There was a young lady named Emily Werness. She realized that Thailand was proving to be quite different than Cambodia, but still so good.
First off, it is all squad month, which means all 42 of us are staying in the same place, breaking into our teams to do ministry. We are staying at Zion Hostel/Zion Café which is run by Lighthouse in Action, the ministry we are working with this month. It was quite the shift in dynamic from just being with Burning Joy to the whole squad. But the time has been sweet – opening the door for worship together, squad elephant riding, card games, celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving, group workouts, trips to the night market, and lunch/dinner “dates” with people from other teams. I was pretty apprehensive at first because our team really only had about two weeks all together before we came to Thailand, but God has blessed this time and it was been so fun! We are staying in real rooms with doors, bunk beds, flushing toilets, and rooftop showers that emit hot water! I am feeling the western influence here in Chiang Mai and it’s not such a bad thing, it is just different than the simplicity of the rural Khmer life. In the words of a popular phrase here in Asia, “same same, but different.” Regardless of our living situations, ministries, bathroom facilities, food, Christ is here in all we do and that is what always brings a smile to my face. He’s just so good!
Our teams are working in different areas this month:
-Two teams are doing, ‘XLife’ which includes monk chats, which means they go to local temples and sit and have conversations with monks there and try to build relationships. These teams then alternate also going to the nearby slums, where most traffickers buy children from their parents, and just love the children and try and establish relationships.
-Two teams are doing bar ministry, ‘Love Acts,’ where they go out to the karaoke bars, massage parlors, etc and spend time making conversation with women and men who are trapped in slavery – some may be trafficked and others enslaved to the system. They are there to listen and love these women and men and build relationships – to hopefully make a coffee or lunch date to talk more.
-Two other teams (including my team, Burning Joy) are working at Zion Café. We either work the morning, lunch, or evening shift, serving alongside these amazing Thai women who were formerly trafficked and now are seeking more for themselves, some even going to school. Some of them have come to know the unconditional and unfailing love Jesus offers and it fills my heart to overflowing to serve next to my sisters – to love them, and build relationships, learn from them, and encourage them. (I have learned how to peel garlic cloves like a boss.) We also help keep the Hostel in tip top shape and get the word out about Zion Café and Hostel so that eventually it can be profitable and become a self-sustaining ministry. We plan events two nights a week to try and help with this: karaoke and worship! (Pray for the word to spread like crazy and to fill this place up!)
If you didn’t pick up on it, the theme here this month is relationship building. It’s how Jesus did it and it’s how we are trying to do life here in Thailand and every country we visit – through ministry, through our teams, our squad, and I know for me at least, going deeper with my Heavenly Father. The Lord has given me a word for each month so far. In Cambodia it was love and here in Thailand it is intimacy: greater intimacy with my Father, creating intimacy with the ladies here at Zion, and establishing and building on the intimacy already growing within my team and my squad.
Intimacy is a scary thing because it means you have to open up; you have to be vulnerable. Self-disclosure requires bringing light to some of the darkest parts of myself that I would much rather keep locked away in the closet of my heart, but Jesus is shining his light and pulling them out in the open. It is terrifying, painful, but freeing. It makes me uncertain and fears of rejection, judgment, and worthlessness fill my head, but those are all whispers from the enemy. I am already more fully loved and accepted than I can fathom (Romans 8:38-39 and 1 Peter 2:9-10)!! Intimacy doesn’t have to be a daunting shadow that hangs over our hearts. Intimacy is a beautiful opportunity to love each other like Christ.
Please pray for the health of our squad – we have had some incidents and sickness – pray for healing and health! Also just pray hard and intercede for this area of Chiang Mai – the Red Light District. Pray that the Spirit would fall down like rain and wash these men and women in the boundless love of Christ. May he touch their hearts and may seeds be planted, watered, and harvested – may they come to understand in their hearts the love and passion God has for them, that they are not worthless and broken in his eyes – they are precious and he wants them. All of them. Just as they are. Pray truth over this place – especially the truth of the One True God and that it is He alone who saves. He alone is worthy of all praise. I pray for blind eyes to be open to His truth – Buddha is just a man; Jesus is the Son of God!
I’m Emily Werness and I just want to dive deeper with my God. Because of the beauty of His grace, I can boldly approach the throne and sit at his feet and drink in his presence. Let me adore you Lord, let my every breath, every action emanate praise to you.
Quick financial update: I am still in need of $1820 to be fully funded! If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, just click the “Support Me!” link on the top of this page or on the left hand side. Thank you – I love you all!
