Decerel Pilarca, an English teacher and GCI missionary in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand together with a fellow Filipina teacher, accompanied three Thai teachers from her school to visit the Philippines for the first time last March. The group had dinner with GCI Philippines national director Eugene Guzon (see picture at right).
The visitors were hosted by the GCI Philippines missions community team represented by Mina Gonzales who also served as tour guide. While in the Philippines, the group explored the possibility of establishing a student exchange program between their school and a partner high school in the Philippines. Through the program, Thai students would stay in the Philippines for a month while being hosted by Filipino families. In turn, an equal number of Filipino high school students would travel to Thailand and stay with Thai families.
The group also met with GCI Philippine leaders in Baguio City and Manila. After visiting her parents in Mindanao, Ms. Pilarca will return to Thailand to continue teaching in Chiang Rai. The Philippine missions team hopes to organize a short-term mission trip to Thailand within the year. Those interested in participating may contact the GCI Philippines national office.
