So many thoughts overwhelm my mind as I sit here trying to put together a blog. We’re in Phuket, Thailand now, far from the Go-gos of Africa and I feel as if I’ve walked past the welcome mat and through the threshold of a familiar home. Bangkok is the very first country I ever set foot in internationally which was almost 5 years ago. God called me into missions during my sophomore year of college and ever since, my heart has been longing for people of a darker skin. Now, put that call together with a mesh of seemingly unrelated life experiences and I find myself standing in front of a masterpiece that looks somewhat like me.
We are working hand in hand with a ministry called S.H.E. (Self-Help and Empowerment). Mark and Sharon Biddell moved to Thailand from England almost 15 months ago after the Lord broke their hearts for the prostitutes here. Mark felt the Lord leading him to start a job opportunity that would give the girls a different way to make money rather than working in the bars and prostituting themselves. It’s a hard business to come out of though. In Thai culture, the children who work send
their earnings back to their families and since prostitution brings in a lot of money, the girls are pressured to keep it up. It makes it near impossible to get out of unless a job offers them more money or the Holy Spirit moves in their heart. The latter is what got the 4 girls currently working with S.H.E. out of the bars. They’re definitely not making
the money they once did, but they’re now being filled with the things gold can’t buy.
Last night we went with Mark and the girls to a local Burmese camp. The Burmese flee to Thailand in hopes of a better life, but instead they find oppression and cruel treatment from a country that, quite frankly, doesn’t like them. The Thai government enforces tight restrictions on the Burmese immigrants such as an 8pm curfew and no meetings of 4+ people at a time. Their children are not allowed to attend school either, so they really have no chance. I’m not sure of the situation in Burma and how living here could be much better, but still they come. We brought dinner along with us last night to a home where Mark has been leading Bible studies. The translator never showed up, so we ended up just eating together and hanging out. Watching the girls play with the children sparked something in my heart. The Lord has been speaking to me about Restoration since
the beginning of June and giving me vision of what this might look like in the physical. Last night, I saw it. Four girls brought out of prostitution and into the arms of Jesus are now reaching out to the Burmese (whom they originally didn’t like) and are playing with their kids. You should see these girls with the kids! They love them and the kids love them! The girls are all my age, 24-25, and through their time of restoration they are reaching out to restore others. What a beautiful cycle of love!
It is only by Jesus’ revolutionary love that hearts will change in the red-light districts of Thailand. It is only
love that will soften hardened hearts and bring this country out of a hypnotic trance. It is only when Thailand comes to the well and accepts the One who offers Living Water that she will turn from her false lovers and embrace her Husband. The Lord has been saying over Thailand, “Living Water” and “healing streams in the desert places”. There is a Thailand in my own heart that the Lord is freeing me from as well. No longer will we be slaves to other lovers. No. We will all come to the knowledge of loving Husband who will stop at nothing to receive the heart of His bride (you and I).
Pray for Thailand.
Pray for
restoration to the heart of God.
Pray for the people to come and drink of His
Living Water.
Pray for a movement of
revolutionary love!
*All photos courtesy of Amanda Petersen
http://amandapetersen.myadventures.org
