Change. Change is a pretty scary thing sometimes. Change means something new. Something unexpected. Something undetermined. Change means leaving what you know and putting faith in something else. Why Change?
It took me awhile to make a connection with a girl in a bar. It was the middle of the second week and I was having a rough day. I had been busy the past three days with English camp and wasn’t really invested in the bar ministry too much. During intercession I broke down in tears. I was being bombarded with lies such as: “You can’t make a difference.” “You are just a tag-a-long.” “You have nothing to offer.” “You should stick to teaching kids English.” “These girls won’t like you.”
But I went out that night- and it was one of my best nights of bar ministry. Previously, every time I walked down bar street- there was this one bar that always stood out to me. This one bar- that no one else on my team had mentioned going to was drawing me in. That night it was my opportunity to go into that bar. And so I did. Right away a girl sits us down and gets our drink order. Immediately I knew, “That is her. The girl God has led me to. The girl that I will have a connection with this month.” I ask her to sit with me and I buy her a drink. She only wanted orange juice. Not too typical of a choice of drink. She sat down and the conversation never halted. Though I was getting tired, I stay focused on her, her stories and her broken English in order to show her love that I have been waiting to share with a girl on this street. I was sad to leave that night, but knew that I would be back to see her again.
The next week, I went back to the bar and immediately she recognized me and came to sit with me. I offered to buy her a drink, but she declined but sat with me anyway. (Usually you have to buy a girl a drink in order to have some of her time. That way she gets paid and the bar owner doesn’t get upset at us from taking the attention of the girls away from the ‘customers’.) The conversation resumed just as it had never stopped from the previous week. It was this night, that I learned more about her.
She doesn’t like working in the bars. She loves to study English and to learn about Thai language. Thankfully she is not a full time bar worker- but is only working here during her holiday from school. (what a job to have for the holiday). Her dream is to own a bar. (Really??) When I asked more about this, her answer: “I know how to make cocktails, so I want to own a bar. It’s all I know.” Though she hates working in the bars herself, she wants to own a bar. Makes perfect sense. Right? I found out her passion is cooking. She loves to cook, and so I suggested, “You should own a restaurant.” She seemed to like the idea, but there was no hope in her eyes to believe that it was actually possible.
I want nothing more than for these girls to have Hope. For these girls to have a desire and passion for more. For these girls to believe that they are beautiful and worthy– not just because men pay for use of their bodies, but because the God of the Universe loves them more than they would ever know or imagine. I want these girls to know that they are not ‘stuck’ in this lifestyle and that they can do anything they want with their lives. I want these girls to know that change doesn’t have to be scary. But Change can bring them more light and happiness into their life than ever before.
And by Change I mean a program that Lighthouse in Action is beginning… well right now. The flyers and dates were just completed and we were the first people to pass the information to girls who have that desire to ‘get out’. Change is a three month program (mid May- mid August) where the girls will have housing and food provided (no need to work) and there will be classes they will take. It will start out with morals and values and then move on to specific trades- such as English, teaching, cooking, etc. The government has even provided helpers/teachers to get this off the ground and running and to give the girls the best possible chances. I am super excited for this program and know that it is the first step into getting these girls out of the bars and into the life that God has planned for them.
