The New Create Labs
Our mission has always been to create culturally relevant, innovative digital media to reach the nations with the gospel in their heart language.
Our Create Labs team is expanding, and needs room to grow! God has given us an opportunity to join an existing artist community by building a studio that is equipped to take us into this next season. The foundations are all there and we're looking for partners who can join us in building a space perfect for our work, training, and community outreach.
Why we Create
Not everyone has equal access to the Gospel. We only send 3% of our missionaries to the 3.4 billion people that are unreached, we need to be sending them equipped and prepared to share the gospel the most effective ways we have.
What we Create
Create International makes films, animation, illustrated storybooks, and games that tell people about Jesus. We create these in a people group's heart language and in ways that are honouring to their culture, so that they understand that the Gospel is for them. When missionaries finally get to the unreached, we make sure that what they have to say is good news.
True Merit
- A contextualized Creation to Christ gospel presentation.
- Made for Thais + three additional languages.
- Seen over 15 thousand times.
For the past 10 years, I’ve had the privilege of partnering with Create on a variety of media projects for the unreached people group I serve. Their team is professional, creative, and consistently delivers high-quality work.
Through these projects, thousands of people have been reached with the gospel. I’m deeply grateful for Create and the vital kingdom work they are doing.
Create Labs has been instrumental in shaping how Create teams around the world work and in helping us embrace and carry the DNA of Create International.
As a new Create leader, the onboarding tool they made has been invaluable in helping me understand more about Create International and, in turn, guide both new and existing staff through our history, values, and work.
Words fall short of expressing the magnitude of what Create Labs has achieved and how useful their work has been to all of us across Create.
A huge thank you to Keegan and his wonderful brainiac team for the creativity, wisdom, and excellence you continue to bring to Create. We are truly grateful!
Campfire
- An online learning community for artists dedicated to the Unreached
- 53 distinct courses, with 1000+ lessons, spanning English, French, and Arabic
- Over 1300 students, plus an online community of 700+ artists
I began my time with Create while I was still in college, as an intern. I loved my time with the team so much that I returned and would go on to staff and do my DTS with Labs. Working on online eductation, church planting, film projects, teaching smartphone filmmaking, being able to travel for Unreached People group projects, and more, there was always something going on as we followed the Lord's leading.
God has since called me to full-time work in Malawi (after particpating in a Create training and film project), but Labs is always going to be home I can go back to, a team I still call family on the other side of the world.
I first stepped into Create Labs studio for my DTS in 2025 as a girl stuck in a loop of just living by the day with no true purpose for life. By the time my DTS ended, I had not only found a purpose with my life, I had found community, friends, and growth. I became a part of a much bigger picture, learned what being part of a loving community was. I learned to pray, to know God, to be a friend and to have friends, to be a functional human and to this day, the things I learnt are still playing a huge part in the better person I am becoming each day. Going to Create Labs, Chiangmai was the best thing to happen to me in the last 15+ years of my life.
It's time to do more
A lot has been done, but we need to do more! By expanding into a dedicated studio, alongside a larger artistic community, we can host more staff, produce more materials, solve more problems, and train more media missionaries.
We're Growing!
Create Labs helps to develop media that provides an opportunity for people to hear the Gospel in a form they clearly understand. This means films, animation, still media, apps and books, made with and for the communities they serve. More recently this has included the creation of games as well! We've done this out of a studio that was the perfect size for our small team.
But we're growing, and God is calling us to do more! This building gives us the ability to do that. An enclosed, air-conditioned, properly powered space means editing suites that work in the heat, a meeting room for team meetings and online calls, a training room where teams can be trained, storage that keeps equipment safe and dry, and a kitchen and bathroom that let us work comfortably while hosting our guests well. We would be going from a single room to multiple.
But that's really just half the story here. By jumping into the Space Collective community, we gain access to an onsite cafe and restaurant (perfect for hosting), a dedicated prayer room, a large multi-use space that can be used for larger trainings, community events, and YWAM gatherings, as well as a dedicated co-working space for other artists to work alongside our own. This extended community, which already hosts a dance studio, a performing arts ministry, and a counselling ministry, is a huge reason why this move works well for our team — it's not only a larger space to work in.
From Open Shelter to Working Studio
We're building within an existing artists community; it's called "The Space Collective". Within the community, they have an existing structure solid enough to build on. The foundation, the roof, and the loadbearing pillars are already there. No demolition needed!
What we need are the walls, windows, lights, aircons, paint, and a whole lot of love to see this thing studio-worthy! Drag the slider to see where we're headed.
We're looking for partners
In order for us to continue the work that God has us doing, globally and in Thailand, we’re building up a team of partners; churches, organisations, families, and individuals that are involved financially to see this happen. The mission is to raise $44,800 with these partners.
Clearly this is quite the goal though, so we’re looking for a whole range of different people giving different amounts. We're encouraging you to pray and consider how you might be a part of this team!
Below you'll see if we get one person giving $8000, two people giving $4000 etc. we will reach our goal!
Build With us
Gifts received through this portal are given to YWAM Montana, a registered 501(c)(3), and are tax-deductible for US donors. By giving through here you express that your gift should go towards our support, and all of it will make its way to the build.
Give inside of Thailand
You can transfer directly to the build if you're in Thailand by using the following QR code.
Recent Activity
Be the first — your gift will show up here.
Can't Give with that Button?
If you cannot give through the other two portals, we can organise a different way for you. Maybe Wise or Bank transfer? Use this tool to tell us what you intend to give and your gift will show on the tracker straight away in the lighter shade. We'll follow up with you personally. No payment is taken here and nothing is binding.
The Actual Numbers
These figures come straight from our contractor's quote, dated 9 June 2026. Costs are contracted in Thai Baht; US Dollar figures are approximate at roughly ฿32.4 to the dollar.
Main Building Structure ≈ $15,300
Walling in the open structure and making it a finished, working room.
- 176 m² of lightweight block wall, plus 318 m² of concrete plastering inside and out
- 10 aluminium windows and 5 doors, including a separate office partition
- Insulated gypsum ceiling across 108 m², sealed against birds, ready for air conditioning
- Electrical: 20 power outlets, 24 downlights, 3-phase meter and new breaker board
- Installation of 3 air conditioners, tiling to 96 m² of floor, full interior and exterior painting
= ฿495,877
Storage Room ≈ $2,000
A 12 m² lockable store built onto the end of the building — where cameras, lighting and equipment live safely between shoots.
- Ground beam, poured concrete floor and 34 m² of block wall
- Teak door and frame, one power point, two ceiling lights
- Painted inside and out; floor left untiled and ceiling open to keep the cost down
Bathroom, Kitchen & Plumbing ≈ $2,700
A bathroom is something that makes our lives quite a bit easier, but a small kitchen to make coffee and tea in while hosting… that's almost compulsory!
- A 3 m² tiled bathroom built behind the office, with a drywalled ceiling
- Complete water and sewer system: septic tank, field drain, holding tank and water pump
- All in-wall and in-floor piping, plus installation of toilet and basins
- A built-in polished concrete kitchen counter with open shelving and a sink
Fit-Out & Fixtures ≈ $5,000 – $10,000
These are the items that go into the building that we'll buy directly. This is the one part of the budget with any real range in it, as we'll have a variety of choices when it comes to fixtures, lights, tiles, doors, that sort of thing. The low figure is a functional build, the high figure is one that will last longer.
- 3 air conditioning units (2 × 24,000 BTU, 1 × 18,000 BTU)
- 110 m² of floor tile, plus grout and adhesive
- 27 downlights, door hardware and a digital lock on the main door
- Toilet, basins, taps, shower, water pump, holding and septic tanks
- Kitchen sink, mixer tap, water heater and electric stove
Training Room ≈ $14,800
An additional dedicated training space beyond the studio room. This will allow us space to teach media skills through seminars and schools. It will also allow us to host weekly community events like game nights, provide space for our church-planting team to do their weekly training and Bible studies, as well as allow us to bless the rest of the Space Collective with another multi-use space.
Good to Know info
Is my gift tax-deductible?
Yes, for US donors. Giving is processed by YWAM Montana, a registered 501(c)(3) organisation, and you'll receive a receipt from them directly. Funds designated to this project are then released to the build after a couple of weeks.
If I use the giving portal, am I giving to YWAM Montana?
Yes. Giving through the Montana portal means you are giving to YWAM Montana. All donations that go through there are processed with the understanding that YWAM Montana has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds. However, by using this portal you express your preference that the funds be used for supporting Create Labs. It is YWAM Montana's policy and intent to honor that preference as to how your donation will be used.
How often are the numbers updated?
Gifts are logged in our own budgeting system and this page reads from it. Because funds pass through YWAM Montana before reaching us, there can be a short delay between you giving and the total moving here. The "updated" date in the header always tells you how current the figures are.
What if we don't reach the required funds?
We're working full-time for getting these funds together. We're moving into this studio, the only difference is how long it will take and who is going to be partnering with us. This means that the funding raised will be used for the build, we may just built later than expected.
What if you raise more than the full amount?
Anything beyond $44,800 goes towards furnishing and equipping the space (desks, chairs, editing equipment and the training room fit-out), upgrading our existing equipment, or helping us through rent over our first few months.
Can I give in other currencies?
This page is described in US Dollars, but the contract itself is in Baht, so exchange rate movement is a real factor in what we can build. We've used roughly ฿32.4 to the dollar on this page. We can receive funding in a variety of ways though, so for Thai baht we would recommend using the direct transfer with the QR code above. For everything else use the tool above to get in touch ans we'll work out a way to get the funds across in a way that makes sense for you.
Who is doing the building?
A local contracting team that The Space Collective has worked with before. They also provided the itemised quote these figures are drawn from. Payment follows a three-stage schedule tied to work completed, not paid up front. We've watched them build for a different ministry right next to our building, and they do wonderful work for a very good price!
Something we haven't answered?
Our Core Team
Keegan and Carla West
Ministry Leaders
Keegan and Carla, alongside their daughter Cora, have served on the mission field for 14 years, most of which has been in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
As both missionaries and artists, God has called them to create for His glory and extend His Kingdom to places few go. They have led a number of different teams, as well as schools during their time on the field, working in both creative and member care functions.
Bew
Movement Catalyst Team Lead
Bew is Thai and currently lead our Movements team. God led her deeper into Disciple Making Movements (DMM). What started as a desire to support DMM leaders through media became a personal calling to live out disciple-making herself. Through prayer, obedience, and walking alongside others as they encountered Jesus, God confirmed in her heart that DMM is not simply a ministry strategy, but part of His calling for this season.
Jonna and Su Cooper
Gave Development Team lead
Jonathan is a Kiwi from New Zealand, and Su, is from the land of smiles, Thailand.
Over over the years, God has shaped Jonna's passion for games and digital media as tools to reach people who are deeply engaged in the digital world. Su carries a deep desire to see people encounter God’s love in their own heart language and context.
Together, we believe God has brought us from different nations and cultures to serve Him as one—combining creativity, technology, culture, and compassion—to reach those who are still waiting to hear the good news of Jesus.
International Leadership Team
We are blessed to have a wonderful International leadership that makes sure that we stay on-task with our vision and what God has called us to. Below are those that are a part of that wonderful team, in no particular order.
- Calvin and Carol C
- Penny A
- Dave and Wendy H
- Steve and Ally B
- Myra and Jason D
- Amanda V
- Simon and Onima
- Ben M
- Issa M
- Sam and Hannah H
- Rick L