Joy Stealer

For a lot of young girls in
Southeastern Asia there are not many options or much hope of a bright
future. The sex industry is all consuming to those that are led into
it. Most of the girls that end up in the industry are sold by their
own family or handed over to someone promising that they will get
them a good job in the city. These girls will most likely never see
their families again. During the day some of these girls will work
the streets selling souvenirs to tourist or waiting tables at a local
restaurant but at night they return to the bars and clubs and sell
themselves to whoever is buying. The local governments are doing
nothing to stop this from happening. These girls are lost and
confused with no way out.

This month my team is working with Remember
Nhu Ministries. They are located in 6 countries with plans to
expand. Remember Nhu is different from most ministries that deal
with the sex industry. They are a prevented ministry that takes in
at risk girls before they end up in the sex industry. Only 1 out of
20 ministries that work against the sex industry are prevented. The
rest work to get the girls out of their current lifestyles.
Unfortunately 9 out of 10 girls that get out of the industry will
return one day for a number of different reason. Although the
ministries that work with the girls that have already had their joy
stolen and have been placed in the bars and clubs are important they are not
very effective. The sex industry continues to grow more and more
every year. Young girls and boys are having their lives taken from
them and forced in to slave labor in the form of sex. That is why
ministries like Remember Nhu are so important.

I have been blessed once again to see
God work in incredible ways again this month. My team is just
outside the city on a  nice plot of land with two large homes and over
70 young girls from the ages of 6-18 living there. This place is
amazing. These girls are loved and protected here and taught the
Word of God. There is so much joy found in their faces everyday.
Each house is like one big family. Both houses have house parents
which look after the girls and lead Bible studies for them. The
girls go to school during the weekdays which provides them the chance
to go onto one of the local colleges. While the girls are at school
our teams have been building a lodging area for future volunteers and doing
yard work on the new lands. The need is so great in Thailand to get
these girls into a safe environment that Remember Nhu bought over 20
acres and is planning to build 6 new homes there. With the
completion of the first home on the new lands they will move the
girls living in the older home over and welcome in, for the first time
at this location, at risk boys. When the girls return home from
school we get to hangout with them and play games or help them with
their English homework.