Patong Beach is the main tourist spot in Phuket, Thailand. At a glance, it looks like somewhere I would choose to spend my vacation. But here’s the reality – in just one street, Bangla road, there are over 200 open bars, with about 6 girls working at each one. And they aren’t just bartenders. Most have traveled from poorer areas of Thailand seeking to make money for their families, by prostituting themselves. They are not paid a salary, they only receive room and board from the bar. They provide for their families from tips and selling themselves to male tourists. Most of these young women are looking for a way out but think they have no choice.
SHE (Self Help & Empowerment) is the organization we get to partner with this month. They help women at risk by operating a center which offers vocational training, counseling, rehabilitation, and sustainable employment opportunities. They seek to share God’s love and hope with the lost and lonely in practical ways. It is a safe place for women to learn new skills, form relationships and experience God’s grace.
Every day a few of us walk up and down Bangla road praying, in preparation for the night. Then around 9pm we head out to the bars and talk with the women (or men that God puts in our path) and build relationships with them. It’s only been a few days and we’ve already had 2 women come over for lunch and they signed up for english classes! God is at work here and there’s 15 of us women that get to be a part of it!
