Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles. To be sure, the people we’ve met so far have been extremely friendly and warm. Jennifer and I went to a (legitimately not-sketchy) massage parlor in Hua Hin, where the owner brought us water, the most delicious tea I’ve ever had, and a leather bracelet for me, all with a smile on her face. No matter how massive the language barrier is, the interactions are always full of smiles, nods, and more smiles. When I requested an order of pad thai mai pet (not hot), the cook at the restaurant smiled widely, repeated, “Mai pet!” with a quick bow, and floated into the kitchen. My order came back and set my mouth on fire with the first bite, but I was charmed enough to try again the next day (with similar results).
In the midst of all the bows, smiles, and politeness is an environment that I’m preparing to walk into for the next few weeks. Our teams are splitting up for the month, with all the guys working together for a month of “manistry” (which probably entails a lot of facial hair, eating raw meat, and bathroom humor), and the girls all going to different locations. I’m with fourteen other women in Phuket, working with SHE ministry and reaching out to the women in the bars. For most of us, we’re getting ready to walk into a world that, until now, has only existed in the movies.
Image from http://www.seasunphuket.com/BanglaRd.html
Pray for us. Pray for the women. Pray for the hearts of the tourists. It’s a short month, but it’s going to be an intense month. I’ll be working on a small team with four other women: Stacy Povian, Drea Statzer, Lindsay Nelson, and Daina Norusis. We all have hopes that we’ll be able to reach the hearts of the people we meet. There is more than this life for these women. I’m praying that we’ll be able to show them a glimpse of the life that we carry in us.
