Rice. There is probably no other single thing that is as important to the Isan people of northeast Thailand as rice. But not just any kind of rice. The staple food of this part of Thailand is glutinous rice, or sticky rice.

The economy of northeastern Thailand depends on agriculture, and over 60 percent of all the cultivated land in the region is used for growing sticky rice. Though sticky rice is mainly eaten plain along with savory vegetable and meat dishes, Isan people also use sticky rice to prepare all kinds of food.

One of the most famous sticky rice dishes is khao niao mamuang, which is sweetened sticky rice topped with fresh-cut mango and coconut milk. In the local markets, you can find sticky rice sweetened with coconut and sugar and mixed with bananas or sweet beans inside of bamboo or steamed banana leaves. It’s also common to see kids eating khao chi, which are small patties of sticky rice mixed with salt, coated in egg and cooked over a charcoal fire. Traditionally, khao chi was made from the leftover sticky rice from the previous night’s meal, and then given to children for breakfast or to passing monks as a morning offering. People here also use sticky rice to make traditional fermented sausage and rice wine. Sticky rice is a part of every meal.

Interestingly, though there are more formal words in the Thai language to refer to each meal of the day, people throughout Thailand usually say khao chao, khao tiyang, and khao yen, which simply mean morning rice, noon rice, and evening rice. The same is true here in Isan where, if you haven’t eaten sticky rice that day, then you haven’t eaten yet.

For more than 1,000 years, the people of this region have depended on rice for survival. This tiny seed impacts their language, economy and culture. There are even folk songs about sticky rice. One small seed planted in the paddy may seem insignificant, but to the Isan people, it is the beginning of a cycle that touches every part of their lives.

As we learn about the Isan culture, we are reminded how much good can come from small beginnings. It reminds us, too, that even God starts with small things to establish His kingdom.

He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened” (Matt. 13:31-33 ESV).

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin (Zech. 4:10 NLT).

As we shared in our last article, there are more than 18 million Isan people in northeastern Thailand, and at least 98 percent of them are Buddhists. Yet, in all of Thailand, the Northeast is the region with the fewest missionaries per capita. In light of the facts, it would be easy for us to despair. How can we ever hope to make a significant impact on the lives of the people here? We’re just one small family. But we take courage knowing that God can use us to help establish His kingdom from small beginnings.

Maybe you wonder how your support can make a difference in reaching so many. We invite you to partner with us to reach the unreached Isan people of northeast Thailand. Your gift is a seed or leaven to help grow the kingdom.

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