A Vision Becomes Reality: The Launch of Masters International School
Seeking Safety in Thailand
Eva longed for a place where her children could grow in a Christ-centered and nurturing environment. Her family is one of many that have left mainland China, looking for a place to freely practice their Christian faith. Eva’s family now resides in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where her children can safely learn in a Christian environment while also receiving ongoing Chinese language support.
Masters International School (MIS) is a brand-new K-8 TeachBeyond school, born out of the vision of a group of Chinese parents, including Eva. They approached the founder of Grace International School, another Christian school in Chiang Mai . They desired an educational option like Grace for their children, but the school was only able to accept a fraction of the Chinese students who applied. That’s where the journey began to launch a Chinese-focused international school in Chiang Mai.
How TeachBeyond Supports the Launch of New Schools
Driven by a common vision of transformational education for all, TeachBeyond walked alongside MIS in the lead up to its launch. Through prayer, financial support, and board training, TeachBeyond has been working to ensure the Christ-centered education offered at MIS is available for years to come.
“I can tell TeachBeyond (will) provide decades of support to our school, not only for the recruitment of qualified teachers, but also for the teachers with us, and school legal files, everything,” said Eva, who serves on staff as Chinese Principal. “TeachBeyond just gives us a lot of support to make it happen.”
The path to school licensure was long and filled with setbacks. The school team prepared for months to present their curriculum to the Ministry of Education in Bangkok. As the time to open the school drew near, the school was asked to make corrections. They never lost hope, turning to God in prayer. And through every hardship, the team remained joyful, trusting that God was in control.
Finally, they were approved, receiving their license just in time for the arrival of their first students in early September.
Honoring Language and Cultural Heritage
At MIS, Chinese students join an international student population to learn in a faith community, improve their English language skills, and continue to receive Chinese language support.
“(Parents) are looking for somewhere to support their kids' education,” Eva said. “They hope their kids can learn in a Christ-centered environment. They are seen, beloved by other people. But it's hard to find (this) overseas, especially for the Chinese native speakers.”
Unlike English, which only uses 26 letters, Mandarin has thousands of characters. Children continue to learn new characters all the way through high school.
MIS has a curriculum that is 70% in English and 30% in Mandarin. Because of this, Chinese students don’t have to abandon their first language in order to advance their education in a new country.
“We hope the students know we are different,” Eva said. “We meet different people from various backgrounds, races, religions or languages. A lot of things are different, but we want to let students appreciate the variety, to appreciate each other's cultures.”
More Than a School
MIS only recently opened to students. But its early days have been filled with inspiring moments of discipleship and academic growth. Thanks to the support of TeachBeyond, the school is laying a foundation for the future.
In addition to the brick-and-mortar school, MIS is offering online Mandarin language classes for Chinese families living in other parts of the world. These classes, which are taught from a Christian worldview, support the spread of the gospel by allowing Chinese missionaries and pastors to serve where God has placed them without sacrificing their children's education.
“They can come to us,” Eva said. “And they need not give up spiritual discipleship for their kids. They can do both. They can serve in their fellowship in their community. But as well, their kids, they deserve a school like MIS that knows their special journey and respects their identity.”
For Eva, working at MIS is more than a job, it’s a mission field; a place to help students encounter the love of Christ through exceptional education.
“We want to use this platform to bring people to God,” Eva said. “We hope to make this place to be a real blessing to the whole world.”
On November 12, join TeachBeyond’s Day of Giving and help launch more schools like MIS. Your gift provides the resources needed to bring transformational education to communities around the world. Together, we can open doors to opportunity, nurture future generations, and change lives for years to come.