Lahu Methodist Church - Tachileik, Myanmar
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 20° 27.730 E 099° 53.646
47Q E 593254 N 2262880
This fast growing Methodist Church among the Lahu tribal people is located near the Thai border in the burgeoning town of Tachileik, Myanmar.
Waymark Code: WMGEYW
Location: Myanmar
Date Posted: 02/24/2013
Views: 2
The pastor of this church reports that the congregation has outgrown this small building, and they are well under way in constructing a new, much larger, church building that will seat approximately 500 people.
The entire town of Tachileik has grown rapidly in the last several years as tourism has increased across the Thai border, both among Thai and western tourists. There is a casino, golf course and airport here. The church is located in newly developed land in the northeast region of the town.
The Lahu are one of the many so-called hill tribes that originated in Yunan, China, but are dispersed throughout Myanmar and northern Thailand as far south as Chiangmai. In the early 20th century Lahu from China visited Myanmar, known as Burma then, to inquire about Christianity, and many of them become ardent Christian believers. It is estimated that as much as 30% of the Lahu people in China and SE Asia are Christian.