Church Builder
- martin83012
- Oct 31, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 18, 2024
I was a tag-along as an adventure rider, with some Christian friends of mine. We took a breathtaking ride from Chiang Mai to Lamphun province in northern Thailand. The highways can be exciting, calm, or dangerous. Leaving paved surfaces leads you to a time machine.
Frequently the views seem prehistoric due to the unfamiliar vegetation, size, and scale of the jungles. We rode for three hours on dirt before there was a sign. I laughed because we passed hundreds of turns, and HERE was a pole with a bunch of signs and distances like in a movie. Our turn led us another 43km through rainy valleys before we reached a road.
I was relieved and we headed for the nearest fuel, food, and hot coffee. When visiting area cancer patients my friends look for new (to them) churches. We found one down a little dusty soi (small road) in Lampang. I was wandering around a back parking lot while they went to the office.
An old local was slowly moving through the afternoon heat, gave a wai (wave), and said Sawasdee Khrup (hello). We chatted briefly and headed for the cool air of the office. Here I am in amazement to learn he is a 95-year-old church builder. Pastor Boonsri Glinhom has built 15 churches since World War 2. He was familiar with the Marburger Mission which brought the Brouwer Ministry to Thailand in 1978.
We are sitting with him and current leading Pastor Sontree who attended the McGilver Seminary where the Eubanks attended. The Eubanks and Free Bruma Ranges have been providing humanitarian relief to battle-torn ethnic tribes of Myanmar and other nations for decades.
This area of Thailand has been well-visited by missionaries for over 100 years. Teams of church builders, disciple-makers, and evangelizers have helped to lead hearts to Jesus and fund and construct hundreds of facilities. The network hostels are the first line of protection for children and women in danger of trafficking, guiding them to our support network of halfway houses, orphanages, churches, and schools to support their re-birth into a life of love.
Today, the Brouwer Ministry is working with the 1st Church of Chiang Mai (CM), CM Community Church, Chinese Church of CM, Blessing House, Virtus Pecunia, Tree of Life, and many other organizations to units and tackle larger education and social equity projects, sustainable farming, and food security.
What an experience. The Mae Hong Son Loop and unnamed routes through the unending and untouched nature of northern Thailand will make you feel small while giving you the drive to live. Having the chance to meet open, generous, and living people in such a concentration was a blessing, to be sure.
I look forward to booking a flight to Bangkok, meeting for another epic motorbike ride, and visiting the new friends I made on this trip. The Brouwer Ministry arranges these types of trips for missionaries and volunteers who want to invest their holiday in the legacy of humanity.
Visit Thailand and share the Gospel while the Brouwer Foundation provides your translation, maps, ticketing assistance, hotels, vehicles, and planning. When you remove all those concerns, only your heart needs preparation. Are you ready?

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