Neel and Chalor Roberts

Missionaries to the Shan People

As a freshman at Gettysburg College, Neel read a biography of Hudson Taylor and sought to be a part of the mission that Taylor founded. After he earned an MA in world missions at Gordon-Conwell he joined OMF and went to Thailand in 1987. During his first term, while learning the language, he assisted a Thai pastor in a rural church in Lamnarai in Central Thailand. He also became active in youth and children's ministries. It was while helping with a children's camp that he met his future wife, Chalor.

Chalor came from a Buddhist family. Her mother became the first Christian in the village. OMF missionaries came regularly to teach her. Chalor, then a teenager, put her faith in Christ after reading the literature the missionaries left at her house. As she grew in faith it was her desire to attend Bible school, but she was needed at home to work on the farm. At last, in answer to prayer, her parents allowed her to study at Phayao Bible Training Center. There she was challenged by one of her professors to consider becoming a missionary. It was during one of her school breaks that she met Neel at camp.

In 1993 Chalor and Neel were married. After a year of ministry in the Lamnarai church, they moved on to a new field of service among the Shan Buddhists of North Thailand. Here they assisted in town and village ministry. They also managed a youth hostel.

It is their earnest desire that many more Christians will dedicate themselves to reaching the Shan people.