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Collection 383 Oral History Interview with Itchaya Sitterley

 Collection
Identifier: CN 383

Scope and Contents

Oral history interview with Itchaya Sitterley in which she describes her family, life in Thailand, education, career in television and radio, conversion, the evangelistic use of folk drama, the Thai church and comparisons between it and the American church, and Buddhism. Other topics discussed include Sitterley's work with the Chrisitan Communicatins Institute; her marriage; main denominations and seminaries in Thailand; and education at Wheaton College; competition among churches in Thailand; comparison of Christianity and Buddhism in Thailand; use of media in the Christian church in Thailand; and media programs produced in Thailand. The time period covered by the interviews is 1958-1987.

Itchaya Sitterley was interviewed by Robert Shuster at on November 13, 1987 at the Billy Graham Center Archives at Wheaton College.

Dates

  • Created: 1987

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical Information

Itchaya was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on August 6, 1958 [this is based on later, more accurate, information than she had at the time of the interview, so the date and place is different from that in the interview]. Her surname during her childhood was Supasri. She studied at Praruthai Catholic School from the fifth to the tenth grade and there began to develop a belief in God. However, her foster parents were Buddhist and were opposed to her belief. After graduation with a junior college degree from Chiang Mai Teachers College, she taught at the Regina Catholic School for one year.

In 1977, Itchaya began work as an announcer for the Thai Government Television Station in Lampang. Shortly after, she also became an announcer for the associated radio station. After a year, she moved back to Chiang Mai to work as an announcer for the Thai Army Radio Station. In addition to working many hours at the radio station, she began work for a B.A. from Payap University. During her last year of studies, Rev. Allan and Joan Eubanks came to a class and answered questions about Christianity, at which point she remembered her early faith. It was two years, however, before she sought out the Eubanks and committed herself to Christ. She began to study the Bible, was baptized, and became a member of the First Church of Chiang Mai.

In 1983, she began work with the Christian Communications Institute of Payap University, where she worked in folk drama, television, music, and evangelism, and also initiated the radio department and worked as Public Relations Officer. At the beginning of her work with the C.C.I., she met Manop Suriyakam, musician and evangelist on the C.C.I. team, and they were married three months later. They were later divorced.

Itchaya came to the United States in 1987 to work on an M.A. degree from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois. She received her degree in 1989 and then returned to Thailand to continue work for Payap University where she founded the new communications department. She eventually became Vice President of Academic Affairs at the University. She took two years off (1996-1998) to go to the Philippines to earn a doctorate in Development Communications from the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. Also in 1998 she married Rev. William Sitterley, who was on the staff of Habitat for Humanity International. Itchaya also served on the National Board in Thailand of the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) and hosted on the network television shows. She also served on the board of the Voice of Peace, a Thai Christian radio program.

Extent

2.00 Audio Tapes

94 Minutes

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

The materials in this collection were given to the Billy Graham Center Archives in November 1987.

Accession 87-140

October 15, 1993

Janyce H. Nasgowitz

B. Phillips

Revised April 12, 2000

Robert Shuster

Title
Collection 383 Oral History Interview with Itchaya Sitterley
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

Contact:
501 College Avenue
Wheaton IL 60187 US
630-752-5910