No Man’s Land-The Thailand-Burma Border Changed my Life.
Sitting in the comfort of an air-conditioned restaurant in Mae Sot, Thailand, doing anything to stay out of the energy-draining heat, I was about to click the purchase button on a flight back to the states. It was amazing how quickly everything had turned for the worst on my race. Only a few days prior, I was excited to continue the next three months on the race. Now I was depressed, in excruciating pain from a bike accident, sick of the dreadful heat, exhausted from being around my teammates 24/7, and missing home. I WAS OVER IT ALL AND READY TO GIVE UP!
Deep down I knew this feeling that would pass, but when? Would I have to suffer through all of this for the rest of the race? I knew I needed help because I barely had the strength to pray for myself. I decided to be vulnerable about everything I was going through and invited my team, my family, my friends from home to intercede and pray for guidance, strength and perseverance. As I invited people to pray for my struggles, I could feel the Lord making a shift. I heard the Lord tell me He had so much more to show me on this journey. He showed me a vision of me standing the valley of looking up at the enormous mountain I needed to climb. He was standing on the top of the mountain encouraging me the whole way and telling me the view at the top will be worth all of the struggles. At that point, I made the decision to stay on the race and stick it out, but I knew my depression wasn’t over.
After a couple of days our ministry host took us to the Thailand-Burma border. As I was walking along the open market where Burma children and adults were selling cigarettes, alcohol and seafood for a living, I didn’t realize the Lord was about to reveal so much about the beautiful faces I walked past as I tried to bring a smile to each of their faces.
No-Man’s-Land
As the open market came to an end, we walked upon a small village consisting 200-300 people called No-Man’s-Land. This is a lawless area between the Thailand and Burma border where murders, thiefs, sex traffickers, and drug dealers live. The beautiful faces I just pasted in the open market lived here. I saw little children and teenagers playing in the village, so some of them were born into this multi-generational cursed land. Many of the children living there have also been purchased by “Big Mama” who owns them and makes them go out on the streets to beg for money. Seeing and hearing these stories made my heart fall into the pit of my stomach. It get’s worse.
Right next to the lawless village is the river which separates Thailand and Burma. As I sat there, I noticed how easy it was for people to freely go across the border in boats, by swimming and walking. The border police are paid off to turn their heads as people casually cross. This is where sex-trafficking, work trafficking, and SLAVERY happens. Human trafficking was happening right in front of my face, the very passion the Lord put in my heart to fight against. Physically, I wanted to throw-up. Spiritually, it was one of the most profound moments on the race. The Lord brought me there to experience this moment, so I could remember the passion He has set in my life. My passion to break the chains of bondage, free slaves, empower the less fortunate.
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”
??Isaiah? ?42:6-7? ?NIV??
Thailand-Burma Border
The Lord brought me to this very moment, so I could see this devastation first hand. He did this so I could rely on Him to help snap me out of my depression and make me want to fight for what He was created me for. I need to remember this moment so when I want to give up on His will for my life again I can keep on relying on His relentless power and have faith that I can do ALL things through Him. (Matthew 19:26)
I’m still HERE…I’m ALL IN. I’m going to continue to be the hands of feet for the Lord and follow Him daily and outpour the love He’s given me.
