Lahu Church of the Nazarene

Lahu Church of the Nazarene is for the people of Lahu language and culture in Tulare and Kings Counties, California.

Lahu Church of the Nazarene, formerly Lahu Christian Church had been an independent Evangelical Bible Church for years under the direction of the Pastors & Elder Board. 

In the Spring of 2003, through mutual agreement by the Elders of Lahu Christian Church, the Visalia Church of the Nazarene and the District Superintendent, Dr. Mel Rich, we agreed to provide worship and classroom space for their ministry. We have since enjoyed great success in joint missions projects to Thailand as well as helping and encouraging this wonderful congregation.

Worship Times:  Sunday 11:30 a.m. at Visalia Church of the Nazarene, 3333 W. Caldwell Ave.  (Across the street from Home Depot). 

The Pastoral Staff
The pastoral staff are led by their Senior Pastor, Rev. Sor See, who is also the liaison for the Lahu people for Tulare City School District.  "Pastor Emeritus"  Aipanh Sae See is also a Lahu Tribal Elder.  An elected Elder Board oversees the leadership of the local church and leads the children's ministry and worship in the Lahu language.

Cultural Celebrations
The Lahu people hold traditional cultural celebrations the Saturday following Thanksgiving and from December 27 to January 1 in the New Year.  They enjoy delicious Lahu food, beautiful cultural costumes, music, religious services and cultural dance.  The pastors of the Lahu people invite everyone to come and celebrate with them.  It is a way of them remembering their  heritage and rediscovering their uniqueness among the people and tribes of the world.

A Short History of the Lahu People
The Lahu people of Southeast Asia have a rich culture and heritage.  The Lahu are a mountain tribal people that have their roots in southeastern China.  Their ancestorsmigrated from China to the hill country of northern Laos and lived there for approximately 300 years.

Following the Communist take over of Laos in the late 1970's, ten's of thousands of Lahu and other tribal people fled into northern Thailand.  The people found refuge in humanitarian camps provided by the United Nations Border Relief Operations.  Because of the Lahu people's support for the United States and other free governments in Southeast Asia, approximately 4,000 Lahu were encouraged to immigrate to the United States.  The Lahu people first heard the gospel preached in the refugee camps of Thailand and later in Utah in 1981, by Christian preachers.  Following 2 years of assimilation and English school in Utah, most of the Lahu people moved to Tulare County, California.  It is estimated that approximately 3,000 Lahu people reside in Tulare County. 

While the Lahu people are legal immigrants, many of them have become citizens of the United States.  The Lahu people who have immigrated to the United States are able to experience what is personified in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self evident that all people are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights."

Our Missionary Endeavors to Thailand
The English speaking congregation has banded together with Lahu Church of the Nazarene in order to invest in several mission projects in Northern Thailand. 

Here are some of our recent unified undertakings:

            * In 2005 our congregation pledged a love gift and purchased 30 acres of land in northern Thailand near the border of Laos.

            * In January 2006 a joint team from the Lahu and English congregations traveled to northern Thailand to build a church/community center on the 30 acres that had been purchased.  The team spent a week laying brick walls for the first structure there.

            * In January 2007, a medical team from Visalia Nazarene visited Northern Thailand and helped in several remote villages surrounding Chiang Rai, educating in basic community health issues and giving free medical and dental assistance to the Lahu tribal people that reside there.

            * An ongoing assistance of ministries through the Church of the Nazarene in Northern Thailand includes the support of "ABBA House".  (http://abbahousefoundation.org/abba/).  This extension of the Church of the Nazarene in Chang Mai provides escape for young women from forced prostitution and enslavement through a Christian School and vocational training program for young girls.   The trip is documented through an excellent video produced by KMPH - TV, Channel 26.  http://www.kmph.com/news/local/6023916.html