Soup Kitchen
No one likes begging, and Pattaya Mision is no exception.
To help us to help ourselves, we are exploring ways of operating social enterprises which will allow us to make our own money and use that money to create a sustainable future.
One pilot we have been discussing is the development of a simple food-based operation to help extend our Mission in the community while allowing us to save for what we want to achieve.
Ideas like this are ambitious but not exceptional. There are a multitude of similar working examples around the world.
In the Old Testament, there are several laws and guidelines aimed at providing for the poor, such as the laws concerning gleaning in Leviticus 19:9-10 and Deuteronomy 24:19-22. Proverbs also contains several verses encouraging care for the poor, like Proverbs 14:31 and 19:17.
Pattaya in Numbers
Hotels & Guesthouses
Bars, Go-go’s and Beer bars
Estimated Number of Prostitutes in the City
Average Number ofAnnual Short-stay (1-2 Night) Visits
Focussing on Welfare
Our main focus at Pattaya Mission is to provide support and qualified Information, Advice, and Guidance to meet the welfare-related needs of those who engage with us, using the Soup Kitchen as a gateway service, we hope to meet the primary need of hunger and operating a care pathway, assist folks to get on their feet.
The Vision
Embark on a journey with us, right here in the heart of Thailand. Picture yourself strolling down a bustling street, the aroma of authentic cuisine filling the air, and your eyes catch a vibrant open-air noodle soup restaurant. It stands with an allure, radiating charm, on par with the finest cafés and eateries in town.
As you approach, a friendly face adorned in a crisp black apron greets you with a contagious smile that seems to say, “Welcome home.” The ambiance is cool, thanks to strategically placed fans that dance with the tropical breeze, making the atmosphere as inviting as a familiar friend’s embrace.
It’s not just a place to dine; it’s an experience waiting to unfold, a connection waiting to be made, a story waiting to be told. Come in, and be part of our world.
As you settle into your seat, a menu teeming with flavorful possibilities greets your eye. Today’s special board catches your attention, flaunting one-off dishes crafted from unique ingredients provided by our ever-changing network of commercial partners—a delightful mystery that keeps the menu fresh and exciting.
The heart of the fare is a lovingly prepared bowl of tasty noodles, offered at a price that’s as fair as the street food just outside our doors. But there’s something extra here—a touch of heart and soul that can’t be priced.
Your thirst is invited to indulge at one of the several self-serve Lime-water stations, where a cooling drink awaits, a refreshing embrace in the tropical heat.
Soon, your chosen meal is gracefully presented, the utensils accompanying the dish as if inviting you to savour a culinary experience that goes beyond mere nourishment.
Intriguingly, nestled beside your plate is a pot, not just for the bill, but a token of our unique philosophy. Inside the pot, a plastic voucher rests—a quiet acknowledgement that if you cannot pay, your meal is still joyfully served. It’s a subtle gesture that transcends commerce, one that recognizes human needs and answers with human kindness.
Welcome to our Soup Kitchen, where every bowl is a feast for the body, and every gesture is a nourishment for the soul.
Imagine stepping into a noodle restaurant like no other, where contemporary design meets timeless compassion. At the heart of our envisioned service is a culinary concept that’s as trendy in appearance as it is profound in purpose.
Each meal you savour here carries a story, a connection. With every bowl of noodles you enjoy, you’re sharing a meal with someone who may not have otherwise tasted such simple pleasure today. Your feast becomes a feast for two, extending warmth and sustenance beyond the walls of our establishment.
Should your heart wish to contribute only part of the bill, your gesture is still a celebration for us. If your pockets are empty but your stomach is growling, we welcome you with open arms and joyous smiles. Success isn’t measured by profits; it’s captured in the sparkling eyes of someone nourished by our food, love, and community.
Join us in a dining experience that transcends taste, where every slurp of noodles echoes a melody of compassion and unity. Your appetite feeds not just you but the dreams of a restaurant where everyone has a place at the table.
The Demand
In the post-pandemic era, huge numbers of people still suffer from the effects of poverty that became commonplace in Pattaya and elsewhere.
Emergency ad-hoc handouts of simple food parcels were generously provided to those who would otherwise starve during the Pandemic. Still, now there are not many people continuing that good work.
Pattaya Mission understands that the visible effects of poverty and distress skyrocketed in light of the pandemic and were brought into sharp relief for all to see; in reality, it has always been there.
Those living lives of subsistence, those making impossible choices to make money to feed themselves and their families or to educate their children.
We want to create a permanent service that will feed those who are hungry today, end the cycle of poverty for tomorrow and work towards providing long-term solutions to the problems of those who will, without intervention, inevitably live as an underclass, long after the effects of the pandemic have passed.
The restaurant service is not only aimed at Thai people, who will undoubtedly make up the largest contingent of paying customers and people in need; we will make it clear that the people we intend to support will not just be Thais, but foreigners who find themselves in difficulty too, extending the work of our planned Street-based Outreach.
In short, any of God’s children who approach us will be welcome.
Jesus’s teachings often emphasize the importance of helping the poor. For instance, in Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus identifies himself with the needy, saying, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
