The Chronicle of International Network of Thai Overseas
Background
The Christian and Missionary Alliance had since its inception longed for a major evangelistic breakthrough into the Buddhist world. Many Buddhist countries in Asia are considered closed or limited access nations (LAN'S). Within this region remains one of the greatest remaining people clusters impenetrable by the gospel.
Thailand is uniquely situated in this region both geographically and politically as a gateway into all parts of Asia. The country has policies that presently allow for incredible openness to the church and to numerous avenues of Christian activity. The vast majority (50-60 million) of Thailand's population is compromised from what has been ethno-linguistically described as the "Thai" gateway people cluster. This missiologically key cluster is made up of 15-23 million "Northeastern" Thai, overlapping the border of Laos, 5 million "Southern" Thai with an additional 1.5 million of this group which adhere to Islam and 20-25 million Thai "Central". Presently an extremely small percentage of these groups (0.04%) are Evangelical Christian after 175 years of Christian mission and church planting.
Today, due to difficult economic conditions, widespread breakdown of the family and a resulting prevailing attitude of hopelessness, Thailand appears more open to the gospel than ever before. In the capital city of Bangkok with an estimated population of more than 10 million, God is raising up small but vibrant worship communities both within and outside of the C&MA that have emerging resources in need of coordination. The Thais are internationally renowned as one of the most gracious and hospitable peoples. Hundred of thousands of Thai students, laborers and professionals are scattered throughout large cities, educational campuses and labor markets within large cities in Asia and around the world. They are truly our neighbors (Adapted from APAC minutes).
Brief Background of Target People
Thai people, a total of 63 million live mainly in Thailand and some live overseas. Currently up to 1 million Thai nationals are living overseas. The overseas Thai can be divided into 4 categories: 1. Thai immigrants, 2. Students, 3. Thai contract workers and the Thai living overseas without official status. It is the latter three categories that we are targeting to reach for Christ. From the three categories, the Thai overseas contract workers are the main target group at present. There are more than 400 thousand Thais working as overseas contract workers in various countries of the Asia Pacific region and other parts of the world. The majority of the Thai overseas workers are Northeasterners. It is the largest, and by far, the poorest region in Thailand. Because of economic difficulty, many of these people leave the region to work as contract workers in different parts of the world. Here in lies an unprecedented opportunity for partnership.
There are several good reasons why we chose to reach Thai overseas. First, when people leave their natural environment, they will start to see the world differently. Then, without a family and community that constantly reinforces their religion, people become more open to explore new ideas and to the gospel. Second, Thai overseas often face physical and emotional hardships which may soften their hearts towards Jesus. Third, Contract workers are often the breadwinners and so they have greater freedom and influence in their families and communities. Lastly, when they return back to Thailand, bringing with them their new found faith in Christ, they will reach out to their families and help build their national church.
The Partnership Formation
The Alliance World Fellowship is divided into 4 international regional areas. The regional area in the Pacific region is called the Asia Pacific Alliance Churches (APAC). Dr. Roger Lang serves both as the APAC coordinator and chairman of the APAC executive committee.
Like the other 3 international regional areas, the Asia Pacific Alliance Churches region is fully committed to help accomplish the vision of the Alliance World Fellowship in relation to the Great Commission in the entire of the Asia Pacific region and worldwide.
To begin the work and look for possible partnerships, the executive committee held several series of consultations. After a series of consultations and travailing in prayer, God honored and answered prayer. He gave a special interest and burden to the APAC executive committee to assist and help strengthen the need of the Gospel Church of Thailand (C&MA National Church in Thailand) in winning the Thai Buddhist all over Asia.
This potential partnership ministry was explored for the first twelve months. The first meeting was held in Bangkok, Thailand on April 24-25, 2001, without a clear target group in mind. The meeting was also attended by 10 leaders from the C&MA related ministries. Rev. Reg Reimer of Interdev was the facilitator.
On August 27-28, 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand, a new and unique joint partnership project to reach Thai overseas was born! The project was called International Network of Thai Overseas (INTO). When INTO was formed, immediately there was a sense of unity, excitement and expression of commitment among the forming participants to support the project in terms of prayer, finances and personnel. The APAC executive committee appointed Rev. Edward Ng, a missionary from Canada, as the INTO strategic project facilitator. After which, a close cooperation with the Gospel Church of Thailand has taken place.
The International Network of Thai Overseas exists in order to facilitate partnership among Asia Pacific Alliance Churches, helping the Gospel Church of Thailand to win Thai overseas to Christ, disciple and integrate them into the national church at home.
The Development of INTO
Several months after INTO was formed, to encourage ownership of the realised project and solidify the partnerships, a full consultation was planned. On September 10-13, 2002, an APAC Conference was held in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference was attended by C&MA national church leaders coming from 14 APAC countries. A "Partnership" seminar and workshops facilitated by INTERDEV staff, gave the participants an excellent understanding of biblical partnership and its benefits. As a result, when INTO was presented and explained, the project received positive responses from the APAC leaders. God worked amazingly that on the final day, all of them expressed their full commitment to support the partnership project in terms of prayers, finances and to research or locate Thai overseas. To sum up, the APAC partners and a few individual C&MA related ministries here in Thailand gave $10,000.00 US towards the INTO operational budget. Then, that evening, the APAC executive committee commissioned Rev. and Mrs. Roland Lumawag, Filipino missionaries, as the new INTO project facilitator.
To ensure that we will achieve the desired purpose, INTO's main objectives are the following: 1. Networking, 2. Local Missions Education, 3. Short Term Missions, 4. Promotion, 5. Missionary Training.
In the past 2-3 years, we have witnessed the mighty hand of God upon the INTO project. He blessed it by graciously helping INTO to accomplish its objectives and goals. God has blessed and encouraged us as we have networked with some of our APAC partners such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and with other Missions organisations The partnership has fostered stronger relationships between APAC leaders and other closer ties are developing, for example between the C&MA in Thailand and Taiwan.
Through this partnership, the Gospel Church of Thailand has successfully formed its first Missions Committee! It was a big step of faith expressing the passion and readiness of GCT leaders to get involved in a cross-cultural ministry starting with their own people. To help meet this need and assist them to start their Missions program, what they need most is Missions education. God indeed is faithful. After implementing various ways of ministry to educate the Thai churches towards Missions, we have seen wonderful results. The churches were awakened, mobilized and started to get the vision for Missions. It was a new thing as people began to be excited and get involved in God's missionary endeavour from the leadership down to the church members. On top of that, churches began to give towards Missions and several students committed their lives as future missionaries and Missions mobilizers.
Another development that took place was the short term Missions. In 2003 and early this year, INTO sponsored short term Missions trips twice to Taiwan in partnership with our sister church in Taiwan. As a result, about 2,500 Thais were exposed to the gospel. There were 51 individuals who prayed to receive Christ. Seven of those were Thai prisoners who were baptized in December last year. During the second trip, besides evangelism, personal witnessing and tracts distribution, a discipleship training ministry was conducted and about 10 people underwent the training.
Recently, INTO facilitated with the Gospel Church of Thailand to send its first missionary interns in Taiwan in the persons of Pastor and Mrs. Ekarin Khamsiang on March 15, 2004. The couple ministered among the Thai contract workers for a period of one month. This tremendous move was the starting point for the Gospel Church of Thailand to send and support a long term missionary in the very near future!
Where is INTO Heading Now?
Slowly but surely, we want to see that the INTO project continues to move towards its goal. In the near future, INTO will extend its network beyond the Asia Pacific region. Partnering with the Gospel Church of Thailand, we will work together to reach Thai overseas contract workers in the Middle East countries such as: Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, as well as in U.S.A. and Europe.
Then, from the Thai overseas contract workers, God willing, beginning this year, INTO will start an evangelistic outreach among the Thai overseas students. Australia and New Zealand are two of the countries where Thai students go for further education. As of now, there are no Missions organisations or Christian ministries that are targeting this people group.
At this time, a partnership ministry agreement between the C&MA National Church in Taiwan and C&MA National Church in Thailand is in process. INTO is helping in facilitating this new partnership for the GCT to send a Thai missionary to Taiwan in 2005. Under the leadership of Dr. Wilson Tran, the president of the C&MA national church in Taiwan, the Taiwan national church expressed their willingness to help evangelize Thai contract workers by allocating a budget for a Thai missionary to Taiwan.
This year and until next year, INTO plans to sponsor short term Missions trip to the following countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan and South Korea.
Finally, as we continue to mobilize and educate the Gospel Church of Thailand constituency towards greater involvement in the world Missions, we would like to witness that through this collaborative partnership effort, the C&MA national church of Thailand will become a self-sending and self-supporting missionary organisation of the 21st century.
The Challenge
As far as doing Missions is concerned, the C&MA national church in Thailand can be compared to a baby that needs help, support and care from his older brothers (C&MA families around the world) as he grows. For the Gospel Church of Thailand to be on the cutting-edge of Missions, we have to respond the other way around when Cain answered God's question, "Where is your brother Abel?" Instead of responding to God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" we would rather respond to God's question, "Yes, I am my brother's keeper." This is a response of willingness and commitment from us to provide the needed support for the national church in Thailand to reach out to Thai overseas.
What can you do to help? There are several things you can do. First, help locate Thai overseas and network with us. Second, be ambassadors of Christ and show them the genuine love of our Savior. Third, help facilitate and receive short term mission teams and missionaries. Fourth, pray for the INTO project and the Gospel Church of Thailand. Finally, give generously towards the project.