I have always thought of Thailand as this unique world of contrasts. On one hand, there is so much beauty here, there is no wonder why hundreds of thousands of people travel from all over the world to vacation here every year. The scenery is lush, the food inexpensive and endless “fun” activities to enjoy.
It is at exactly this point that the contrast comes into the scene. The tourists bring with them money. Money, as we know, can very much be the root of all evil, if used in ways that make certain people privileged and others inferior. I hear on the streets that for $11, a man can buy a woman for a night. That is all they are worth…less than a salad at the Cheesecake Factory! It is astonishing to me that people can use money for such evil purposes. And that is where the World Racers come in.
We were sent here to go out into the streets and be with the prostitutes, the poor children, the sick lepers and that is exactly what 54 of us are spending our month doing, serving them. Starting tomorrow night, I will be going into the bars and ministering to the women by treating them with dignity and giving them as much love as I know how for a night, maybe as a short as one hour, in hopes to share resources and ways they, too, can be saved from this so called job they were so poorly made to accept.
We are working with many incredible organizations that do bar outreach, building friendships and free training to help them succeed in the world outside of the bar. I can only image how much my heart will break for these women, burn with anger for the abuse but what I desire most is for my heart to be filled with love for these women and to see the possibilities that exist. A love that can only come from Christ who befriended the sick, the poor, the outcasts and showed them the way home.
Please be praying for me, my team, the World Racers and every individual who has dedicated their time to serving in such difficult places. Pray for love, protection, and armor as we are in a real battle but as we know, the battle was already won on the cross!
