VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP) — The ministry of two American Baptist Churches missionaries to underdeveloped Thai villages will be undergirded with a $232,500 gift from Christian Community Credit Union.
According to the American Baptist News Service, the nationwide Christian banking group's gift will support the work of ABC International Ministries workers Mike Mann and Becky Mann, who work with the Integrated Tribal Development Program in northern Thailand.
The donation will fund water and sanitation, construction of a school and a clinic, and support microenterprise loans for three different hill-tribe villages in the “Launch a Village” project. The money will also help provide agricultural and business training for villagers, purchase a 4-wheel drive truck, and enable local production and marketing of fair-trade coffee.
“The ‘Launch a Village' project is a powerful example of how Christian Community Credit Union members are making a difference to improve the lives of people in desperate need,” said Reid Trulson, executive director of International Ministries, according to the news release.
“Working together with [the Integrated Tribal Development Program] allowed us to apply the credit union movement's philosophy of ‘people helping people,' ” said John Walling, Christian Community Credit Union president and chief executive.
“The ‘Launch a Village' project is an answer to prayer,” Becky Mann said. “Not only do we help bring water and life skills to the poor and remote villages in Thailand, we're also sharing about the Living Water that will flow into each of the villager's heart and soul.”
The California-based credit union operates nationwide, serving more than 29,000 members. It regularly contributes to Christian ministries around the world.