Work alongside the local staff of a self-sustaining business to improve the sales and marketing of the handicrafts they produce. This business helps women support their families through handicraft production, which are sold in local and foreign markets to generate income. This acts as an aid to community development and preserves and encourages traditional skills and handicraft.

Responsibilities:

• Live among local people to learn the language and culture while building meaningful and purposeful relationships.
• Work alongside, learn from, and help increase the capacity of existing staff, especially in marketing.
• Work with and train local staff to regularly update the business’ social media accounts and online store.
• Seek out new sales opportunities both domestically and abroad.
• Maintain good working relationships with team members.

Required Qualifications:

• A recognized bachelor’s degree (long-term worker) or approval from the applicant’s college/university to use as an internship (short-term worker)
• Completion of Perspectives Mission course or comparable mission course
• Completion of Alliance Polity course (long-term worker)
• A minimum Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) score of 60 or higher
• Training and/or experience in community development
• Willingness to work in cooperation with the CAMA team and help advance its goals

Preferred Qualifications:

• Cross-cultural training or living experience
• Experience and/or education in income generation, marketing, or small business
• Clear understanding of CAMA’s community development values and principles

Biblical Characteristics:

• Ability to articulate personal conversion and call to ministry
• Demonstrated heart for the poor and marginalized (Micah 6:8)
• Theological alignment with The Alliance
• Demonstrated flexibility and grace in all aspects of life
• Ability to learn and recover from failure
• Vibrant spiritual life
• Consistent practice of spiritual disciplines

Timeline for Deployment:

Spring/Summer 2023. Once appointed, and fundraising and other qualifications are met, the appointee is required to attend a cross-cultural and language-acquisition program and Pre-Field Orientation prior to deploying.

General Information:

This is a developing country with limited access to Christian witness. There are government-sanctioned churches in the capital as well as informal fellowships. While workers should use caution when openly discussing their faith, private opportunities in relationships are frequent.

You will join a team in the capital city and make occasional trips into rural areas. The city is modernizing rapidly, but strong traditional roots permeate urban culture. A range of housing options are available. There is electricity, running water, and a great variety of local and foreign restaurants. Public transport is not widely available, so applicants must be prepared to drive, motorbike, or cycle. The people are friendly and have a welcoming posture toward foreigners.

The weather is hot and humid year-round with temperatures consistently over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in April and May and a monsoon season from May to September.

Language Expectations:

Language is an essential part of ministry. For those who do not know the language, a period of intensive language study is provided in accordance with the length of term commitment, with the option to continue part time after that. The goal for long-term workers will be to speak, read, and write the local language at a functional level to mentor, teach, and train others.

Health Considerations:

Health care is limited in the capital city. Serious health problems are typically handled in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Expectations for Spouse:

Spousal roles vary, based on the spouse’s gifts, training, and abilities, as well as the needs of the team. It is expected that both spouses will be meaningfully involved in meeting team objectives, depending on the nature of family roles, children’s needs, etc. 

Children’s Educational Plan and Options:

There is a growing number of accredited and non-accredited elementary schools in the capital that can adequately prepare children for a continuing Western education. Education for higher grades can be a combination of homeschooling and one week per month as part of a modular study group (MSG) in the city. Boarding schools in Thailand or Malaysia are also an option for high school students.