The Maetang Tribal Children’s Home

When I first heard about the Maetang Tribal Chidlren’s Home, I had so many questions.  First of all, I didn’t really even know it existed until we started learning about the Southeast Asia Field.  So I’m guessing that many of you, especially those of you unfamiliar with the Church’s work here in Thailand may not know much about this place either.  I’m going to share with you the questions I had and the answers I found and in doing so, hopefully I can answer some of your questions as well.

My first question:  What is it?  When I think of a Children’s Home, an orphanage is the first thing that comes to mind.  Are these children orphans?

Answer:  The Maetang Tribal Children’s Home is a Christian boarding home.  Most of the children who live here are not orphans (though we found out that a few are). The children who come to live at the home so do in order to get a better education.  You’ve probably noticed the word “Tribal” in the name of the home.  In Thailand there are several minority groups or tribes that live and exist in Thailand.  They speak a different languages, have a different way of living, cooking and have some different customs.  The children at the home are from these hill tribes.  Right now, a lot of the children at the home are Lahu.  The Lahu people live in the hills where farming is their way of life. There are not adequate schools in the hill tribe villages, so in order to get a good education, the children need to go into the cities.  Maetang is the closest city to this particular tribe but it is still too far to go every day.  The children live at the home during the year while they go to school.

Question #2:  What is the purpose of the home? Why was it started?

Answer:  The Maetang Tribal Children’s Home was started 30 years ago in the home of Sam and Lu Me Yangmi.  Lu Me is Lahu and Sam is Lisu (he was born in Burma).  They shared with us that children from the hill tribes are at a particularly great risk for human trafficking.  This happens for several reasons.  Initially, traffickers would come to the villages promising parents profitable jobs for their children.  Children would then be able to help support their families.  Believing their children were going to work in factories and such, they would send their children away.  Instead the children often ended up in the sex trade.  Alternately, sometimes daughters knowingly sacrifce themselves to work in the sex trade in order to support their families whose farms were failing.  Children who are able to get an education have another option and hope for a future where they can earn a living through education and honest work.  The Yangmi’s started the home to provide a way for the children of the hill tribes to get an education and to come to know Christ.  The most important thing the Maetang Tribal Children’s Home provides is the love of Christ.  Children are introduced to Jesus and the new life they can have through Him.  This makes a world of difference in how they see themselves, the world and their futures.

Question #3:  Does it work?

Yes!  Research has been done to show that in the villages where students have come up through Children’s Home trafficking is almost non existent!  This happpens because children and families have hope for the future.   Lives are being changed as children and parents and sometimes the majority of a village comes to faith in Christ.  In the Lahu village we visited  the majority of families were Christian.  Conversely, students who drop out of the program (usually due to financial hardship) are at a high risk for entering the sex trade.  Jesus makes a such a difference in the lives of these children and their families.

Question #4:  How is it financed?

The Maetang Tribal Children’s Home is financed through donations.  The children can be sponsored through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries.  The goal is for every child in the home to be sponsored.  This money goes directly to house and feed the children. The families of the children are also required to pay a small amount as well.   The staff at the home are largely volunteer and those that are paid are paid a very small amount.  However, they believe strongly in the work being done at the home.

Question #5:  How can the body of Christ help?

Pray for the Children and staff at Maetang.  Pray that more villagers will hear about the home and send their children so that enrollment grows.

Give to the Children’s Home.  Sponsor a child (or two or three).  Donate to create scholarships for students. (email us for info)

Come visit and work at the Children’s Home!  The staff is minimal and there is always work to be done.  The children and staff also need to practice the English they are learning and would love to talk to you and meet you.  Join a Work & Witness trip to Thailand or raise funds and come as a volunteer for a longer period of time.

Email us to find out more about how you can get involved!