Esther Baker
From Buddhist nun to devoted follower of Christ, explore Esther Baker’s profound spiritual journey, including that of God pursuing her, even while living in a Buddhist temple.
“When we come to Jesus, the Truth, then the meaning of all things begins to be restored. Truth is so beautiful. Apart from it, all meaning, even being itself, is lost. To be unable to glimpse truth, to verbalize it, to see its fullness in all creation, to hope for its fullness in our eternal life, is to know emptiness.”
Leanne Payne, Newsletter, Pastoral Care Ministries, Summer, 2008
I once was a buddhist nun
“I was known for my strong faith in Buddhism and hadn’t ever really doubted the purpose of living like this. Until now. I had begun seriously to doubt Buddhism. This had never happened before and I was inwardly shaken and somewhat bewildered as a result…”
Buddhism in the light of Christ
“Esther’s stories reflect a rich understanding and insights drawn from her own personal experience as a Buddhist nun and also from years of living and teaching in contexts where a
Buddhist worldview prevails (Thailand)… This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand Buddhism from a biblical worldview.”
Ruth Wall
Change The Map
It was a true privilege to sit down with Jacob for a talk about charting new directions. I shared my 13-year journey as a Buddhist nun, the miracle of my conversion, and the power of inner healing ministry in Thailand. The Lord works in mysterious ways!
Inspired
Simon Guillebaud Podcast:
I had the honour of being interviewed by Simon regarding my testimony of being a Buddhist nun for his Podcast “Inspired”. It came out on 13th Feb. 2025 If you are interested, you can listen to it on the following links:
Premier Plus
Evangelising to Buddhists amid Dalai Lama power struggles
The spiritual secrets of a former Buddhist nun revealed. Alongside experts, we confront the raw geopolitical tension surrounding the Dalai Lama’s power struggles and ask the most urgent question: How do you effectively share the Gospel with those rooted in ancient tradition? Click to hear the whole story.
READ:
This Article First appeared on 14/7/23 issue of Christianity Today in English
Please click under “ENGLISH” to read the Article in Korean
“I dedicated years to meditation, teaching others the Dharma, and seeking enlightenment. Yet, if Buddhism was the ultimate truth, why did I feel this persistent, aching emptiness deep inside?”
Click to read the whole story.
Preaching at:
Tyndale Baptist Church,
Reading
Sunday 7th December 2025, 10:30
Sharing at:
St.
Lawrence Guild, Bradfield Parish Church, Essex
Tuesday 21st July 2026. 14:15
Esther Baker (pseudonym for Sue Hunt), an author and former missionary to Thailand, has been on an incredible journey in her search for truth. She documents this in her two books: I Once was a Buddhist Nun (IVP UK, 2009) and Buddhism in the Light of Christ (Wipf and Stock USA, 2014). Esther grew up in England and, at the age of eighteen, moved to London to study at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew.
Soon after qualifying, her long-suppressed spiritual side suddenly erupted, demanding answers to existential questions like: “Who am I?” and “What happens when you die?” This deep need for truth led her to explore Buddhism, and she later became a Buddhist nun of the Thai Theravada tradition for seven and a half years, living in Thai-style Buddhist temples in England. As a dedicated Buddhist nun, she committed herself to a life of meditation and detachment from the world, willing to give up whatever was necessary to follow the Buddha’s path.
However, completely unexpectedly, that was all to change dramatically. To her great astonishment, Jesus began to make Himself known to her within the Buddhist temple, resulting in the complete collapse of her long-held Buddhist faith. After leaving the temple in 1991, she spent three years in a Bible-based church building up her newfound Christian faith, after which many adventures with the Lord began. These include serving in Jackie Pullinger’s ministry in Hong Kong (1994-1997) and training with the Rev. Andrew Comiskey in California, USA (1998), before returning to Thailand as a missionary to the Thai people in 1999.
Esther spent over twenty years in Thailand, establishing and leading Living Waters Ministry in both Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani. Living Waters is a Christian discipleship and inner healing ministry, running various programs, trainings, seminars, and offering individual help. Esther was led by the Lord to return to the UK in 2024, from where she now serves Him. She enjoys gardening, bird watching, and generally marvelling at God’s amazing creation.
