Ash Barker

Ash Barker, with his wife Anji and their children, have lived in Klong Toey, the largest slum in Bangkok for the past 12 years. Since early 2002, the Barkers have shared life there, developing poverty alleviation initiatives, local leaders and churches to transform the neighbourhood through Jesus. Until October 2013, Ash was the founding director of Urban Neighbours Of Hope, which the Barkers started in Springvale (Melbourne, Aus) in 1993 and now has eight teams of Christian workers loving God and neighbours in some of the neediest urban neighbourhoods in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland and Bangkok. After over 20 years leading and founding UNOH, the Barkers will step out of UNOH and Klong Toey to move to Birmingham, November 2014. The Barkers will again be immersed in the life of an urban poor neighbourhood - this time a Birmingham public housing estate - to seek transformation through Jesus there. Ash will join of the faculty at nearby Springdale College and be free to serve locally, speak widely and support the work of the International Society for Urban Mission as Convener. An inspiring speaker and lecturer, Ash is also the author of eight books including "Make Poverty Personal", "Slum Life Rising", and "Risky Compassion", which is due for release in July 2014. He completed his Ph.D. addressing a Christian response to the rise of urban slums (MCD University of Divinity).