Most months I have been totally ready to head out- to pack, to wander to our next country.
But this month is different.
Bangkok? You've capture my heart.
It's weird. It's not in a heart wrenching, broken hearted for the people and places.
Which I am- broken hearted for the kids, men, women of this city who are living and surrounded by brokenness.
The Christians in this city have captured my heart in major ways.
The ways they are moving, creating hope, meeting with God.
The ways in which they are coming together.
Every Wednesday night at a coffee shop tuck down a side street shouting distance from two different red light district multiple ministries come together to pray and encourage one another.
That same night there is a woman who delivered pesto to the cafe- bought some cookies for her daughters and then biked home right in time to join in worship with the kids that she and her husband homeschool. These kids would normally have to work in the red light district- but instead their parents are paid so they can come to school.
After prayer on Wednesday the ministries split up from the coffee shop going to different places, meeting different types of people on the street.
But it's all for the same goal.
To show the women, the men, the kids that there is more.
That there is love.
We've been given a cultural briefing at most of the ministries we've met with.
And from the outside from miles away I'm sure there are people that judge those working in the red light district.
But for a lot of them, most of them? there is no other way.
Tonight my lovely Serah shared a quote with me:
And it collided with me; these ministries, these people we have met in Bangkok are going into the bars, going into the places where shame goes to live, talks to the people, shines love on them and then with two hands reach down and pick up the chains that are around the ankles of so many of these people and help them walk out.
They don't give them the answer right away, they don't shove the gospel down their throats, they help hold their chains for a moment and show them what love is.
They show them what family is.
They show them what full life is.
They help give them the space to see what they feel.
they give them space to see what they are truly passionate about.
And it's wonderful.
So yes, I will miss Bangkok a lot.
I will miss seeing the church work together for His good.
I will miss seeing the family that all of these beautiful kingdom people are bringing to Bangkok.
I'm blessed and grateful that I got to be apart of it- if only for a moment.
