FARMS Outeach In Thailand Expands

In October 2002, FARMS launched a new program in northern Thailand in cooperation with a national church organization. This group is working to provide training to Lahu believers who are church planters. They are in need of daily personal support to sustain their families.

Two Programs: Northern Thailand Christian Association (NTCA), and the international group.
Programs began: NTCA – 1998; and national church organization - 2002

Projects: NTCA has approximately 70 family projects on a revolving basis. The national church organization plans to begin with about 10 to 20 family projects.

In October 2002, FARMS launched a new program in northern Thailand in cooperation with a national church organization. This group is working to provide training to Lahu believers who are church planters. They are in need of daily personal support to sustain their families. The national church organization works with more than 30 churches among the 90,000 Lahu people, 20,000 of whom are believers.

FARMS Executive Director, Joe Richter, trained the new volunteer loan committee for the the national church organization's Lahu program during his recent trip to Thailand. Seminars were presented in biblical stewardship and tithing principles, as well as direction provided for establishing and administering the micro-credit loan program.

Most of the national church organization's Lahu projects will be small business enterprises operated to generate family income. Some may also be agricultural related projects. The initial project loans will be received by church planters who lack financial support from a church congregation. The profits from their loan project will support the daily needs of their family. However, the important skills that these church planters will learn, in financial stewardship and the biblical principles of tithing and giving, will be passed on to the members of their new congregations, through teaching and church growth.

The FARMS revolving loan concept, supported by the biblical teaching of tithes and offerings has a dramatic effect on lives. Joe Richter visited several projects of the FARMS - NTCA program while he was in Thailand.

Four years ago one Hmong family that lives in a refugee village received a FARMS loan to begin a small shop and an embroidery project. In the course of four years this family has used their profits from these projects to: repay their loan, purchase an electric powered rice mill for processing local rice, build their own house, and also contribute tithes and offerings to their local church. The congregation of this local church recently built a new church building, partially funded by offerings from local FARMS project profits.

Ten years ago Mr. Ming was one of four tribal people to study at the Chiang Kham Bible Training Center. Just eight years ago he was the first in his village to teach himself jewelry making. In 1998 he saw an opportunity to expand his small business by asking for a FARMS loan of $450. Through his encouragement, nine Christians from this Hmong village began making jewelry and have borrowed money from the local FARMS program. They are giving tithes from their profits and use some of the tithe for transportation expenses as they travel to share the Good News. The believers in this Hmong village have relatives in France and the United States who have connected with buyers in those countries. Through the success of their business they have not only been able to provide for their families with better food, education, and housing, but their tithe has helped their growing church.

These are just two of the many FARMS projects among the tribal peoples of Thailand. There are approximately seventy loans out at any one time. Missionary Mike Phillips who works cooperatively with FARMS on the NTCA program has said these projects "have literally changed the face of some villages."