Ministry Among Refugees Along the Thailand–Myanmar Border

Dear Prayer Partners and Supporters,

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This month, I would like to share how God is bringing hope to refugee communities along the Thailand–Myanmar border. Many of these families were forced to leave their homes because of prolonged conflict and poverty. Their lives are still marked by uncertainty and pain. Yet even in a place that may seem hopeless, God is planting seeds of new life.

Living Through More Than a Decade of Waiting

Approximately 35,000 to 40,000 refugees live in the Mae La Refugee Camp and surrounding Mae Sot area. Many of them are Karen people from Myanmar.

Some families have waited 10 years—and others nearly 20 years—for the possibility of resettlement in the United States, Europe, or another country. Children have been born and raised inside the camp, while their parents continue to endure an uncertain future.

Recent reductions in international aid have made the humanitarian and economic situation even more difficult. Many families struggle to obtain basic food and daily necessities.

Yet God has not forgotten those who may feel forgotten by the world. Through our partnership with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, we have been providing essential food supplies to refugee families since November 2025. This one-year initiative will continue through October 2026.

The food we provide is more than humanitarian assistance. It carries a message of Christ’s love and hope: “God sees you, and He has not forgotten you.”

A Small Place of Worship Inside the Refugee Camp

Establishing a place for worship and education inside a highly restricted refugee camp is not easy. Through the generous support of the British Isles District, however, we were able to rent a house for ministry from December 2025 through November 2026.

It is not a large or impressive building, but it has become a precious place of grace for the refugee community. Regular worship services, Bible classes for children, youth, and adults, educational programs, and medical ministry gatherings are now taking place there.

An ordinary house has become a place where people study God’s Word, wounded hearts receive comfort, and children begin to dream about their future. God is receiving this small offering and using it as a channel of life and hope.

Planting Seeds of Hope in the Next Generation

Refugee families need food for today, but they also need education to prepare for tomorrow. We have established tutoring centers inside and near the camp, where approximately 100 children are now receiving an education. Local teachers are faithfully serving so that these children can study in a safe environment and grow in faith and hope.

One of our partner churches in Idaho is also participating in this ministry by providing online English classes four days each week. These classes help local leaders communicate with a wider community and access additional educational resources.

One of the most encouraging developments is our partnership with Chapman International College (CIC). Fourteen leaders from the refugee camp and six leaders from the Mae Sot area—a total of 20 students—have enrolled in the 24-course ministerial Course of Study.

These young leaders once depended on others for help. Now they are studying God’s Word and preparing to care for others as pastors and ministry leaders. Our prayer is that those who grew up in a place of hardship will become healthy indigenous pastors who proclaim the gospel, shepherd local churches, and disciple the next generation.

This is the beautiful future we see God preparing.

Please Pray With Us

Please join us in praying that this ministry will go beyond temporary assistance and produce lasting gospel fruit within the refugee community.

1. A permanent ministry space
   Please pray that we can secure a stable, long-term place for worship, education, and community ministry. We need at least US$10,000 toward this project.
2. Clean water and sanitation
   Please pray for safe drinking water and adequate restroom facilities for the local residents, believers, and ministry participants.
3. Teachers and children
   Please pray that we can provide consistent support for the local teachers serving approximately 100 children, as well as food assistance for children experiencing hunger.
4. Twenty ministerial students
   Please pray that these emerging leaders will persevere in their studies despite their difficult circumstances and become Spirit-filled, biblically grounded pastors.
5. A ministry that crosses borders
   Please pray for the safety and continued fruitfulness of this partnership among local leaders, churches, districts, and supporters from several countries. May God continue opening doors for the gospel.

Dear friends and partners,

Your prayers and generous support are helping sustain families, educate children, and prepare a new generation of pastors along the border.

Although the refugee community continues to face years of uncertainty and hardship, God is at work. We see His hope in the worship rising from a small rented house, in the laughter of children gathered around a shared meal, and in the eyes of emerging leaders who are faithfully studying His Word.

Thank you for walking with us on this journey of hope. May the love and peace of Christ remain with you, your family, and your church.

With deep gratitude,

Bill Kwon
Southeast Asia Field Strategy Coordinator
Church of the Nazarene

Our ministry center inside the camp

Worship and fellowship with local believers

Prayer and encouragement for a refugee family

Training emerging ministry leaders

Children sharing a nutritious mea;

A joyful children’s ministry gathering