Another continent is coming to a
close. I just want to update you all on
some of the things I have experienced in the last three months. First of all, last time I sent out an update
I still needed about $1500 to stay on the Race.
The Lord and my supporters have blessed this ministry and I have been
able to remain on the field. I was
amazed to see the funds come pouring in and I am so grateful to be fully
funded!
Our first month in Thailand was to
be spent in Bangkok, Thailand doing bar ministry meeting and building relationships
with prostitutes. I was leading three
girls and we are really thrilled to see what the Lord had in mind for us. Shortly after arriving in Bangkok we found
our ministry was changed and we headed south to Phuket. We remained optimistic through disappointment
that the Lord had this plan all along.
We worked with a missionary couple in a small fishing village doing
street clean up, teaching English to kids, and I even got a chance to share my
testimony on the radio. We began to
experience extreme fatigue and apathy and out of the two teams that were at
this site six out of eight got sick from various illnesses. Hopelessness began to permeate with in our
teams. Not having experienced anything
like this before we really didn’t know what was going on. Now looking back I recognized this spiritual
atmosphere to be one of the darkest ones I have ever experienced. In the end, one of hardest months turned into
a month great spiritual growth.
After Thailand we set off to
Cambodia. I really wasn’t prepared for
much of anything after our previous month in Thailand. At this point I was
hanging on for dear life. But it turns
out the Lord had some blessings up His sleeve.
I cried one of the first nights in Cambodia just asking the Lord to
restore my joy. Through prayer, reading
the word, and a revelation from the Holy Spirit I began to see I was entering
into a new journey with Jesus. I have had a taste of Him but I am beginning to recognize
the minute I begin to say I know Him completely I am farther from the Truth. The Lord is unending and there is always
opportunity to learn more about His character.
Right now I am discovering He loves me more intimately than I could have
ever imagined. God used this month in
Cambodia to foster this lesson. I worked
with kids to adults with history of addictions at Teen Challenge. I began to love these boys with such an
overwhelming love; I was able to begin to understand how our Lord in heaven
must love us. I realized I didn’t care
about their mistakes I only saw how beautiful and talented the Lord had created
them. They are perfect. It was such a beautiful and rewarding month.
And the Lord answered my prayer and has restored my joy.
Our third and final country in Asia
was our Ask the Lord month. We spent about a month praying into where the Lord
wanted us to go. I was not excited when
we felt the Lord leading us back to Thailand as I was eager to visit a new
country. In the end I knew it was where
God was calling so I was willing to see what He had for us in Thailand. This time we are in northern Thailand in a
city called Chiang Mai. Many children,
women and men are trafficked through this city to other places in
Thailand. Our ministry this month
includes going to bars to meet women, men, and lady boys to build relationships
and just hear their stories. I have been one to stay back and pray and
intercede for those going out. The Lord
has revealed a lot of His power in these times of prayer. I have met men and women on the streets, most
just lonely, lost, hurt, and desperate for someone to notice them. It has been a challenging month with just the
gravity of the reality of prostitution and trafficking. Although, this month
has been challenging as far as ministry we still have found time to explore
Chiang Mai. I have been to the Zoo, a
movie (I haven’t been to one in six months), elephant trekking, and bamboo
rafting.
As this leg of the Race comes to
close I know the journey is still not over. In a short while we will board a
plane to head back to the other end of the world. I actually will set foot in
America in LAX and then Miami before heading on to Nicaragua. We will spend time in Nicaragua, El Salvador
and Guatemala. Please keep me in your prayers as I enter into the final season
of the Race. Blessings to all and much love,
Alissa
To see more pictures of my past few months visit http://picasaweb.google.com/richalissa
