It’s hard to believe I have been on the race for four months and our time in Asia has come to a close. In some ways it feels as though we have just begun. In other ways, it feels like I have been gone significantly longer than four months.
As I’ve tried to process what God has been doing in me and through me these past four months, I have found myself struggling to put it into words-to make tangible for you the amazing ways that God is moving across the nations. So I’ve decided for each country to share one thing God has taught me and one person/group of people who we have blessed and have been blessed by, including what you can continue to be praying for them. This will be a four part blog, one blog for each country. This is part four of this four part blog.
None of these blessings could have happened without each one of my supporters. Those who have been blessed have not been blessed just by team Agape Life Song, but by each one of you. Thank you so much for allowing these ministries to happen, these blessings to be bestowed.
December: Thailand
What God Has Taught Me: I can do nothing without God, but anything with Him
This is the month of the race I found myself most excited about. One of my best friends, Tiffany, is Thai, and I was excited to spend time in the country her Mom came from and that she loves so dearly. I also found myself most drawn to the ministry in which we spent our nights going to the bars and forming relationships with the bar girls who prostitute themselves to the tourists and locals who go to those bars, the girls being purchased for an hour, a night, a week, or longer, Our nights there are spent in hope of getting to share with them alternatives to prostitution and getting them out of that lifestyle.
Despite my passion for this ministry, I found myself feeling completely inadequate to do this type of ministry, knowing I can struggle to initiate conversation with strangers and wondering how I would connect with girls I seemed to have so little in common with. Even our first night at the bars, though, God revealed to me that indeed I can do nothing without Him, but with Him I can do anything. Conversations flowed so naturally, relationships formed, God’s love poured out on the prostitutes we just met. While every night at the bars was different, God’s presence remained the constant. Each night of this ministry was a constant reminder that I have nothing to offer these girls, but I was chosen to be a vessel of Christ’s light and love to them. As long as I turn to the Father, He will provide all I need to do His great works.
This was also my first month of being Agape Life Song’s team leader. While feelings of inadequacy plague me, I continually turned this over to Christ. So often in my life I believed that if I just tried hard enough, I would find success. Leading Agape Life Song is not about trying hard enough. My efforts are nothing unless I turn all control over to God. Over and over again this month I had to turn to God, repent for trying to do things on my own, and ask for Him to provide for myself and my team. Never once did He not show up.
People Blessings: Our girls at the bar
Prostitute. Harlot. Whore. Never did I imagine I would find myself spending time with anyone who went by these names. Never did I imagine I would genuinely love and be friends with anyone who went by these names. Never did I imagine how much these inaccurate names could sicken my stomach, make my heart turn, and fill me with Biblical anger.
Every girl we met at the bars has a story. Every girl we met was so clearly made in the image of God. Every girl we met has dreams and passions in her heart. Every girl we met did not like what they were doing.
Every girl we met is a beautiful, beloved, chosen child of God.
We were blessed to get to spend time with these girls and get to know their hearts. We were blessed to hang out with some of them outside of the Pits of Hell in which they work. We were able to bring some back to SHE ministries, showing them another way of living that can be theirs when they choose. While we did not reap this month, we sowed many seeds and watered seeds from teams before. We loved unconditionally as best we could and brought the light of Christ into some of the darkest places. God reigns victorious over Phuket, Thailand. The battle is already won. I hope to one day hear about Sin, Nim, Jai, and all of the other girls we met coming out of the bars and stepping into the lives God created them for. But even if I do not get to hear the stories of these victories, I will continue to pray that they come to pass with complete confidence that many of these girls lives will be redeemed.
These four blogs don’t even begin to scratch the surface of the work God is doing in me or through myself and my team on this trip. Thank you all for following my journey throughout these first four months. Africa has just begun, and already there is so much to tell. Please continue praying for myself, my team, and every person we encounter on this journey.
