
History of Missions in the Mekong
Protestant missions in the Mekong Region began with the arrival of Adoniram and Nancy Judson in Yangon, Burma in 1813. Fifteen years later Protestant work began in Bangkok, Thailand. It was not until the 1860's and 1870's that missionaries were able to begin work in Upper Burma and Northern Thailand. In 1876 the first member of the China Inland Mission crossed from Yunnan into Upper Burma and showed that the region was truly open to the Gospel. Presbyterian successes with the Tai Yuan whom they called “Lao” in what is now North Thailand and Baptist successes with the Karen, and later the Kachin, in Burma showed that there was reason to hope for greater harvests in the future. In the first decade of the 20th Century work among the various peoples of the Mekong Region began in earnest. Wa, Lahu, Hmong, and Lisu all responded in great numbers to the Gospel and new believers became active evangelists and missionaries not only to their own tribes but to other people groups as well. Work in Laos and Vietnam was made difficult primarily due to the presence of French imperialists who prevented or hindered most Protestant ministry in Indochina during their tenure there.