Let me stay…

So…my time here in Phuket is coming to a close and I am more than sad to see it end.

In the midst of this month many of us have experienced a lot of ups and downs. Often we were overwhelmed with the reality before us and the enormity of this task. The darkness in Patong can quickly overwhelm you causing a sense of hopelessness. In addition to this darkness, many of us have had some slight health and financial problems. Brooke had her bank card eaten by an ATM. Sarah and Beth had their bank cards frozen by their banks repeatedly. Of course I had the most creative financial issue…we decided to take a break one afternoon and go down to the beach. I had the bright idea to put my bankcard in my swimsuit to prevent it from being stolen out of my purse. Great idea until you have your friends bury you in the sand. For future reference…take the bankcard out of your swimsuit before you wash the sand out of your swimsuit. I was not too worried because I had a backup bank card, but come to find out my bank was bought out and I was in the period where the old cards were being canceled. This is what happens when you as the Lord to help you budget. : ) Good thing the pictures are….well literally priceless.

In the last month about all of us passed around a sickness that you don’t want to hear about. The three days when I lost my bankcard, the backup card was canceled, had communication issues back home, and I was extremely sick followed the few days when the Lord was really speaking to me. In the midst of that time the Lord told me to simply press in because He had so much more to do this month. After that another girl came out of the bar, and I formed some great relationships with new girls.

Alongside these issues…the Lord has blessed my socks off by being in Thailand. I have a deep
love for this country that I did not even anticipate. I have seen one
of the most oppressed places on earth. Alongside that sight the Lord
has given me a passion to see the oppression end by coming alongside
girls that have dreams and goals by providing a hope for the future
that only Jesus can bring. In the last month we have built
relationships with a lot of girls in the Patong bar district. We have
seen 2 girls leave the bar scene to come work at SHE and we have
several that are on the verge of choosing the same freedom. In our last
few days I ask you to pray diligently for all the girls we have met and
gotten to know.

In addition to these relationships formed in the bars, I have been extravagantly blessed by the girls who work at SHE. They are girls that will truly be friends for life. I am already extremely sad to leave Glon, Kung, Wan, Kae, and Rose. When spending time with them I feel as if I am with my closest friends…this has become a very natural home away from home. Watching the Lord work in their lives has been incredible as they diligently seek to know God. Pray that the Lord continues to reveal Himself to them as they see that our GOD is so powerful!