Hopewell Asia Mission Efforts

History:

The Hopewell Network Apostolic Team sensed God calling the Hopewell Network to focus on an unreached people group as a united mission effort. On September 15, 2005, the Apostolic Team, along with other Network leaders and intercessors, had a prayer and fasting retreat to discern which unreached people group God was calling the Network to focus on. Out of that retreat, God gave clear discernment that He was calling the Network to establish mission efforts in Thailand with an initial focus on the Isaan people group. This is the region where one of our own, John Hertzler, gave his life in an effort to reach the Isaan people. John and Janelle lived in Thailand until John was killed in an accident in the summer of 2005. We sensed God saying that we have an investment and even a level of authority into this region because of John’s death and his effort to reach the Isaan people.

Subsequent trips to Thailand by the Hopewell Network Apostolic Team and several members of the Hopewell Asia Mission Oversight Team in March 2006 and November 2007, respectively, confirmed that God was calling the Network to start with a focus on Isaan youth in the city of Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

Isaan People:

The Isaan people group, numbering around 20 million, is Thailand’s second-largest people group. They comprise about one-third of Thailand’s total population, and are dispersed throughout 17 provinces in northeastern Thailand (covering one third of Thailand’s total land area). The Isaan region is the poorest region of Thailand due to weather conditions, poor soil quality, and a lack of development.

Many of the Isaan mix animism with Buddhism and are held captive to fear of evil spirits. About half the Isaan population is still waiting for their first opportunity to hear the Gospel, and less than 1% (some estimate as low as 0.2%) of the Isaan are Christians.

Ubon Ratchathani city, capital of the Ubon Ratchathani Province, is a significant educational hub in the Isaan region and is in close proximity to the borders of Laos and Cambodia. Numerous schools and universities can be found throughout the city. Many parents from the surrounding region send their youth to Ubon for schooling.

Hopewell’s Mission Vision:

Our vision is to see the Isaan people walking in relationship with Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit, bringing spiritual transformation to Thailand that spreads to the nations.

Our starting focus is Isaan youth (ages 15-23), in the city of Ubon Ratchathani through the development of a Youth Center ministry. Our goal is to offer a variety of outreach activities through the Youth Center that provide opportunities for relationship-building and friendship evangelism. Ultimately, our goal is to establish multiple reproducing fellowships of indigenous believers leading to a church planting movement among the Isaan and the development of a Hopewell international partner network of churches that spreads to other parts of Thailand and surrounding nations.

Opportunities For Involvement:

Contact us at missions@hopewellnetwork.org for more information about how you can:

• Pray 
• Give 
• Go  (Contact us for a current list of long-term and short-term mission opportunities.)