This past month our team of 8 girls went to a small village in the middle of no where. 7–11 and the one rotee stand (a fried pancake with egg and sometimes banana) was our hangout where we would have our "after dinner walks". Dancing in our sunhats and spreading pig poop in bean fields is now normal. We lived in Buddhist homes where we got to see their way of life, how they worship their gods, how hard they work; we got to be apart of that. Even in the peacefulness, gorgeous sunsets and bikerides most of our hearts were still longing to be in ChiangMai where the rest of our teams of girls were loving on girls in the bars caught in the sex-trade.
It was bittersweet as we said our good-byes, gave hugs (which is not normal for thai people) and took pictures with our new thai families before heading back to ChiangMai. Reminicing about our past month we then thought of how excited we were to now experience the city and the "bar ministry."
As we met with Emmi, who is the founder of Lighthouse in Action, each person on our team went around in a circle and shared our favorite memories, our lowest moments, and how they can improve for future teams coming to experience this life. A theme of how a lot of us felt was: how is working in the fields a prevention to sex-trafficking? Especially when we don't speak the same language, how are we making a difference?
Emmi begins telling us about her sister-in-law who was trafficked as a young girl and she is now someone who trafficks girls. She and many others go to the villages when young girls (from 6th to 9th grade)are done with school and the childrens parents are tricked into thinking that they will take them to go work, to have greater opportunities, to go to school, have a future, etc. These parents are brainwashed and happily sell their children because they believe they will have a better life.
Many people in the villages work in the fields. There is a period of time where the people just have to wait on the crops for about 4 months while they grow and go through different seasons, so they have no work. This is when they look for other ways to bring income home to the family, so this is when they head to other villages and get caught up in trafficking the children since it is so easy. Many have gotten into this trap.
"Can I show you a picture?" Emmi asks. She then pulls up a picture of crops and tells us about Holistic Farming. This allows the people to be able to grow all crops in one area and for them to work all year-round, without breaks, so they don't have to look elsewhere, such as buying and selling young girls. ""This is the answer to everything! I have been praying for 3-4 years asking my dad to do this, and everytime he says no." She says.
Emmi's dad says that working in the fields is hard work. Our team was the FIRST ALL GIRLS TEAM to go out living in the village to work. He questioned our abilities to work hard. He thought we might get our nails dirty. As we were out there working in our sunhats, boots, and mismatched clothes wondering what kind of difference we are even making out there, God was doing some work. 5 days ago, from today Emmi's dad called and told her, ok, there is something different about these girls and they are hard working. OK,OK, I will do it.
WHAT!?!?!?!?!?
This is where tears shed and I began to cry!
This is the biggest thing that has happened to them EVER!
After years of prayer and many continuing to serve these people without ceasing, and us girls, for WOMANISTRY month come along and shows him how it's possible to work hard and that it can be done year around! As some of us were sitting here doubting about any fruit being done God was working the whole time! His timing is so perfect and you never know when or why things happen the way that they do!
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him."
This is incredibly true! I am in awe and have no words for this. I continue to get the chills and smile everytime I think about it. How amazing and cool is it that the power of God lives inside of us and we have that authority for when we stand on firm faith that things will be done! Maybe not in the time we expect or the way we expect, but everything we do and everywhere we go we are seed planters whether that means literally planting rice, beans, vegetables, or just seeds of Gods love!
Never doubt because He always pulls through! Keep standing firm in His truths when you don't feel like it or when you don't want to work hard or wake up in the morning.
Ah, I am beaming with excitement.
As of now, Emmi is not sure how it's all going to work, or exactly when but it IS happening and by her father starting this, the others in the villages will see the fruit from it all and they too will be on board!
Please be praying for the village of MaeAi and that Gods plan be manifested in this place! That these people now have real opportunities for year-round work and that they never need to go to selling/purchasing these children anymore. Also, that the parents wouldn't be trapped in this mindset and that they are having changed hearts and chains are being broken!
