JLMM operate activities together with Diocesan Social Action Center (DISAC) in Chiang Mai. DISAC of Chiang Mai Diocese had originally started in 1931 when missionaries began the activities for minor tribes, but it was officially set up in 1975 for the social action aiming human development.
There are ten dioceses in Thailand and each diocese has DISAC. Activities are based on each area. There are many minor tribes in northern part of Thailand and we have been working with them for many years. DISAC is operating in eight prefectures of Northern Thailand; Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phrae, Nan, Lamphun, Lampang, Phayao and Mae Hong Son. The wide range of activities is organized by Chiang Mai Diocese; mainly Bible class, programs for women, youth, agriculture and Karen tribe (grooming of new leaders and rice donation) and dialogs with people with different religion. Groups formed of minor tribes people cooperate each other to work in the villages. Beside supporting Karen people, DISAC started to support Lahu and JLMM missionaries join DISAC and cooperate the support.

Living with Lahu people

DISAC has been supporting Karen people and Thai People for thirty years and it started activities to support Lahu people and solve their problems in 2004. JLMM send missionaries to DISAC to cooperate the activities.

Educational support in Pongpa village

Pongpa village, a Lahu village, is to the north of Chiang Mai. Food and educational materials were subsidized to the children who could not go to school during the rain season. The project was supported by Yokosuka Mikasa Church of Yokohama Diocese. Children can hardly get education after primary school, so we work to provide the access to higher education to them.

Plantation

The village is located in the forest, but there is no tree in the village. In rainy season, the rainwater does not soak through the ground and stays all over the place. As the village becomes unsanitary we started the plantation. We plant fruit trees like lemon and jackfruits because some of the people cannot afford to buy fruits. When JLMM organized the study tour from Japan in August 2006, we planted fruit trees in each house together with the tour participants.

Cleanup activity

The village people leave rubbish all over. They practice cleanup activities to create the sanitary environment by themselves. There are also chronic diseases and injuries in the village, so we are planning health education.

Lahu in Thai society

Lahu people mainly speak Lahu language. We organize recreation activities for youth to have more chance to interact with each other in Thai since they live in Thailand. The activities aim to strengthen their sense of community and develop their creativity and sensibility.

Bridge between school and home

The children in Pongpa village who wish to get higher education can go to school in town. As the school is too far from their home, they stay in dormitory. We play a role of the bridge between the school and the village to monitor the childrenﾕs lives.
In the dormitory there are not only Lahu children but also many children of different tribes. It provides good opportunity to learn different culture and Thai society.
On the other hand it is important to inherit Lahu culture. We are planning to support children to learn Lahu culture staying in the school away from home.

YPD

The youth activity called YPD (Young People for Development) is now more common in in Asia. DISAC is also very actively involved in YPD and JLMM supports it and participated YPD Hanoi (Vietnam) in 2005. The participation in YPD Phnom Penh is now being planned.