Trench of Hope (Video)

Written 4/5/11

I remember when I was a younger, and I used to go to the
beach. Living in NYC, there are not very many options of beaches to swim, play and relax at. But whenever I would go, I would create my make shift sand
castle. I always forgot to bring a bucket, and would have to either make a
friend, or “borrow� one from another kid on the beach.

Every time I made a castle, I always dug this deep ring
around the castle to protect it from the wacky waves that always seemed to
creep up and destroy my masterpiece.

I never knew what that ring was called until years later. A
trench.

Well that is what I just finished digging and shaping here
at Remember Nhu… A trench around the orphan homes to prevent flooding during
the rain season.

This month has begun by taking a whole different form than
what I was expecting it to.  It
seems like we will be doing a lot of manual labor on the property to prepare it
for expansion. This “girls� month will probably be the month that I do the most
manual labor out of the entire race…

God is pretty funny.

The main reason I came on the race was to combat the issue
of human trafficking. Thailand was the country I was looking forward to
actually doing hands on ministry with this issue.

But that has not been the case for me… well at least in the
way I thought it would be.

Most of the girls at the home here have gone to their
villages because it is their summer vacation, so there are probably about a
handful of girls left at the homes we are staying in.

Granted, these girls are absolutely lovable, and I can’t
wait to build relationships with them!!

 But it seems
things aren’t going the way I planned they would.

I would lie if I said I wasn’t disappointed a little bit,
but while digging and shaping dirt today, I was talking to God about it.

“What is your purpose in bringing me here?� “You know how
passionate I am to combat the issue of trafficking… not dig a trench.�

A verse came to my head

“But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what
they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it
patiently.� -Romans 8:24-25

Also, while processing with God, I realized how selfish I
am…This desire to love girls in the sex trade was given to me by God, and it
can’t supercede my love for Him. He’s still number one… Not the desire to
bring justice to these girls. Ultimately, it’s all about Him.

Just because I’m not doing what I “think� I should be doing,
doesn’t mean that God made a mistake in placing me here. He knows exactly what
He’s doing, and He also knows the passion and desire that He has placed in my
heart.

This passion is only increasing, and actually, the fact that
I’m not able to work directly with the bar girls is increasing my passion even
more…

I would love to serve in a home that houses at risk children
one day. It’s on my heart to do that, and God is teaching me this side of the fight
against the sex trade.

PATIENCE seems to be the key lesson in my life. Which is why
I named one of my cats that (R.I.P), and I know that for everything there is a
reason and time.

So what, if I won’t be working hands on with the girls at
the bars this month? I’m doing, and I’m exactly at the place where God wants me
to be this month…

I have the privilege of getting to know and love beautiful
Thai, Burmese, and Loas girls. And if a lot of manual labor is involved…so be
it. (Plus it will get me in shape)

I know I will do all I can, with God’s help and guidance, to
fight the sex trade till I die.

I’m on the road…traveling patiently… with hope and
joy I’m digging trenches, laying down cement, and gravel.

Agenda: Love,

Bethsaida

Here’s a video showing some of our work…enjoy =)