Idols to Islands
Psalm 115
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
2 Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
9 All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the Lord,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord.a]
When thinking of a title for this blog I couldn't help but find this one fitting. I have never seen so many idols in my life than while in Thailand. Also while being in Thailand I don't think I have been to so many islands. Thailand is a gorgeous country with endless possibilities for adventure and fun.
Thailand was our "manistry" month which means all the men of the squad were together for ministry and the girls in another place. We were coming from a pretty tough month in the Philippines. The Philippines was extremely poverished and we lived in an extremely poor area in Manilla. With that being said it was a fresh breath of air when we got to Thailand, literally. Manilla was hard to breathe in some places where the river was flooded with trash and human waste.
SHE ministries is located in a beautiful part of southern Thailand called Phuket. Phuket is a very dark place spiritually, though beautiful in the physical. The majority of the Thai people are Budhist. While many of the foreigners who come will come to take part in the sex industry there. Phuket is well know for the famous Vegetarian Festival (Nine Emperor Gods Festival) where people pierce their bodies with swords and become demon posessed.
(More idols at the temple of Big Budha)
The men and I were asked to live on the property of the future SHE site. We helped during the day with different construction projects. We helped with plumbing, electrical, some carpentry, welding, built barbed wire fences and many other things. It was hard to get to know people in the area because hardly anyone spoke English. This left plenty of time for us men to spend time in prayer and worship, and just studying the bible together which was very good. We had some really great times of sharing and just being vulnerable with each other as men and finding healing through the Lord. We also did prayer walks through our area, and we would intercede on behalf of all the Thai people who were enslaved and serving the spirits of false gods.
(Monk at the temple at the Big Budha)
Our contacts and founders of SHE, Mark and Sharon Biddel's main minisrty is to the young girls who work in area called Patong. Patong is a huge tourinst destination where many are coming for some kind of sexual experience. We walked the streets of a famous road in Patong called Bangla road. Their are open bars and clubs all the way down this half mile road. You can see the girls everywhere. It is very sad. These girls are simply doing a job, one that will bring food to their children. This is when Mark and Sharon and their teams come in. They send groups of girls into these bars nightly where they make relationships with these girls and share hope with them. Hope that there is a different way. A better way. Then they introduce them to a man. Not just any man. Not a man looking for somthing that he can recieve, but a man who is looking to give these girls all that they need. His name is Jesus.
SHE ministries offers so much to these girls. They are changing lives for now and eternity, sharing the message of hope in the darkest and loneliest corners of the earth. If only you could see these girls, maybe then you would be moved to help. These girls are provided a safe place to live with their children and taught skills to make money. The sex industry covers the globe, and its right under our noses. What will you do about it? What will the church do? If you are interested in looking more into SHE ministries I will the leave website at the bottom of blog. Please check them out and consider partnering with the work they are doing.
Lastly, I must speak about the Islands! Thailand is filled with beautiful islands, in which I got to go to several of them. Each weekend we had Saturday and Sundays off. We were in Thailand for three weeks so each weekend we got to do something awesome. Whether it was kayaking to an uninhabited island and staying the night, or spending the night on the beach in my hammock on Phi Phi Island. God provided the adventures that all of us men are seeking. I also got to rent a scooter with the guys, which was really cool. We were able to see the area of Phang Nga which is a gorgeous bay where a scene in one of the old James Bond films was filmed.
All in all Thailand was an amazing country and I learned so much while being there. One thing I took away was the immensity of my God, the vastness of His creation, the beauty and the depth of His love that He has revealed in His son Jesus Christ.
(Phi Phi Island)
(The biggest Budha of its kind in the world)
( On top of the world, this was the on the uninhabited island we stayed on, we then kayaked to an island off to the right of the pic)
Check out www.SHEthailand.org for more info
Thanks for all your support and prayers. I am now in my 6 month in Malaysia and excited to serve the area I am in I will keep you updated in the weeks to come. I post a lot of photos on facebook if you are not my friend you can find me there and keep up with me also on Instagram. Thanks again and may God be with you!
( p.s. Fully FUNDED!!)
