This blog post is a special one! I decided to give my parents the opportunity to write a blog about their experience in Thailand. I am so incredibly proud to be able to call these two my mom and dad! I hope you enjoy reading their thought processes on the nights we went out and did bar ministry.
Beauty and the Beast
Seven months ago we said “see ya’ later” to our oldest daughter as we released her from our physical grasp to the Lord’s sovereign plan. When at her launch they mentioned an opportunity to join our kids on the mission field at a Parent Vision Trip, we knew that it didn’t matter where it was, if Katherine invited us, we would go. And then they revealed the location, Thailand! Whoa, that’s a long way from home and definitely farther than either of us has ever traveled. But for an opportunity to see our girl, we are there! Katherine did invite us and we gratefully said yes.
As we prepared, we wondered what Thailand would be like. We researched the country and tried to learn as much about their customs as we could. From all that we could see of the country via the internet it appeared to be an extremely beautiful place. The beaches particularly looked appealing so we agreed to add some time at the end of our PVT to visit one of Thailand’s beaches in Phuket. Let us just say, Thailand did not disappoint.
Having 3 of our 5 children as daughters we became familiar with a lot of the Disney princess movies as they were growing up. Beauty and the Beast was one of their favorites and they’re obviously excited about the upcoming re-release of it. If you’ve watched any Disney movie one thing you know is there will be a plot of good vs evil, and good always wins. Beauty and the Beast did not stray from that plot. You have a dutiful, loyal maiden named Belle with a servant’s heart who finds herself plunged into darkness and facing a hard-hearted and vengeful “beast”. While being imprisoned in the beast’s castle Belle sees glimmers of hope and light in her surroundings whether in Mrs. Teapot and her son Chip, or even in the beast himself at times. Eventually love wins out as Belle is able to see beyond the beast’s exterior and begins to understand the hurt and pain he is suffering. And as in all Disney movies, they all lived happily ever after.
Our time in Thailand very much reminds us of this Disney movie. Thailand is a place of absolute beauty, both in its people and landscape. From the very beginning we were impressed with the generosity and kindness of the Thai people. Never did we feel unsafe, from the time we arrived at the airport to walking the streets alone on our first night to the night markets.
BEAUTY
However, lurking behind this beauty is a dark, bleak, hopelessness that threatens to overtake it. This became obvious to us as we participated in the bar ministry. We had heard from the leader of Destiny’s Rescue, a ministry with the objective to rescue young girls from the slavery of the bars. We also learned that girls as young as 11 had been rescued. If that weren’t bad enough, we learned about “lady boys”. Many of these males had been given hormones as a young child with a mother’s intention of placing him into the sex industry and when they are discovered to be actually male they are many times beaten. As we walked down the street one night and came across one of these “lady boys” and tried to make eye contact, he avoided. However you could see the regret, despair, and emptiness in his eyes.
BEAST
Keith: After seeing the “show” that was put on by both the bar ladies and the men visiting them we became angry at what we saw. To me, I saw money and power taking advantage of young girls. I also couldn’t help but think of someone taking advantage of my daughters. Anger welled up in me and I got physically sick to my stomach.
Karen: Like Keith, all I could feel as I walked through the bars the first night was anger, especially at all the older men all over the young girls. However, Katherine quickly reminded me that these men are just as broken as the young girls.
ANGER
Keith: God brought me to scripture after our visit that night, Joel 2:12-14. In this scripture I felt Him calling my heart back to Him as I read “for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” What right do I have to be angry? These are HIS people and He loves them ALL.
Karen: Throughout the week the word that kept coming to mind was GRACE. In conversations with others, worship, testimonies, and so many other things God kept bringing forth the word grace. This became my word for the week and my commitment moving forward, to love with grace every day. This word was so impressed upon my spirit that I got it tattooed on my arm as a reminder.
COMPASSION/ GRACE
As much as we were convinced that the bar ministry wasn’t for us, God put on our hearts that in our “uncomfortableness” of this ministry there was more He needed us to experience, so we listened.
OBEDIENCE
On our second night’s visit to the red light district we walked in with confidence and compassion. Eye contact was easy and as we sat down at a bar a conversation with one of the servers came easily for our group of racers and parents. We listened to her story as she shared her dreams and even her real name which meant jasmine or flower. She smiled as she shared parts of her life with us, complete strangers. It was obvious to her that we weren’t there to purchase anything from her, just to better know her.
KNOW
Keith: Early the next morning God began to stir me from my sleep. As I slowly came out of my slumber my daughter’s tattoo saying “Love the Unloved” came to my mind. I felt the urge to go to the rooftop and read my Bible. Once there God directed me to 1 Corinthians 13. Everyone knows it as the Love chapter. At the end of this chapter God speaks to being “known”. He showed me that everyone, including those in the red light district, wants to be known. And to be known I must love. To love I should be patient, kind, not proud, not dishonor others. I shouldn’t keep record of wrongs or be easily angered. Ouch!
LOVE
Since our time in Thailand God has shown us over and over that our role and purpose here on earth is to simply love and serve. It’s not our responsibility to judge or determine what is or isn’t sin and it’s not our responsibility to decide how God should respond to anyone.
Despite all that we saw in Thailand, good and evil, beauty and darkness, we know that love wins. Love ALWAYS wins! Just like Beauty and the Beast.
