Korea Nazarene University (KNU) organized a Nazarene Missions Team (formerly Work & Witness Team) of 12 students and three faculty members to conduct a Language and Culture Exchange Camp in a Thai-Chinese school in Ubon, Ratchathani, Thailand, from 27-29 June 2023.

This Nazarene Missions Team is the first to visit an area for a developing Nazarene church in Thailand. The city of Ubon Ratchathani (also called Ubon) is located in the lower northeast part of Thailand. Only 1% of the population in Thailand is Christian. This Language and Culture Exchange Camp allowed the team to creatively share the love of Jesus.

The team connected with the Thai students during the three-day camp by sharing cross-cultural experiences. The Korean students demonstrated how to cook famous Korean street food like kimbap and teokbokki while the Thai students shared traditional Thai cuisines like pad thai. The team also made a mural combining Korean and Thai art to advocate against illegal drugs, cigarettes, vaping, and alcohol.

Pastor Decha, a Thai local pastor, and Mireu, a pioneer missionary from South Korea, had the chance to meet with the school principals and provincial education officials from Ubon. God opened their hearts through the Korean team. 

One of the officials said, “We are [not Christians], but we know Christians are good. You can open a club in the schools and teach Christian belief.”

“God is opening doors even in closed and unreached areas like Ubon,” Decha said. “God can use every opportunity to impact people's lives in places where it is difficult to preach the gospel, just like how He used the team from KNU.”

The Southeast Asia Field is praying for more similar opportunities to share God’s love with the people in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific