campus Pastor John Boeder calls Lailah a “Daylight volunteer extraordinaire,” and he’s channeled that enthusiasm into a job: Lailah is the student assistant for the program.

Teacher IN THE MAKING: Medical school had always been Lailah’s plan. “None of my family are called workers, I loved anatomy and science, and Minnesota just seemed too far away for a Michigan girl.” But with encouragement from MLS tutors and professors—especially Professor Rebecca Berg, Professor Andrew Naumann, and Tutor Justin Eternick—she says, “I took the plunge, and I immediately knew I made the right decision. MLC became home. You know all the students, and most of the professors know you by name and do everything in their power to help you succeed. You go to chapel every day, and you all have the same goal: to spread the Word of God. I love it here more than anything, and I can’t wait to have my own classroom one day!”

What kind of classroom? With an urban ministry / Spanish minor packed in her bag, she’d love to teach abroad or in an urban setting—any place she can help break down a language or culture barrier so kids can hear the Word. “There are so many calls I would love to receive,” she says, “but unfortunately, I can only get one.”

Lailah’s Advice to You: “PRAY. PRAY. PRAY. And don’t worry, because no matter where you go, you’ll have God in your life and somehow, some way, it will be the right decision. I’d also suggest to do what you love and have a passion for, not what makes you the most money. In my opinion, as a teacher trained at MLC, we are saving lives, little tiny human souls, through the Holy Spirit, and nothing gets better than that.”