Dec. 14, 2009 issue
With a building, church gains status in Thai culture
Amid Buddhist temples, ‘Western religion’ draws converts, curious
By Deborah Froese Mennonite Church CanadaPage:
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The presence of a church building makes the Christian faith more visible in Thailand, say Pat and Rad Houmphan, leaders of the Living Water Church in Borabu.
And that visibility gives Christianity a new significance.
As joint workers with Mennonite Church Canada Witness and Mennonite Mission Network , the Houmphans are engaged in long-term Christian ministry within a culture closely connected to Buddhism.
More than 200 villages populate the Borabu district. Most have Buddhist temples as central gathering places for fellowship, worship and other community functions.
Before the Living Water Church was erected in 2007, the congregation met in homes or rented spaces. Without a building, Christianity was deemed unimportant by the community.
“For the Thailand people, there was a lacking of something,” Rad Houmphan said.
Most Christian mission agencies with a physical presence are located in cities situated far from small rural communities like Borabu, and thus have little influence on them. But having a church building in Borabu has made a difference.
“From time to time, a non- believer from a surrounding area or town comes in to see what a Christian church looks like,” she said. That curiosity opens the door for communication and friendship.
The Houmphans said the Borabu building has even helped Christians living in distant urban areas share the importance of their faith with those living in Borabu county.
They offer the story of Tonh as an example. An alcoholic and burdened by debt, Tonh was living in Singapore and working in construction when he became a Christian. From Singapore, he shared his newfound love of Christ with his wife and children. But it was the presence of the new Living Water Church building and the Houmphans’ encouragement that prompted their baptism this year.
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