Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM) was birthed out of a need to establish a nonprofit charitable organization with 501(C)(3) status that was committed to taking the gospel and love of our Lord Jesus to some of the neediest people in the world living in and around Northern Thailand.
Michael and Hope Johnson had previously served with the International Mission Board from 1998 to 2005 and had begun a work in Northern Thailand that was rapidly growing and impacting many different people groups. In 2005 the Johnsons sensed God’s leadership to take a huge step of faith and help lead the work God had already started to a new level of impact. At that time, Baan Athitaan Church was a thriving Purpose Driven Model Community Church that sensed God’s desire to begin expanding the ministry to involve working with the community on issues related to HIV/AIDS, Community Development, human trafficking, and street children. It was in this context that the need to establish a nonprofit charitable organization arose. NTIM was birthed out of this need and with a commitment to providing support, accountability, and resources for the ministry that the Johnson’s began with a view of looking toward the future to joining God in changing the communities of Northern Thailand through the gospel and the love of Jesus reflected through compassionate action.
During the summer of 2007, Michael and Hope prayed and asked God to show them who He would like them to ask to help them form what is now known as NTIM. After they sought the Lord, Michael approached several men to establish the Board of NTIM. The team worked together to establish its Articles of Incorporation which were adopted and signed on September 11, 2007. These Articles of Incorporation were then registered with Jefferson County in the State of Alabama on September 12, 2007.
Since its creation, NTIM has been committed to the ministries of Baan Athitaan Church and Grace Language School. These ministries are strategically located in Northern Thailand and dedicated to balancing the verbal expression of the message of the love of Jesus with the nonverbal expression of the message of Jesus as compassionate action through community development outreaches. Grace Language School provides educational support and various scholarships that allow greater opportunities for the poorest of the poor. Baan Athitaan Church has several ministries including ministering to families and victims of HIV/AIDS, to young girls at high risk of human trafficking, and to children that are currently in bondage to human trafficking along the borders of Thailand and Myanmar.
In order to provide the appropriate legal standing and accountability with the Thai government, NTIM sought to establish a sister foundation in Thailand and charged Michael with that responsibility. After Michael returned to Thailand with his family in the fall of 2007, he asked 3 of his key Thai leaders, Pranchalee (Lek) Naamong, Sutasinee (Ja) Srijai, and Chawalit (Ped) Kanungkaiwan to work together with Michael as a team to establish NTIM’s sister foundation. After their first meeting, they decided to call themselves Channel of Blessing Foundation. Channel of Blessing Foundation (CBF) was officially approved by the Ministry of Culture of Thailand on July 4, 2008.