Yesterday was our last time working with NightLight as we will be leaving for debrief on Tuesday. We arrived in the afternoon and instead of doing work, the founder encouraged us to spend time with the women that we created relationships with. So, I ventured over to the second floor of the work building and sat down with two of my friends I had made, Tan and Gek (names changed for protection). They welcomed me with smiles and an excited, “Emilieeeeeeeee.” Sometimes it is hard for Thai people to say our names so to help them remember we are introduced with an extended ending. I sat down and asked about their weekends and before I knew it, I had all sorts of beads in front of me and I was now helping them to finish their product order. They showed me how to pick out the perfect beads, line them up, and the best way to string them. I proudly made two necklaces of my own. I wish I could show you pictures, but we cannot post pictures of the women.
I have been talking with Gek since beginning of working with NightLight. She is in her late 30’s and has two daughters. Her daughters live with her, which is unusual and she is very proud of them. She showed me a picture of one of her daughters. Gek has an amazing sense of humor and joy. She is always smiling and laughing, probably laughing at me most of the time, but nonetheless she is filled with joy. Tan I met later in our ministry. She has a five year old son that lives with her parents in another city. She reminds us of Anna Marie from LOST. She has a sassy personality which makes her funny. She is a good teacher and loves to teach people how to do new things. Tan has been a Christian for a few years and says that NightLight has changed her life. I feel so blessed to spend time with these women! I pray that through our interactions, they were to experience a little more of the Father’s love for them!
Again before outreach, I didn’t really feel like going, but decided since it was the last night that I should go. I have had a different experience from most of the World Race girls. Most of the other girls have bought girls and taken them out for a night of fun – bowling, dancing, or to a movie. They were encouraged by developing deep relationships. Although my heart is usually for relationships, I didn’t feel that God was calling me to take a girl out. I felt like God wanted me to get a wide perspective and be able to encourage many people. I went every night on outreach, to a different bar, and met different women. I feel blessed in this opportunity as I got to see and experience different atmospheres. Even though the bars could be different, the girls were all the same. Sweet and happy on the outside, but hurting, lost, and confused on the inside.
We went to a bar that I had not been to last night. It looked similar to the other bars, girls in bikinis and g-strings dancing around poles and waitresses dressed in school girl outfits. The extra draw for this bar was that they had a mechanical bull. (It actually added a lot of humor as we watched the drunk men try to prove thier manliness.) We were with one of the NightLight staff members and she had previously made friends there so she called them over. We bought them Cokes and were able to talk to them for awhile. There are always men in the bars and some nights its harder than others to watch them. Its hard sometimes too, because they don’t know what we are doing there and probably percieve us as perverted and disgusting. There was one man there that looks very similar to someone I know at home (but it wasn’t) and he kept looking at me. Not a disgusting look like some men give you, but a “I-know-what-i’m-doing-is-wrong-but-don’t-know-what-else-to-do-look.” He had a wedding ring on his finger and looked like an average-joe. My heart hurt for him because he looked so empty and so confused. I wanted to go talk to him, but didn’t know how appropriate it was so I didn’t.
I have seen a lot this past month that has just blown me away. Last night, I was frustrated because as we sat there, I watched an older European man walk in with a Thai woman and (I think) their five-year-old daughter. That made me almost cry. I couldn’t imagine bringing a young girl in a place like that. I remember feeling the same way in my job when I would ask the young kids I worked with their favorite movie and instead of saying “Lion King” they would say “Chucky.” It pains me to see some of the things that parents expose their chlidren to. Some of the things I have seen have been shocking to my 23-year-old eyes and can’t imagine the scenes that will stick in this five-year-old’s head. Or how it creates an idea of this being a normalcy in her life. How do we protect the innocent?
Overall, it was a good night filled with good conversations and I am blessed to be involved in this ministry.
