So as I was sitting here in Kenya, Africa I realized that I haven’t written any blogs about Thailand. First of all Thailand is beautiful, especially where we were. We were on the island of Phuket, which has amazing beaches on every side. Our ministry was very different than any one that we have worked with so far.
We worked with an organization called SHE (Self Help and Empowerment). The mission of SHE is to add women in getting out working in the bars in Patong and other beaches and get them trained to work in hotels or other jobs, while also sharing the love of Christ. There is one road at Patong Beach called Bangla Road. It is maybe a 3rd of a mile long and has over 200 open bars on the street (open bars are bars that you can see from the street. They are basically just bars with stools and there are tons of them and they do not have doors that you have to go into). In each open bar there is about 6 women that work there. These women are mostly from other places in Thailand or Burma. All of these women work in the bars to be sold to men who will pay. The women sell themselves to take care of their families. A lot of them have children or are talking care of their parents. Most of the men in the area are western. It is a very common sight to be walking around and see a very old western man with a very young Thai woman. Our ministry for the month was going down to Bangla Road and going into the bars. When you go into a bar – you get hit on – it doesn’t matter if you’re a guy or a girl and they bring you a game to play with them. It may be Jenga, Connect Four, this awesome nail game or Jackpot. We would sit in the bars and just hang out with the women, not wanting anything from them. Just to hang out with them, listen to them and to love on them. It was amazing how many women would open up to you and tell you their stories. Most them hated working at the bars – said that the men were bad, but didn’t see a way out of it because they had to provide for their families. We were to offer them English classes and if they really hated working at the bar, hotel training. Offer them better ways of life.
It’s amazing to go into a place that is so dark and carry the Lord’s presence. I could go on and on about the things I saw on that road. Women standing on the side of the road waiting for someone to give them a second look and choose them for the night. Thai men (called Ladyboys) dressed as women longing for the same attention. Children on the street begging you to buy flowers from them, while constantly being watched by the man that owned them. Women wearing next to nothing looking to be seen. Older men sitting at the bar looking completely hopeless. Groups of young men yelling at women as they walked by and considering nothing but meat to be had for the night. Families on vacation. Young western boys being exposed by their parents to girls dancing on bars with poles. The list goes on and on, but I KNOW that the Lord is in that place. His grace covers those people. His goodness is a light for them. And he is sending armies into that place through SHE to bring His light.
