Thailand

Thailand is made up of approximately 1,430 islands. It is the only country in Southeast Asia to have never been colonized and it has a constitutional monarchy much like England. Its beautiful beaches and tropical climate draw millions of tourists each year. In Thailand, there was a time when all males under 20 were required to become a Buddhist monk — if only for a short period. Today, there are over 41,000 Buddhist temples in Thailand and 90 percent of the population is Buddhist. 

KEY CHALLENGES

Thai law entitles all children within the country to free education, though the quality is not highly regulated. The largest proportion of children not receiving a quality education are from disadvantaged communities, migrants, or children living with a disability. 
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our approach

We were never intended to live in poverty, divided against one another, with little hope for peace. In the Kingdom of God, poverty, violence, division, and hopelessness will not exist. We think that the Church is God’s primary transforming agent in the world. The local church is there to make its community more like the Kingdom of God.

Read on to learn how communities are being transformed in Thailand.

Our partners

We have been working with our partners in Thailand since 1995. Holistically ministering to the peoples of the Mekong River Delta (spread throughout several countries), our partners in Southeast Asia are planting churches, discipling believers, and training up leaders. With a strong belief that all of life is sacred and spiritual, our partners in Southeast Asia are building bridges to minister to communities through vocation training, entrepreneurship, and leadership training – reconciling the concept of work to God's intent in creation.

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PROJECTS

Our partners in Thailand largely focus on education. With the largest K-12 school in the region, 1,000 students are being equipped for a better future and an early introduction to the gospel. Nearly 150 students attend our partner’s theology and vocational training school, empowering young adults to learn marketable skills and become self-sufficient, contributing members in their communities. 

GIVE TO PROJECTS LIKE THESE

Gospel Context

Jesus' life, death, and resurrection carry more collective and cosmic tones in South Asia than we often perceive it does in the United States. Cultures largely influenced by Buddhism have stronger family and communal ties, meaning a decision to follow Jesus is often made as a group. It is easier for people from South Asia to see the way the gospel addresses the conflict between different groups of people. Because of these dynamics, the Church is uniquely equipped to care for the needs of refugees and the poor.

Working with local leaders in Thailand, Mission ONE addresses the important topics of honor, shame, and what the gospel says about these cultural influences.

To learn more about how honor and shame interact with the Bible, check out Jackson W.'s book called Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes.

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