We believe the World Race changes lives all over the world. It’s an 11-month journey where young people find Jesus working in all corners of the earth and join what he’s doing. In seven years of World Racing, we’ve met amazing people in the countries we visit who are knee-deep in the work of fulfilling the Great Commission. These people aren’t always recognized, but they are doing incredible things in their communities.

We call these quiet, unassuming giants of the faith our Unsung Heroes.

We’ve seen the investment they’re making and the relationships they’re building, and we want to help. So we’ve started the Unsung Heroes campaign.

Every month, one team on each squad is responsible for finding these people in the country where the squad is doing ministry. They network, ask the Lord for direction, and build relationships with new partners who are doing local ministry. The team sends their information back to our home office, where we begin the process of partnering with them and sending new World Race teams to serve with their ministries.

From updates.theworldrace.org

The goal is to turn short-term mission trips into long-term partnerships.

This month we’re dedicating Wednesdays to sharing stories from our awesome Unsung Heroes campaign. We’re bringing you stories of regular citizens who saw a need in their country and decided they could do something to help.

This week, we want to introduce you to one of our favorite heroes, Emmi Khanthana.

Emmi runs Lighthouse in Action, a ministry that serves the lost and broken in the red light district of Chiang Mai, Thailand. Emmi’s life was impacted by a Finnish missionary who sponsored her as a child. Eventually, she joined Youth With a Mission (YWAM), completing a Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Colorado before returning to Thailand to start her own ministry.

“You can impact someone’s life just like I was,” she said. “The teams that came through Thailand when I was younger [gave me what I desperately needed], the love and truth of Jesus.”

You can see more of Emmi’s story by clicking on the video below, and subscribe to our updates blog to hear another Unsung Hero’s story next week!