This month we are working with a ministry called the Tamar Center. Their main goal is to help bring the women out of the bars and teach them an alternative way to make money and show them God’s love.
How Tamar works is they go into the bars at night around 5pm while the girls are just getting ready and the men have not yet arrived. They start conversations with them and tell them about English classes that are taught at Tamar Center. The English classes are taught at different times throughout the week and are very appealing to the women because their customers often speak only English. So, they get the women in the door through the English classes and then begin to build relationships with them. They then hope to be able to share the Gospel with them. They also provide the opportunity to learn skills such as card making, jewelry making, a bakery and a hair saloon. This is an alternative way of making money for the women.
We have had the opportunity to go out with to the bars and meet the women and tell them about the English classes. We have been helping to teach the English classes. We have gone out to the beaches during the day and tried to get the word out about the English classes. I have enjoyed having an opportunity to meet these women. We always have such a good time in English class and always get some good laughs in. It is encouraging to see them coming and beginning to realize that there are other opportunities out there.
We have also had the unique opportunity to work with a separate organization that works to send Chinese bibles back into China. China is a closed country. You are allowed to be a Christian but not to evangelize. A foreigner is also not allowed to take in Chinese bibles but a Chinese person is allowed to bring back in one Chinese bible with them. Well, Thailand happens to be the number one tourist destination for Chinese people. So, they have had the brilliant idea to hand out Chinese bibles here in Thailand for them to then take back into their country. We got to help them stuff bibles with tracks, get the packets ready to hand out and then actually go to one of the main tourist areas for the Chinese and hand out Bibles to them. It was so cool to see their response. Some were not interested at all, but then others were so grateful for the Bible that about 10 people back in China will get to read. So, in a way it’s like we had the opportunity to smuggle bibles into China. It was not something I was expecting when coming to Thailand but an awesome opportunity and provided a new perspective to my way of thinking.
In general we have also been doing a lot of praying. We will go on prayer walks through the streets filled with bars, just worship God throughout the streets, and bring his presence and Spirit with us every step of the way. It has been amazing to meet the people who live and do ministry here everyday. I have a huge respect for each and every one of them.
