Students Travel to Thailand

Published: April 13, 2021

This January, seven Greenville College students traveled with Vice President and Dean of Student Development Norm Hall ('87) to Chiang Mai, Thailand, in order to contribute to the work of two GC alumni. They were welcomed by Craig ('87) and Renee (Phillips '86) Minner, who have worked in Thailand since April 2007. The students also met a handful of faithful Thai Christians, friends of the Minners.

"These students are going to be in for more cultural exchange and experiences than they will know what to do with," remarked Craig as they planned out activities for the trip. "The students will be presenting the real meaning of Christmas to local Thai students in a public school. The students will also put on an after school English camp where they will have the opportunity to share their faith as part of the curriculum."

Besides teaching English, GC students worked in the community with the Minners to demonstrate their Christian faith with action. They gathered trash around Mae Hia, a neighborhood near Chiang Mai; cleaned the outside of a Buddhist wat (temple); and helped set up a community center for a meeting. According to Craig, this is all done to build relationships with community leaders and pave the way for future work in this community.

One evening, Renee and the ladies of the group visited the red light district of Chiang Mai to pray for those they met and invite them to church on Sunday morning. Renee and coworkers have begun teaching English and doing Bible studies with the women who work in the red light district. This ongoing ministry builds relationships and presents opportunities to share Christ.

Team Thailand, the nickname the group gave themselves, had plenty of fun in Chiang Mai in addition to their work. On Saturday, the entire team (including Hall and the Minners) participated in a 7.4K race through the streets of Chiang Mai. Two students placed in their age groups, and everyone received a medal for finishing. The group also visited the night bazaar one evening and enjoyed a traditional Thai dinner and show on another night.

The final two days of the trip found the team traveling to a village called Mae Wang. There, the GC students led an English language camp for elementary students and enjoyed playing games with the children. They worked in the fields one afternoon and spent the night in local homes. While in Mae Wang, the students had the opportunity to visit with people about their faith and were even promised by one man that he would read a Bible.

Team Thailand saw the Father working among the people they met in Chiang Mai, Mae Hia, and Mae Wang. They have returned to Greenville College carrying a fire in their hearts for spreading their faith. For more information on Greenville College's outreach opportunities, contact Rebecca McColl, Director of World Outreach, at 618-664-7129 or Rebecca.McColl@greenville.edu.