For several years, I have been supporting and recommending a Christian mission school and orphanage in northern Thailand. One of our good friends has volunteered to work onsite there several times in the past three years, so I can vouchsafe that this is a worthy charity with genuine needs. (His most recent volunteer stay there was at Christmas, 2023.) The orphanage/school Center is called Baan SuFan. (That is Thai for: “Home Of Destiny.”) The school and dormitories are located in Chiangkham (near Chiang Rai), which is fairly near Thailand’s borders with Burma and Laos. This is commonly called The Golden Triangle region.

The majority of the Baan SuFan students are orphans or are from broken homes from Hmong and Mien refugees. These are minority highland tribes that have undergone decades of massive repression that has been genocidal in scale, especially in Burma (Myanmar). Not surprisingly, there are now large numbers of Hmong and Mien refugees in northern Thailand.  Though the Thai government has shown them great compassion, these are still stateless people who live on the margins of society, living a hardscrabble hand-to-mouth existence. Legally, as “non-resident” refugees, they cannot seek employment in Thailand.

Genuine Needs

The Baan SuFan school operates on a shoestring annual budget.  Many of the school’s facilities dating from the 1960s are worn out. For example, five of their six aging washing machines are broken, so the children and staff have mostly been washing their clothes by hand.  To keep their costs low, they have developed gardens, poultry pens, and beehives to provide vegetables, eggs, meat, and honey to help feed the students and staff. The school also sells some of their extra honey and some handmade Hmong needlecrafts to generate cash for the school.

The school has recently expanded to nearly double the number of dormitory residents. This necessitated buying many new bunk beds.  Presently, only about half of that bed purchase expense has been paid off.

They also had to replace their burned-out water pump:

According to the Center Director, Inkhian Chanthima, (pictured above) here are their current needs that are above and beyond their normal monthly budget:

Remaining balance on student dormitory bunk beds: $1,100

Replacement water pump:  $150

8 Rebuilt desktop computers for students: $2,300

Power tools: $290

6 Replacement washing machines: $1,500

Paint and building supplies: $433

Total:  $5,773 USD.

Please prayerfully consider making regular donations and perhaps a special donation to cover some of their current needs: Baan SuFan PayPal Donation Link

Prayer Request

Note: Even if you cannot afford to help, then please pray!  I am making several prayer requests:

1.) Please pray that the financial needs of Baan SuFan Center are met, internationally.

2.) Please pray that Thailand’s King and the Thai government continue to have a heart for refugees.

3.) Please pray for peace, reconciliation, freedom, and a true Christian revival in the Golden Triangle region.

Thanks!  – JWR

Baan SuFan PayPal Donation Link