Located in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is a city on the rise where ancient culture collides with modern industry. Its location among the highest peaks in the region makes it a bucket list destination for travel enthusiasts everywhere. TripAdvisor recently listed it as one of the “25 Best Destinations in the World.”
Chiang Mai sits squarely within the home of the Northern Thai people group. Over 7 million of them live in Thailand, with another 37,000 residing in Laos. Roughly 97% of the people follow the teachings of Buddhism, which was initially introduced in 329 B.C. The rest follow various ethnic religions.
Sex trafficking is a scourge to the region. Posing as religious leaders, successful businessmen, or sympathetic paternal figures, human traffickers enter impoverished villages and convince families to give up their children by promising a better life for them. With identification papers in hand, traffickers are able to make their victims disappear from the public eye. Many are smuggled across the border and forced into harsh labor environments while others are sold into sexual slavery.
In June 2014, the U.S. State Department released its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, downgrading Thailand to a Tier 3 state. The scathing analysis revealed that Thai officials have failed to meet the minimum standards for protecting its people from forced labor and sex trafficking. Even the most conservative estimates report that tens of thousands of victims are trafficked every year.
Throughout the year, we are sending teams to Chiang Mai to cut human trafficking off from the source. Using the PricelessCube, we will enter Northern Thai villages and reveal the truth about what is happening to their children. Through these efforts, we will have an opportunity to share the Gospel and leave behind new small groups and churches.
In just ten days, you can save a child’s life, share the story of Jesus with an unengaged people group, and leave behind a Gospel movement that outlives your time on this Earth.
Are you ready for the adventure to begin?
130M
Chiang Mai, Thailand
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