This camp was not only about teaching media skills, but also about seeing individuals grow in their lives. With God at the center, we were able to grow together and encourage one another.

During the camp, our MediaLight staff was always available to help our students. One-on-one time helped us get to know one another more, as well as encourage growth.

Now that the camp is over, I realize even more how blessed I was to be a part of it. My heart is so thankful to God for our MediaLight team. Each of us have different gifts from God, and we all try to use them for His Kingdom.

 ~Joy Radomthong~

For nearly a year now, I have volunteered at a local orphanage here in Chiang Rai. Time has passed so quickly. My relationship with the girls continually grows deeper, as does my genuine love and care for them. My time spent with them consists of helping with their school assignments, assisting them in preparing meals, participating in small groups, and simply playing around.

To further bond with the girls, I take photos with them. Although I am not as skilled as a professional photographer, we have so much fun together doing different poses. They love seeing their faces on the photos. I even lend my camera to them at times so they can practice taking pictures in the hopes they will develop their own skills. Even more, my hope is that they can use this skill to further the Kingdom of God here in Thailand.

~Reina Gonzales~

Engage Camp students

Our team recently finished running a weeklong Thai language photography camp called Engage Camp. Last year, we held an Engage Camp, which taught media skills to young Thai Christians, but this time our camp also focused on non-believers. A total of 18 students attended, with ages ranging from 14 to 47. Even with such a large age gap and the mix of Christians and non-Christians, we became close and had a wonderful week.

Arthit

Thirteen of our students were non-believers; in fact, many were strong Buddhists. Arthit, our oldest student had Buddhist tattoos and wore a Buddhist idol necklace. Initially, our team felt nervous about how our Buddhist students would receive our Christian message and time of worship. Although the students were not required to arrive early to worship with us, we certainly invited them. Arthit seemed quite confused the first day, which caused me to assume this was his first experience with Christian worship.

When day two came, Arthit and his daughter (also a student) showed up early again for worship, which surprised our entire team in the best way possible. He paid close attention to the lyrics on our screen with a curious look on his face. By day three, Arthit began to clap along. He never missed our worship time, and by the end, Arthit even sang along. On our final day of class, a fellow staff member—Ryan—shared the gospel message with the students. He read from the Bible and explained how God created us for a purpose and what Jesus had done for us. For many students, this was their first exposure to the Good News of Jesus. After Ryan shared, I felt led to tell the students my reason for living in Thailand (my heart was beating so fast).

“Does anybody want to know more stories from this book? Does it sound strange to you? Or wrong to you? Or make you curious? If you want to know more and you want to read this book for yourself, I would love to buy it for you as a gift. Feel free to ask me. This is the reason I am here living in Thailand. What I believe, the story in this book, it’s too good to hold only to myself in Korea. It changed my life, and I want to share this good news with all of you!”

Yot

Right after class, Arthit approached me and said, “I want to know more about this book. Can I have one?” That day I gave him a Thai Bible and a book called From Buddha to Jesus. When I gave it to him, he pointed to the sky and asked me to pray for him and his family. Of all my experiences in Thailand, this was one of the most touching.

The next day, one more student named Yot asked for a Bible. God is so faithful. This is the reason why our MediaLight team is here. God loves Thailand so much and so do we.

Please pray for Arthit and Yot and the rest of the students who heard the Gospel last week!

The majority of our students are non-Christian, which was a main reason conducting this training camp. We wanted to expose Thai’s to a loving Christ-filled atmosphere who otherwise wouldn’t come into regular contact with Christians. Throughout the week, students have been taught photography principles, but more importantly, they have been exposed to the message of Christ and His followers who try to be living examples of that message.

Click here to view the embedded video.

At the UCB headquarters

I have been very fortunate to have been picked for a two-month training program at the United Christian Broadcasters at Stoke-on-Trent, England.

It’s a full scholarship that trains in various departments;

• > Television
• > Radio
• > Fundraising
• > Print (Word for Today, daily devotional)
• > Marketing

The aim is to learn the operational and managerial aspects of these departments in view of applying similar processes back in Asia. One of the main concepts I learned is that what works in one country may not work in another because of their cultural differences.

It’s important to understand the avenues of media currently being used in your country to maximize your effectiveness there. Always ask yourself; “Who’s my target audience and what kind of media are they currently using?”

One of the radio studios at UCB

UCB's Television Studio

Some of the marketing and youth ministry members

As I look around, I notice many people taking photographs, probably because they want to hold onto memories. Many people in Thailand even use their cell phones to hold their memories and retell their stories. What a great idea! As a result, our team has planned to do a photography camp next month here in Chiang Rai to train how to tell a moving story through pictures. But we are most excited about the chance to share the love of God with people and encourage them to see the world through a different perspective.

MediaLight  opens it’s doors again from September 28 till December 1, 2012 at our base in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This is an intensive 10 week program for those who are serious about being a messenger of light to this dark world. We will cover personal life management, spirituality for ministry, the core teachings of Jesus and what it means to be a Christian leader. Half of our time and energy will be spent learning how to communicate through modern media with a special emphasis on video production. Room, board and tuition for this year’s second Media Light session will be only $2,500. Students from developing nations can avail of a tuition discount that reduces tuition to $1500.  All Asian nations except Singapore, Japan and Korea qualify for the developing nations scholarship.

English is our language of instruction.  All students must demonstrate proficiency in English to enroll.  We keep 12-15 hour days, 6 days a week, but after just ten weeks you will be amazed at your personal growth and your competence in handling media production at a level of excellence.

There are less than 20 slots in this special, hands-on program and few are left so if you are interested you need to sign up soon. Contact Registrar at info@medialightasia.com

This term, we have another outstanding slate of professional media producers as our teachers.  Our teachers come from major media production houses and international ad agencies.  These ten weeks could change your life!

Last term we had students from five nations. Many of our students had never shot or edited video before MediaLight1.0.  One student is already working in professional television production. Click here to see some samples of their work after just a few weeks of instruction.

More on Media Light:  MediaLight is a Christian leadership and media training program and a missions experience.  At Emerge, we are particularly interested in developing you to be an outreach leader and media missionary for your nation.  We want to see you having the confidence and ability to foster a fiery vision, craft a strategic communication plan and then execute it effectively. Though we train online and through conferences and camps, the highest level of our training occurs in our ten-week immersion learning center, the Media Light,  in Northern Thailand.  Here, you will join other students from many nations. Living in community, you will gain particular strength in spirituality, leadership and communication, including video production and online ministry.

Why “Media-Light?”

We chose the name for two reasons, first, because media is a great source of revelation in our generation.  It is the new global language.  Every important idea is discussed in media and debated in that arena.  The second reason for the name is that we are not Media Heavy.  We have great equipment, use Apple computes and Final Cut software and have highly qualified teachers but we aren’t hung up on expensive equipment.  The internet means that everyone can now produce and distribute media made with affordable equipment and a simple laptop computer. The point is to become skillful in telling a powerful story and to target that message at a specific group of people whose habits and attitudes you know well.  We all need to learn how to use media in daily communication to make our messages more powerful. That’s what Media Light is all about.

What to Expect:

Experience the movement of God in Southeast Asia.
Asia is alive. Entrenched values and traditions clash with modern technology and Western influence. Cell phones beep against a chorus of temple bells. Cities infected by corruption and injustice teem with bustling millions, while the rest of the nation remains neglected. A faithful few, just a handful really, cling to Christ despite the battering they receive daily from their families, neighbors, and government. They are resilient, though, and are unifying to make a claim for their people as the power of the Holy Spirit drives even deeper into the darkness. Be there with them as the kingdom of God rolls through their nations and find your stride in the movement.

Training in media for influence in this visual generation
A shift has happened in the last few years. A shift away from books and towards screens. We are a visual generation. We don’t want to be told, we want to be shown. We are always connected. Tuned in, hooked up, downloading, online, till we’re out of battery. We’ve become masters of filtering the mob of voices vying for our attention. What is it we’re searching for? A good story. Learn the craft of storytelling and how to convey it through visual media so that your voice rings clear above the crowd. We will spend half of our time and energy at Media Light on training you to tell a story well through media.

Develop genuine relationships with other young leaders of the global church
Visionary young leaders are emerging in Asia. Leaders with a unique story of redemption, a broken heart for their people & a relentless passion to turn the tides of social injustice & demonic oppression in their nation. At Media Light you have the opportunity to engage these leaders and build authentic relationships that intertwine your stories and empower you to be agents of change in your world.

Immerse yourself in the warmth & excitement of Asian cultures.
The day you leave for your experience at Media Light, you’ll check in your bags, buckle yourself in, and your plane will roar into the air, rocketing you a world away from the ordinary. Wide smiles, delicious food, exotic landscapes, & thrilling adventures are just waiting for you on the other side. Not only will you encounter the beauty of Thailand, at Media Light, you’ll experience a rich tapestry of other cultures: from the tribes indigenous to the area, to the relationships that you will form with your fellow students and mentors at Media Light. Discover it all here with us, at Media Light.

How it Works:

During your time at Media Light, you will evaluate your present spiritual state, discern your calling, receive counseling and participate in outreaches and humanitarian missions.  You will also receive hands-on training in “guerilla-style” media production along with training in how to lead a spiritual movement.  Every day starts with worship and a careful study of the teachings and ministry patterns of Jesus, the ultimate change agent.  Seasoned leaders mix with media professionals to bring the wisdom of their experience into your life.  By the end of the school, you will have produced a ministry plan and a personal life plan to keep yourself, your family and your ministry healthy and growing for a lifetime.

Your Next Steps:

1. Click here for the  Enrollment Application
2. Print and Complete the application and mail it back to us at the address provided or scan and email it back to us at info@medialightasia.com.
3. Pay your non-refundable application fee of $50 online by clicking here. Just type $50 in the blank and “Application fee” in the memo section.  You can also mail a manager’s check in $US to the stateside address provided on the Application.
4. The balance of the school fees PLUS the refundable breakage fee of $300 are due upon your arrival in Chiang Rai on Sept 28, 2010.  (You can pay the entire fee in advance, if you like, while doing step 5).
5. Begin to research airfares and visa requirements in order to find the best deal for your trip.  These things are your responsibility.  You will only need a tourist visa which Thailand grants to most countries upon entrance.  Check with your local Thai consulate for details.

On Tuesday, Ria (talented designer and MediaLight 1.0 alumni)  flew in on Tuesday afternoon to complete our MediaLight 2.0 Team. A few hours after, we had the first of many many staff meetings where we talked briefly about all our roles for the next 10 life-changing weeks.

We’ve got Chuck Quinley as overall program head, and his lovely wife, Sherry Quinley, is in charge of everything else that goes on behind the scenes. The rest of our staff are made up of Reina Gonzales (Philippines), Eunhae Cho (Korea), Marj Laurena (Philippines), Jonny Moore (USA), Ryan and Keisha Lennon (USA), Jo Alambro (Philippines) Ria Bagatsing (Philippines), Joy Radomthong (Thailand), Yuli Jirawanich (Thailand), and Rory Morales (Philippines — that’s me!)

It’s looking to be an interesting season! We’ve got a large staff this time around, and the ratio looks to be 1 staff member to 1 student, and as CQ was just saying at our 2nd meeting earlier today, even more than the participants or students, it’s really the staff that gains the most out of any training program. The aim of MediaLight isn’t just to produce graduates who can use media strategically for ministry, it’s also to be able to use the skills we gain here to train others, especially around the unreached parts of Asia. So it’s really exciting that at the end of the next coupla months we’re going to have a group of staff members who have been trained to train others in media, and who can be mobilized anytime!

Today we had our 2nd meeting, and we prayed for our team and for the students who are going to join us in just 2 more weeks. Our student roster still isn’t final yet, so we’ve still got a few slots open to those who want to enroll.

Tomorrow we start preparing the school building. It’s been raining really hard for the past few weeks, just another part of living in the tropics in monsoon season. But it does mean that our basement’s been flooded, which is a bit of a hassle. But thanks to some strong men who came to the rescue, we were able to save the big kitchen equipment. Now to see if it all works…