Date Money

 

Our team is in Chiang Mai,
Thailand this month working with an organization that, among other things, is
fighting against human trafficking. Thailand is one of the most prominent
destinations and sources for sex tourism. We are living two blocks from the red
light district in Chiang Mai, home to around 5,000 prostitutes.

 

To say that there is a lot of
darkness here may be obvious understatement, but still needs to be said. Our
hearts are breaking for the situation and for so many abused and broken
children of God. We have been here for three days and have not done any
traditional ministry yet. We have spent our time preparing (LOTS of prayer,
worship, dos and donts of going into bar ministry, Thai culture orientation,
etc.).

 

This month, our team will be going
into the bars at night to be Jesus in the darkness. The women on our team will
be trying to develop friendships with the prostitutes and invite them to the local
Christian caf for worship nights and fellowship. The guys, for obvious
reasons, will spend less time directly with the prostitutes, but will have the
challenge of ministering to the johns and the bar owners. We are also covering
the district in prayer. No group will go in at night unless a group has prayed
over the area during the day. And while a group is at the bars, another group
is at home interceding on their behalf and pleading for the Lords protection
and Presence.

 

We are not allowed to stay long in
any specific bar. These girls are working and in order to maintain favor with
the bars and keep the girls out of trouble, we cannot stay very long. As I
mentioned before, we are hoping to spend that time cultivating friendships,
showing the patrons and workers a different Spirit, and convincing people to
come and meet us in safer places for deeper conversation.

 

This is where you come in, if your
heart desires to be involved. In order to even go into the bar, we have to buy
a soda. And to get the girls to sit down and talk will cost buying a coke for
them too. And our desperate hope is that the women on our team might be able to
offer them dates excursions to entice relationship outside of the bars. For
example, going to a nearby waterfall or a coffee date the next morning, etc. We
want the women on our team to show these women that they are loved and valued
by the Kingdom of Heaven and by its King.

 

The hard truth is that, without
help, it is going to be impossible for us to afford this. Between our
minimalist World Race budget and our extreme lack of income, we do not have the
resources to match our vision. But you do. When I came on this journey, my
heart knew that I would carry the people I loved with me, and that I would not
do any of this adventure alone. And I am eternally thankful to be able to offer
you the chance to be a part of rescuing prostitutes from slavery. Just think of
what God can do with an afternoon away from bars with Godly examples of love
and redemption!