This is a normal day for us in Thailand.
We just moved into the dorms of a Theology school. It’s a nice place. The rooms are air-conditioned, and we have showers in the rooms. We even have beds.
We dropped our bags off this morning, but the rooms were not ready. We left our things in the office while we went for our first visit to The Well. There are actually three different sites around the city, but we only went to the main one.
We got to meet some of the girls that are living there. The youngest one is thirteen, if you can believe that. They had rescued her from a bar only a few days ago.
It was a little awkward. Nobody knew what to say. We gathered around a table and gave introductions, and then a few people shared testimonies. The tension broke a little, but it we were still a little uneasy and so were they.
After a little while, we walked down the street to get some lunch. A few of the helpers joined us also. We stopped at a little local place that was set up in a parking lot under some tarps. Since they don’t have English menus, we just ordered either rice or noodles and let them decide the rest. It’s kind of a risk. You never really know what your going to get. We eat that way a lot here.
I think we each got something a little different. Some got noodles in a clear broth with some chicken and vegetables. Some got the same in a thick slimy gravy like sauce. I got a sticky mass of noodles with chicken and a few green onions. It was good, but the rice dish looked better.
After lunch, we jumped into some taxis and headed back to the school. On the way, we passed a man riding an elephant down the street. How random.
Later that night, we went to another little restaurant for dinner. This one was a little nicer, but again is was the same choice. Rice or noodles? Most people ordered rice this time, but again, I picked noodles. I soon regretted my choice. I got the brothy soup this time, which is okay, but it had chunks of what looked like liver floating in it.
I decided to be brave and try one. It didn’t really taste like anything, so I quickly popped the rest down so I didn’t have to look at them anymore. The rest of the soup was good chicken and stuff, but once again, the rice looked much better.
After dinner, we met Jim at the mall for a short briefing before our first night outreach. I didn’t know what to think about what we were about to do. Anger rose up in my spirit as I passed all of the white male tourists on the sidewalks. Lord help me. How am I going to love these men like you do? How can I see them with your eyes and know that they need compassion too?
The first alley we walked down was filled with a huge network of bars filling three stories. There were girls sitting at tables talking with men, girls lined up outside the strip clubs, girls sitting on balconies doing the hair and makeup. Everywhere you looked, there were girls in short dresses or less, and white men of every age. There were even women and couples there to experience the thrill of sinful lust.
The second floor had a special section were the Lady-boys work. These are men who dress like women, often with implants and all, in order to take advantage of the lucrative sex industry. Some of these men aren’t even gay, but it pays good so they do it anyhow.
We mostly just walked around and prayed, trying to adjust to the environment. It was just all around awkward. The workers and the tourists just assume you are there for the same reasons as all the other foreigners, which makes you really uncomfortable.
We went to a few other streets and talked to a few of the girls that they have already begun building friendships with. You have to buy drinks in order to sit and talk with them, so it gets very expensive quick. Even though we only order water or Cokes, they jack the prices way up. It is the only way to meet them though, so it is worth the price.
After you get to know them, you try to get them to meet you outside the bars so you don’t have to give more money to the bars. And you get to see them in a different environment without the noise and distractions.
I’m still really intimidated about having to start conversations with people I don’t know, who barely speak English. I have never been a very social person. I believe that God has me here for a reason though, so I will just have to wait and see how it works out.
It has definitely been an interesting day. I have a lot to think about, and a lot to pray about. I don’t know what the next few weeks will look like, but it is definitely going to be different than anything I have done before.
