It was a Sunday when we visit Noon Someboun, Nakhon Ratchasimas. This was the second congregations we visit when we first got to Thailand. The congregation is a small one, but the worship was lively and the people were excited to see us the same way we were excited to be there with them.
The service was really different from where we were from. One of the young lay leaders of the congregation sitting in the front row hogging a wooden box (about two by three feet). At first I was not sure what the box was for. I thought it was an offering box, but as the service began, I know what the box was for. It was their Percussion and Bass combine. With that box she really brings the congregation to a very lively worship in praise and worship songs.
We are currently support their pastor with a full minimum salary. But our intention is to have most of our local churches here in Thailand to become self-support with five to ten years. Looking at the congregation and its members, I say to myself there is no way this congregation will become self-support in ten years. All of the members are poor farmers who could not even know for sure they can earn enough for the family. Yet we still encourage then to offer their 1/10 to the Lord I am not sure if all will be giving faithfully to the fullest they would not make the salary of their pastor forget about program and other ministries of the congregation to the community.
Then I got a Phone Call from the president of the Association of Hmong United Methodist Women that they have some funds to do a project in Thailand and a group of them will be coming to Thailand. They want to know where and how they can use this fund from all Hmong women’s groups to benefit our church here in Thailand. God’s timing could not have been perfect to have a pilot economic project for our local church here in Thailand. This is when the “Pig Project” originated. Income from this project will benefit the families who operate the project and the local church.
Now the first “pig Project” in Thailand is up and running with one pen with first fifteen pigs. The pen is capable of raising up to 60 pigs, but we do not have fund to buy pigs so the project will expand as we go.
Thanks to the Hmong Association Women, next time you visit Thailand again we promise you a “Roast Pig”
