Our ministry in Thailand has maybe looked different than what the “typical” ministry on mission trips look like. We aren’t building a play ground, rebuilding communities from the ground up, or painting houses etc.
We have been blessed to uplift an organization called Place of Grace this month. This organization is directed by one couple, John and Gillian, who left everything to listen to God’s calling in their life. A couple, with two teenage girls and a nine month old baby, left their family, friends, community, house, and everything else, because the Lord called on them. 10 years ago they moved to Bangkok, Thailand from England to minister to the children of 5 different slum communities.
The slum communities are formed in an open area of land, land that is usually government owned. They build up their houses over their own sewage water because of the lack of plumbing available for them. Their parents can barely afford to feed them, and many kids stop going to school to help out financially. They sleep on floors, with no air conditioning in high, humid temperatures through the nights. They go out day after day, selling food on the streets to bring back necessities for their families. Many people don’t get proper showers or baths, and shower outside in the rain. Many kids go missing at young ages in the slums, without any notice or idea where they have gone. Some join gangs, some get sold into sex trafficking (or resort to it as their job to provide for themselves), some just disappear.
At Place of Grace, they come to play. They come to laugh. They come to eat, sometimes as one of their only real meals for the week. They come to be loved, love they’re neglected of at home. They come to know more about Jesus. They spend time being a kid. After playing, a bible story in the form of a skit and craft are done. After, they are sent home with a sweet treat and wait for the next time they get to come to Place of Grace.
We have gotten the privilege to help with the preparation of crafts for the weeks, baking treats for them, chasing them around, playing Mario cart for hours, making friendship bracelets, leading English classes, partaking in silly skits, leading worship, hours of intentional prayer, and doing maintenance work that wouldn’t usually get done because of the lack of time and people available. Although there isn’t a tangible end to our ministry here, we have poured time into uplifting this ministry and intentional love on these kids that makes a difference for John and Gillian.
•a sweet moment captured with my little friend•
(pictures of faces are not allowed for the safety of the kids in prevention of more missing children)
John and Gillian are Christ’s hands and feet in ways I’ve never witnessed before. Place of Grace runs completely on the graciousness of peoples hearts through donations. John, Gillian, and their now 10 year old boy rely on their missionary allowance they receive through donations from home churches to live. They are completely sold out for Jesus and sharing the gospel with these kids. They hope to soon run a school here at Place of Grace, and build a safe house for women stuck in human trafficking in Bangkok.
Mark 8:34
If anyone would come after me, he must dent himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
2 John 1:6
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
John and Gillian haven’t had it easy, but they’ve taken up their own cross in this life to minister and love these kids. They have given everything to follow Jesus. I can’t think of a sweeter example of a love for Christ so deep it shines out in every aspect of life.
If you would like to donate to help John and Gillian continue to spread Christ’s love to these children, providing a safe place for love and kids to be kids, and eventually start up a school and build a safe house for women stuck in human trafficking, you can visit their website here!!!
