When we ate out for lunch the other day, the restaurant owner offered us maps of the town before we left. We were excited because the maps turned out to be in English! One of my teammates got excited to see several karaoke bars on the map. Entertainment! She mentioned this to the owner to which he replied, “Those aren’t good places for women…they are places for lonely men.” In other words, they aren’t the type of establishment you would go to with friends for a relaxing evening of fun and social time, they are code for brothels where 
prostitutes hang out and proposition men. You see, Thailand is known for its sex tourism and the girls start as young as age 13. In Thailand, the constitution protects parents from being sued by their children and thus allows them to literally sell their children into sex slavery. In this world of materialism and the mentality that a bigger house or a better car can satisfy your appetite for more, the young girls ultimately get sold to the brothels and they have no other option than to obey their parents wishes. Could you imagine growing up in a home not knowing whether your parents will choose to sell your body for the sex trade when you are old enough? I can’t even begin to try to comprehend the thought of growing up in a family with that fear.
I really wish there were something more I could do. Yesterday we walked around town just praying for the village. I believe that God has infinite blessings stored up in heaven for us and He is waiting for us to pray and ask for them. In a situation like this, I’m not sure what else I can do. We are teaching English to the local schools here every day and I’d like to hope that this can only lead to a better future for those who are fortunate enough to have that choice.
The Tree of Life Orphanage where we are volunteering currently cares for 6 young girls full time and a few 
who come to spend time here on the weekends. As of now, only one of the 6 is fully sponsored, meaning her food, shelter, clothing and education is paid for. Public school is offere here in Thailand, but unfortunately it isn’t free or paid for by taxes. If you’d like to help give these children hope for a better future, please consider sponsoring a child here or even making a one-time contribution. Thanks so much for your prayers and support!
