TEAM Isaan

  TRAINING CENTER:

            Help Team Isaan develop, set up, and run a training center for released prisoners.  Team Isaan is currently working to establish a training center for released prisoners.  The training center would be a home for released prisoners to live for up to three months.  The individuals living in this home would receive Biblical training, be discipled, trained in church planting, given job training, and would help the prisons transition back into society.  We are currently looking for people to help to us develop and set up this training center.  We are looking for people who have experience with prison ministry, half-way houses, grant writing, job training, development, financial management or other related skills.  Individual who are willing to partner with us can either come here to the Isaan area or work from their homes.  This trip can range in length and involvement depending on your schedule or amount of time willing to put into this project. 

            Please prayerfully consider how you can use your gifting and skills to help us establish this training center.  If you are interested in receiving more information regarding the training centers please fill out the form located under resources called, "Now What Questionnaire." 

TEAM Isaan wants to provide small mission teams and individuals the rare and special opportunity to experience Isaan customs and cultures while living and working among the Isaan people.  This trip will generally be combined with either teaching English or social ministries programs.  It will give you an opportunity to learn about the Isaan people, understand their worldviews and teach you how to better pray for the Isaan and the ministries going on in this area as you get to experience the daily life of the Isaan.  Individuals or small teams will live with Isaan families while you minister in their local community in connection with Thai churches.  Most ministry opportunities will involve teaching English at local schools, hosting English camps through the local church, or completing work projects needed within that community.

The cultural exchange program is generally only offered to people who have had previous overseas experience, are flexible, adventurous and will to try new things as it can be physically, emotionally and spiritually intense.  You will live with, eat with, and work along side Isaan people to reach the lost with the gospel.  These trips generally range from 3 days to one week but can vary depending on teams or individuals desires. 

If you are interested in learning more about the Isaan people through living with an Isaan family, please fill out the contact information sheet.  

SOCIAL MINISTRIES:

WHILE most short-term team projects could fall under the category "Social Ministry", we are using the term for more educational roles for whole communities. Social Ministries can include activities such as: job training (computer training, creative crafts, organic farming, etc), financial planning, family counseling, sex education, basic health and hygiene education, drug education, general work project (building, painting, etc) and any other innovative ideas.  These types of projects connect with the needs of individuals and community living in impoverished areas of NE Thailand. 

We would welcome social ministry teams to come and work with TEAM Isaan on a number of different projects.  Members of social ministry teams should have training in the area being taught.  All educational material would need to be evaluated in advance to check for cultural relevance and sensitivity. 

Social ministry projects generally take a lot of preparation work on our end, so if you are interested in planning a social ministry trip, please be sure to plan and schedule the trip well in advance.  For more information or to sign up for a social ministries trip please fill out the "Now What Questionnaire" found on the resources page. 

  TEACHING ENGLISH:

TEACH ENGLISH is one of the easiest ways to get welcomed into communities. English is taught is all schools throughout Thailand and there is always a great desire to learn from native speakers. This is a great way of connecting with students, teachers, schools and village officials. Generally, an English team will work in connection with the local church or believers so that follow up can easily happen.  Teaching can be done in formal classroom settings, at after school programs, in local prisons or detention centers, through hosting an English camp, in hospital, or at a local church.  TEAM Isaan will provide your team will a location to teach that will best fit your desires.  Most teams will be asked to bring their own teaching material or be sent lesson ideas for teaching.  If desired basic ESL training can be provided by TEAM Isaan upon your arrival. 

Schools:  (2 weeks-1 year)

If you want to teach in a school setting we recommend the trip to be at least 2 weeks and up to 1 year.  The paperwork to get into a school is generally extensive, thus most schools want teachers to teach for a longer amount of time.  English teachers need to have some sort of college degree whether it is a 2 or 4 year degree.  Most schools will provide teaching materials and curriculum for long term teachers, but short-term teams must provide their own. 

TEAM Isaan would gladly connect individuals with local school that have a need for a native English teacher for the school year.  Most of these positions would be paid and the school generally also provides lodging for their foreign teachers.  The school year starts in May and runs through March.  We believe that the more Christians that come and work among the Isaan people, the greater chance that the Isaan will have to hear the gospel message. 

Village/Prison: (3 days-2 weeks)

If you desire to host an English camp or work in connection with the local church or a church plant the trip can range from 3 days- 2 weeks.  The longer the trip, the greater the impact on the lives of everyone involved.  Anyone can participate in the short-term ESL trips as long as they speak English.  No college degrees are required.  The only requirement is flexibility, high energy, and the willingness to try new things.  The English lessons should include lots of games and activities to further their learning of the language. 

  MEDICAL CLINICS

MEDICAL TEAMS are an important part of showing God's love to rural Isaan.  While health care is somewhat available to the poor, hospitals may be too far away or too expense for those in rural areas.  General medical clinics and education on topics such as dental hygiene, basic first aid, burn care and more are very attractive to Isaan people. 

Depending on the size of the town where the project will be located will determine the length of the trip.  Generally, a town can benefit from 1-2 days of clinics.  If a team wants to spend more time here, multiple project sites can be arranged.

Most medicines need to be purchased in Thailand because the government only allows foreigners to bring in a small amount of outside medicine.  Medicine is generally much cheaper here in Thailand.  Teams will need to provide their own medical equipment for the services provided.  Equipment can either be purchased here to you can bring it with you. 

The majority of the team must be either registered nurses or licensed doctors.   The team will need to bring proof of their medical licenses and often times we will need copies in advance to get approval from the government of Thailand. 

  EXPENSES:

Many of the trips have very minimal expenses involved, aside from the airfare.  The biggest costs in country will be transportation (vehicle rental and gas) and housing.  Other expenses include:  meal, ministry expenses, and personal spending money.   When you book a mission trip with TEAM Isaan we will provide you with an estimated cost sheet.  Below is a chart of general price ranges for each of the expense areas listed above.  

  RESOURCES:

Now What Letter

Now What Questionnaire for Short-term Mission Teams:

Long-Term Mission Trip Questionnaire

Now What Guide

Pre-field Preparation Guide for Individuals

Pre-field Preparation Guides for Teams

Learning Thai Resources

Suggested Reading List

ESL Lesson Plans

Welcome to Thailand Guide

Evaluation Form:

  PRISON MINISTRY:

TEAM ISAAN is currently involved in ministering in several prisons located in our target provinces.  Over the past year, we have been sharing God's story with interested prisoners and seeing the hand of God move as many are coming into relationship with Him.  Several new churches have been established in these prisons and we are currently discipling and training the new believes in sharing their faith.  We are excited as we have seen God continue to open new opportunities to work within the prison system here in Thailand.  God has used short-term teams to open the doors for TEAM Isaan to get involved in new prisons.  If you or your team are interested in seeing what God is doing in the prisons in Thailand join us on a short-term team to minister within the prison system. 

 Short-term mission teams can be involved in a variety of different ministry opportunities from joining together with the local churches already established in the prisons to share your testimony, to hosting an English Camp, to bringing in a medical team to minister at the prisons.  If you are interested in coming and ministering along side TEAM Isaan in the prisons, please fill out contact information sheet.  

  TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION:

The cost of airline tickets will encompass the bulk of your ministry expenses.  If you are working with TEAM Isaan you will need to not only travel to Bangkok Thailand, but also book transportation to Udon Thani, Thailand where we are located.  The following is a list of places to look for cheap transportation to Bangkok, Thailand and then onto Udon Thani, Thailand.  If you need additional help, we are more than happy to help you with the booking of your transportation.  Send us an email regarding your transportation needs/wants and we can book transportation for your time here. 

International Tickets:

• 1. http://www.kayak.com/
• 2. http://www.delta.com/
• 3. http://www.chinaair.com/
• 4. http://www.cheaptickets.com/

Domestic Tickets:

• 1. http://www.nokair.com/
• 2. http://www.airasia.com/
• 3. http://www.thaiair.com/

Ground Transportation from Bangkok to Udon Thani:

• 1. Overnight Train
•     a. 1^st class night train ($30-40 US dollars)
•     b. 2^nd class night train ($20 US dollars)
• 2. Bus
• 3. Rental Car/Van
•     a. Udon Car Rental
•         i. http://www.udoncarrent.com/
•     b. Lek car Rental
•         i. http://www.lekcarrentaludonthani.com
•     c. Ratana Car-rent
•        i. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 SPORTS CLINIC/TOURNAMENT:

 SPORTS are very popular in Thailand and provide a creative way of building friendships and sharing God's love without being able to communicate in the same language.  Almost any sport can be used to set up a clinic or tournament:  football (soccer), volleyball, badminton, takraw (a cross between volleyball and soccer) basketball, skate boarding, biking, aerobics and more. These are popular sports in Thailand and we could easy arrange for your team to host a camp or play some exhibition games. 

Sports mission trips can vary in length depending on the needs of the team and the number of exhibition tournaments or clinics scheduled.  Exhibition matches or clinics can be scheduled at a variety of locations from schools, to community centers, to sporting facilities.  Teams will be asked to bring all of their own equipment.  It is also a nice gesture to bring prizes to give away to the coaches and teams you play.     

  LODGING INFORMATION:

Lodging in this area can vary depending on your desires and needs.  We will work with you to arrange housing that will meet your needs and specifications for your time working with us.  Hotels in Northeast Thailand will range in price, quality of service, and location.  Your ministry location site will be a major deciding factor in your lodging location.  At times, teams are even housed with local Thai families which would give you an opportunity to really be exposed to Thai culture. 

The following is a list of possible lodging sites that are available to look at on the internet.  Hopefully this will help you to decide on appropriate housing options.  There are many more guest houses and hotels that do not have English websites.  We are happy to give you more information about the other housing options and price ranges. 

Udon Thani Hotel Options Online:

• 1. President Hotel
•     a. http://www.presidenthotelthailand.com/
• 2. BB Resort Udon Thani
•     a. http://www.bbresortudon.com/
• 3. Udon Hotel
•     a. http://www.udonmap.com/udonthani_accommodation#Udon%20Hotel
• 4. The Englishman's Retreat
•     a. http://www.englishmansretreat.com/
• 5. Silver Reef Bed and Breakfast Hotel
•     a. http://www.silverreefudon.com/
• 6. Udon Thai House- Thomas Resort & Hotel
•     a. http://www.udonthaihouse.com/

Sakon Nakhon Hotel Options Online:

• 1. Sakol Grand Palace
•     a. http://www.asiarooms.com/thailand/sakon_nakhon/ sakol_grand_palace.html

Nakon Phanom Hotel Options Online

• 1. I-Hotel
• 2. Nakhon Phanom River View Hotel
•     a. http://www.thaihotels.com/hotels/thailand/nakhon phanom/nakhonphanom-river-view

  ESL LESSONS:

If you are teaching English on a mission trip with TEAM Isaan please use this website for sample lesson plans.  These lesson plans have been written by several team members or adapted from different websites.  We have used these lesson plans in teaching at a variety of locations.  These lesson plans can you used as resources for teaching at an English camp or to give you an idea of the different types of lessons you should prepare for an English Camp.  Click on the links below to view the lesson plans or to print them for your personal use. 

English Lesson Plans:

• 1. Action Songs
• 2. Actions
• 3. Adjective Monster
• 4. The Body
• 5. Directions
• 6. Feelings and Emotions
• 7. Health
• 8. Prepositions
• 9. What Am I Wearing

TPR Lesson Plans:

• 1. Theory of Live Action English- Live Action English
• 2. TPR Instructions
• 3. A Glass of Milk
• 4. Candle
• 5. Cheese
• 6. Getting Home
• 7. Good Morning
• 8. Making a Cup of Tea
• 9. Painting a Picture
• 10. Washing Your Hands
• 11. Writing a Letter
• 12. You're Getting Sick

List of Sample Games:

• 1. Games and Rules
• 2. Games for ESL- Kids

  MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES:

            THERE are many ways that you can get involved with TEAM Isaan.  If you are interesting in finding out more information regarding the possible ministry opportunities click on the links below.  If you feel called to partner with TEAM Isaan in any of the below opportunities, please fill out the "Now What Questionnaire" located under resources and we will contact you asap regarding the current opportunities. 

Long-Term Mission trips:  (1 month-2 years)

• Training Center
• Teach English

Short-Term Mission trips:  (up to one month)   

• Cultural Exchange Program
• Medical Clinic
• Prayer Journeys
• Prison Ministry
• Social Ministry
• Sports Clinic/Tournament
• Teaching English

  PRAYER JOURNEYS

PRAYER is an essential element of the work that is going on among the Isaan people.  Most people will pray for the Isaan in their homes or churches, but there is another option, and that is praying on site for the Isaan.  There are opportunities for teams to come and pray through certain key areas located in NE Thailand.  These trips are called "Prayer Journeys" because you will journey through Isaan as you pray.  These trips will involve driving and may include some of the following: walking, hiking, visiting with local pastors, observing local occupations, spiritual warfare, visiting significant cultural and/or religious sites.  Prayer Journeys are designed to not only offer on-site prayer experiences, but also a chance to get to know and see Isaan in a different light.  Through these journeys you will learn about the cultural and religious beliefs of the people and experience first hand the spiritual difficulties of leading and planting churches in the Isaan. 

Generally prayer journeys will vary in length, with most lasting from 1 - 3 days.  Prayer Journeys are very flexible and will assuredly fit the time that you have available.  Also prayer journeys can be combined with other types of trips.   

Prayer Journeys are most effective if everyone is in the same vehicle (although not necessary) and so groups would ideally range from 3 - 10. 

There is very little cost involved in Prayer Journeys.  The biggest cost is transportation (vehicle rental and gas).  Cost will be low, but experience will be high. 

 If you are interested in find out more information regarding coming on a prayer journey, please fill out the contact sheet.