ATLANTA -- As Christy and Jason Edwards prepared to begin their two years of service as Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel, they were invited to share their story one Sunday morning at King’s Cross Church in Tullahoma, Tenn.

Since that morning in 2005, King’s Cross and the Edwards have remained connected. The church has prayed for them, encouraged them and sought ways to partner in the Edwards’ ministry. And even as the Edwards end their two years of service, they have facilitated a partnership that will continue to extend King’s Cross’ mission globally.

Ten people from King’s Cross traveled to Thailand earlier this year, where the Edwards ministered among the Palaung, a marginalized hill tribe people. After raising money for a new water system, the church members spent a week mixing cement, hauling materials and shoveling dirt in order to build two water tanks. They also led sports and crafts camps for village children.

"Many people on our trip had not seen this kind of poverty before," said Amy Wilkins, Kings’ Cross missions minister. "We were all impacted by the resilience we saw in the hilltribe people in the face of such poverty and difficultly."

The tanks will provide water for the Upland Holistic Development Project (UHDP), a Thailand-based ministry started by CBF field personnel Ellen and Rick Burnette. UHDP assists 18 Palaung villages with sustainable agriculture and water supply.

"The ministry of UHDP is a tangible expression of the love of Christ to a people who desperately need to experience love, mercy and hope," Wilkins said. "Often we grow up with the idea that mission trips are about selling Jesus to people who don't know they need him. Instead we saw a holisitic ministry that primarily cares for people and God's creation, and evangelism happens organically in that context."

The church members also had the opportunity to work with children and families in three of the villages. This experience inspired King’s Cross to engage in a three-year simultaneous partnership with both the Fellowship and Huai Wai community.

Through the Joining the Village initiative, which is being facilitated by the UHDP, the church will provide photos and updates regarding church life every six months to the people of Huai Wai, as well as maintaining prayer support. In return, UHDP will assist the village in providing the church with photos as well as a detailed progress report every six months.

"A long-term partnership such as Joining the Village not only potentially satisfies the need of contemporary churches to be missional and hands on, but can foster understanding and meaningful cooperation between two very different communities – for example, a CBF partner congregation and a distant marginalized community," said Rick Burnette. "Such a long-term partnership allows both communities to better understand and respect each other, further enabling the church, in consultation with local Christians and missions personnel, to offer appropriate responses towards the community in need."

To learn about partnership opportunities with CBF Global Missions field personnel, call (800) 352-8741.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.