FOR THE NATIONS PROJECT 2021
PITOTE
Meet our newest foreign missionary partner, Tosphon Poonperm, also known as Pitote "Big Brother Tote". Pitote was born in the province of Isaan in Thailand. He came to Bangkok to go to college, and while there he met some Christian missionaries and gave his life to Christ. Soon afterward, he felt called to be a missionary to His people. He has a gift of working with children and uses teaching English as a platform to share the gospel with them and their parents. Our Missions and Prayer Pastor, Berry Alvis, met Pitote on a Thailand trip in 2015. He then became an interpreter for their group on five other short-term trips. He also joined Berry in 2019 in Cambodia as they served a missions partner there that is part of a church planting movement and has over 300 house churches. Pitote moved to Bueng Buun three years ago, which was a village in Isaan with no Christians in it.
THAILAND STATS
Thailand is a country of 69.5 million people, 88% (61 million) of which are unreached with the gospel. There are 113 people groups in Thailand, 68% (77 groups) of which are unreached. The largest unreached group in Thailand is the Central Thai. Buddhism is the primary religion of the country. The Isaan Thai, where Pitote is from, is the world’s 27th largest unreached people group (less than .02 % evangelical). The Joshua Project quotes the need in Isaan to grow the gospel is to bring in 369 new workers.
COMMUNITY CENTER
As Pitote has been in Bueng Buun, he has worked in the schools teaching English and having kids over to his home in the afternoons to teach further and to have Bible lessons. Other missionaries in the area come and help him in reaching this community. He has a dream of building a Community Center that will have educational opportunities for kids and adults in the village and serve as a place people can learn about Jesus. He hopes that many churches are planted out of this effort. The building is in stage 6 of 9 to be completed. The need is approximately $14,000 to finish the last stages and to be ready for kids in the fall.
