Matt Hibner, a principal on GM’s board of directors, recently traveled more than 8,000 miles to Bangkok, Thailand, on a mission trip with Faith Alliance Church. Serving with his denomination’s Field Forum, Matt mentored middle and high school students while their parents engaged in training and fellowship. Along the way, he experienced Thai culture, built meaningful connections, and gained a deeper perspective on faith in the face of global conflict. Learn more about Matt’s journey.

What inspired you to take part in this mission trip to Thailand?
My family and I attend Faith Alliance Church in New Bremen, and missions are a fundamental part of our church’s DNA as part of our denomination. Initially, both my wife, Maggie, and I had reservations about going on this particular trip, mainly due to traveling to the other side of the world (20 hours of flight time one way and an 11-hour time change) and the unknowns related to leaving our five children for 10 days. However, after hearing more about the intent of the trip and the potential impact of interacting with international workers and their families, we had a change of heart.

Can you share the main goal or purpose of the trip?
Our denomination has five regions of international workers around the world. Every three years, each of these regions hosts a regional conference called Field Forum. Field Forum is an opportunity for international workers and their families to meet with others from their region. They use this time to learn from one another, reset priorities for the upcoming year, and develop deeper relationships with their families through rest and relaxation. The main goal of the trip for our group—which included us and another couple from our church—was to mentor middle school and high school students of international workers who live in Middle Central Asia, which connects Europe and Asia. Our daily routine involved spending approximately six hours a day with these teens. We typically began the day with reflection and a Bible study focused on the Book of Daniel, then moved into meaningful relationship-building games and discussions while their parents were in training sessions.

Can you describe a moment that was especially meaningful or memorable?
The timing of our trip was interesting, to say the least. Our travel arrangements took us through Istanbul, Turkey. Between Istanbul and Bangkok, Thailand, was the heart of the Middle East, specifically Israel and Iran. The day before we left the United States, Israel bombed Iran. While we were overseas, there were various bombings, which became a frequent topic of conversation since many of the families participating in Field Forum were from areas impacted by the conflict. The day before we left Thailand to return home, the United States bombed Iran. There was a lot of uncertainty and anxiety about all that was going on in the Middle East. However, in the midst of that concern, I was interacting with teens and their families who live in the Middle East. My anxieties and concerns paled in comparison to what these teens and their families were going through. One teen from a country closely connected to the conflict was in my small group. He described several instances of nearby bombings and seeing and hearing missiles fly over his house. Yet through all these traumatic events, their faith carried them and gave them a sense of comfort and assurance.

What was your favorite part of Thai culture?
Everywhere we went, the people in Thailand were kind and friendly. We were told that Thailand is widely known as “The Land of Smiles,” and that was apparent throughout our experience. I also enjoyed seeing several notable sights in Bangkok and their culture’s emphasis on detail in historic and religious buildings.