John Grisham's novel, "A Painted House" was about a boy and his family living in the rural south but eventually moving north for jobs in the cities of the northern U.S.For my parents, and perhaps some of you, that part of the novel reflected their own experience.It is something too, like the current generation of tribal residents of rural Thailand are experiencing.

Thai government policies are restricting the amount of land available for mountain dwelling residents.At the same time there is a natural increase in population.In addition, hundreds of thousands have entered Thailand fleeing unlivable conditions in neighboring Burma creating an even larger population in the border areas of Thailand.What land that is available for agricultural production is being over used and the fertility is declining.Big money agro business operations are moving in, taking over large areas of land and producing single crops for export or to ship to other areas of the country.These operations do make available some day labor jobs, but the work is low paying and often not sufficient to support a family.The heavy use of chemicals is also creating serious environmental problems. As the population in the hills increases and opportunities decrease, more and more people, especially young people, head to the cities to live and work.

Wee's village has the distinction of having the first Karens won to Christ in Thailand.Back in 1888, 13 Karens from her village were baptized, the result of the work of Karen missionaries coming from Burma.So her village has been around a long time.Even so, it remains well off the main road and opportunities to make a living are limited.Some families have land, grow rice and a few vegetables, raise a few animals and basically provide for their own needs.But even these families also need cash.In fact, cash is becoming increasingly important as the rural economy shifts from subsistence, grow what you eat, to the more global style, cash based economy.There are some crops and some products that can be gathered from the forests for sale, but it doesn't add up to much.For cash income, at least some from the family have to head to the city to work.

Wee came to Chiang Mai and stayed with some others from her village until she found her own work.She did the laundry, house cleaning and some light cooking for our family.In return, she made about $100 per month and got free room and utilities at our house.She is thrifty and spent as little as possible on food and clothes.She put a good percentage in the bank, but it usually didn't stay there long.She paid for a motorcycle for a younger brother back in the home village, bought furniture and things for her parents' house and paid for the schooling for younger siblings.

Like Wee, many young people coming to the city come from Christian roots.But unlike Wee, many don't know how to make contact with other Christians or churches in their new location.Without their traditional support system, it is easy to get dazzled by the "bright city lights" and led into drugs, alcohol, gambling, or sex.Ministries for newly urbanized tribal and rural people are a new concept for the local churches but innovative missionaries and local leaders are showing the way.Just a few examples would be IM missionary, Kim Brown and the Health Project for Tribal People with which she works.They are involved in a Youth Center that is reaching out to the young working people like Wee.There are recreational activities, times of worship, English lessons and referrals are made so young people can attend church.Later they hope to help place young people in better jobs.The Health Project for tribal people also operates a Day Care Center reaching out to young children and their families in the city.These programs are coordinating with churches in the city to better track and care for the tribal population.

Thra Aree, a Karen pastor and talented musician has opened an ice cream parlor and Christian counseling service in Chiang Mai.His Friday night concerts at the ice cream parlor attract many tribal young people looking to connect with each other in a Christian environment.The Karen Baptist youth department sponsored a soccer tournament during the recent Olympic games attracting 24 teams of tribal youth from various groups around the city.

My father spoke of "home" as being in rural Kentucky where he grew up.But he lived most of his life in northern Ohio and stayed there until he died.Like my father, many of the tribal church leaders' hearts are still in their mountain village ‘homes' but they are not likely to ever return there to live.The idea of providing ministries to the urban tribal people is new and foreign to many church leaders.They would still rather help the people back "home."

The trend of people leaving the rural highlands and coming to the city will continue as it has in America and around the world.Encouraging new ministries to reach the urban tribal people is an area where Kim Brown and other missionaries can be instrumental.Your gifts to the World Mission Offering help provide not only the services of missionaries, but visionary local leaders like Thra Aree, the leaders of the Karen youth department and many others.

As we've written in previous letters, a 36% increase is needed in the World Mission Offering just to maintain the current number of missionaries and programs.An increase of that size is an extraordinary challenge for all of us.For many we work with though, just making a living is an extraordinary challenge.We pray that we can meet our challenge so that we can continue to help our friends here in Thailand meet their challenges.

Duane and Marcia Binkley