CCCGW’s short-term mission trip to Thailand took place from September 17–25 and served as a vision trip to explore future ministry opportunities. The team consisted of Pastor David Rim, brothers Tony Woo, Jim Chen, and John Kong. Their hosts, Mike and Dara Rasavanh, are based at the Lamkrajao Worship Center in Nakhon Pathom Province, approximately two hours outside of Bangkok.

Throughout the trip, the team shared with the local church and village, ministered to students from elementary through high school in both public and Christian schools, and participated in a special annual joint service for all Christian churches in District 11 of the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT), which commemorates Dr. Clark, the first missionary to the region. The team also had the opportunity to visit Pastor Thaung Myint at the Samutsongkram Outreach Center.

Brothers John, Tony, and Jimmy, each shared their personal thoughts and reflections from the trip below:

John Kong: “God Truly Works in Mysterious Ways”

God works in mysterious ways. This trip was described to me as a “vision trip,” though I had no idea what that meant or what would be expected of me—other than sharing my story with people in Thailand. To my surprise, this journey became an eye-opening experience.

There was a lady, non-believer, who prayed to God asking if He is truly God, then to please help her overcome her cancer.  Her cancer disappeared.  I think she might have been one of the first believers in her village.  She is now the oldest Christian in the handful of people at the Lamkrajao Worship Center. 

Another lady, a non-believer, who really wanted to try for first time to come to church, prayed to God for her first time that if he was truly God, he would help her finish selling all her products, which was an impossible task that had never happened for her, in order for her to get to church on time. And then all these people came out of nowhere and bought all her products just in time for her to get to church. She is now a believer. There was a husband, a non-believer, who left his Christian wife, only to turn around while driving away after hearing from God to return to his wife, during the same time that the congregation was praying for them at church. He is now a believer. 

And, there was a Myanmar convict with a lifetime sentence in a Thai prison for drug trafficking. Through the work of the prison ministry, he became curious as to why a westerner would go all the way to Thailand, to a maximum-security prison, to hand out toothbrushes. His curiosity led to him finding out about the Bible, reading the Bible, and learning about God. When his suffering and misery in prison seemed endless and was praying for some kind release and healing, he saw Christ envelop him and felt saved. 

This Myanmar convict felt that he was no longer a prisoner in prison, and that his vision of Christ cleared his mind and soul to a path for his salvation. He dedicated his life to Christ, studying the Bible, learning Thai and English in the process, doing prison ministry himself, and eventually converting hundreds of prisoners. His multilingual skills allowed him to serve the prison as a translator. After all his good works, he eventually received a pardon from the King as part of a general amnesty given to select convicts.  He also eventually finished his seminary at Church of Christ (CCT) in Thailand and became a pastor. 

After receiving a commission from CCT to start an Evangelical Church in a small town, he went door-to-door in his grassroots evangelizing to locals and migrant workers to develop a huge congregation, from zero.  During his ministry, and with his certification in Thai massage, he helped heal a person who could not stand up straight, to stand up straight, through prayers and his Thai massage skills. And, he helped a person who could not move after suffering from a stroke, to move. He is a pastor who cultivates relationships with the people around him. Because his congregation is now so big, he holds Christmas celebrations in a local Buddhist temple!

Thailand remains a developing country. Decrepit buildings stand everywhere. Run-down houses and shacks built from corrugated sheet metal line the roads. A brother on our trip commented that he didn’t see any “homeless people” in the way we might imagine—ragged individuals on street corners begging for handouts. I corrected him: everyone in these villages is essentially homeless in that sense. Everyone is in the same situation, so there is no one to beg from. Yet even in these conditions, children still find ways to eat, play, and laugh. Adults scrape together a modest living, often by working the land or the nearby farms. These villages survive by leaning on one another. Their sense of community is strong.

It is in this environment that Mike and Dara draw on their Tai Dam heritage to build relationships with villages steeped in ancestral worship—reaching one village at a time, one villager at a time, one child at a time. In this same setting, Mike and Dara—together with Pastor Mack and his wife—work alongside local Christian churches and schools to strengthen ties with the wider Christian community, a community that is slowly growing with each generation. Their dedication, and that of other missionaries, is planting seeds that will bear fruit for years to come.

Part of Mike and Dara’s vision is to provide after-school programs with English lessons and computer classes for children in the Tai Dam villages—helping plant seeds of faith in future generations.

God bless our church’s mission trips. It was a privilege to witness all of this firsthand and to be spiritually revitalized through this experience.

As we talked about our sharing, during our second or third day into this trip, one brother (and I) had questions about the process and what “sharing” meant. As soon as he opened his bible app, the “Mission of the Church” popped up, exactly on point – apparently as God had planned. Based on Matthew 28:19-20, it summarized that “The Great Commission” begins with getting up and going to places where people need to hear about the good news of Jesus, and that the ultimate goal of the Great Commission is to make followers of Jesus. As for “sharing,” it stated, “So as we go about sharing the good news of Jesus with people, we’re to show people how Jesus has changed our lives, and invite them to discover Jesus for themselves” and that “Jesus intended for every believer to be making disciples.”

When I wrote this summary, I investigated this further and, in the footnotes from the ESV Bible, “make disciples” means “call individuals to commit to Jesus as Master and Lord.” It also stated that the word “teaching” “is a means by which disciples of Jesus are continually transformed in order to become more like Christ.” So, another impact to me from this trip was that I had somehow been transformed into a “disciple,” tiptoeing into The Great Commission, without even knowing nor appreciating it during the trip

God truly works in mysterious ways.

Tony Woo: “Sacrifice, Fear, Love, and Joy”

I would like to thank CCCGW for the opportunity to join the Thailand missions trip. It was a meaningful time to experience and understand a new culture. The freedoms we enjoy in the United States are often taken for granted. Some key words that come to mind when I reflect on this trip are sacrifice, fear, love, and joy.

Mike and Dara Rasavanh were exceptional hosts who have sacrificed so much. Instead of enjoying a comfortable retired life in the States, they chose to serve as missionaries in Thailand, supporting the church at Lamkrajao Worship Center. I was saddened to learn that they rarely have opportunities to see their grandchildren grow up, but I was deeply moved by their faithfulness and their eagerness to reach the Thai people—especially those in the nearby village of Lamkrajao. They consistently care for the community by providing rice, food, supplements, and snacks to children, and they have built a strong influence within nearby Christian schools as well.

One thing that stood out to me throughout Thailand was the presence of spirit houses on nearly every property. These small, beautifully decorated structures often look nicer than the homes themselves. They are believed to house the spirits of deceased family members or invited spirits that people think will bring them prosperity. This is where fear takes root and turns hearts away from the Lord. We heard a story about a church member who had passed away. His daughter-in-law, who was not a believer, dreamed of his spirit wandering around the home because he had removed their spirit house after becoming a Christian. Family members who attended the church became frightened by the story and stopped coming.

My favorite part of the trip was visiting the Samutsongkram Outreach Center. This place is defined by love. Pastor Thaung Myint, who leads the center, was once an inmate in a high-security prison. His journey to Christ began when an American woman visited the prison to hand out simple items like toothpaste and food. He wondered why someone would travel all the way from America just to show kindness to people in a small Thai prison. That single act of love changed his heart and led him to devote his life to the Lord. Over time, he learned multiple languages, served and shared the gospel within the prison by teaching and translating, became a pastor, and even became a certified Thai masseuse. He eventually opened the outreach center, which now has a good-sized congregation. He shared testimonies of healing through his massage ministry—people who struggled to walk were restored—and even stories of being granted permission to hold a Christmas service and celebration on Buddhist-controlled land. His heart for the Lord is enormous, and he longs to reach both local residents and immigrant farm workers in the area. Please pray for him as he hopes to build a larger church.

Listening to the testimonies of the members at our host church and spending time with the children in the village brought great joy to my heart. Some of the testimonies included a tumor disappearing, a vendor selling all of her goods in record time so she could attend worship, and a husband who—after leaving home in frustration because his wife became a Christian—returned because the Lord spoke to him.

I also had the chance to lead children’s games at the Lamkrajao Village Community. Watching the kids play a simple game of musical chairs, hearing their laughter, and seeing their excitement warmed my heart. The presence of grandmothers and mothers who came along brought an even bigger smile to my face. It was a beautiful outreach opportunity for the entire village, especially the children.

Please pray for Thailand, where Christians make up only about 2% of the population. Pray for Mike and Dara—that God would strengthen them as they minister to the Thai people, especially in the Lamkrajao Village. Pray for their church, Lamkrajao Worship Center: for their children’s ministries in computer and English classes, for the discernment needed in selecting a new lead pastor next year, for the renovation of the older church building, and for continued spiritual growth. And please pray for future opportunities for our church to support this ministry.

Jim Chen: “I Would Like to Continue Visiting Them”

Thailand has an overwhelming need for the gospel, because 99% of the people there practice Buddhism, animism or ancestral worship. Many homes have spirit houses because people live in constant fear of evil spirits or demons. I personally felt the presence of evil spirits while staying at a hotel that was filled with idols and a huge spirit house by the entrance. We should pray for Dara and Mike to help them stay strong when they combat evil spirits that try to interfere with their ministry. 

The church also has significant financial needs. It is located in a very poor area with high unemployment and limited access to education or job opportunities. To help the community, the church has begun offering computer learning classes, but they need additional iPads and computers. They also need to replace the roof of the old church building which costs approximately USD $7,000 and hope to renovate future dormitories and construct a new building to serve as a marketplace for local residents. These plans are currently on hold as they await Pastor Mack’s decision on whether he will renew his position.

Mike and Dara were very hospitable and showed us a lot of love during our stay. I felt a sense of family while I was staying with them. I consider them as a brother and sister in Christ. I would like to support them with prayers and provide financial support. I would like to continue visiting them either annually or every two years in the future.