When I wrote my last blog, I didn't know that there would be a part 2 to the story. So, if you haven't read the first part , you should do that first.
Later that day, our team met with Emmi, the founder of Lighthouse in Action to debrief our two weeks in the village. She asked us to talk about our high point of life in the village, low point, and what we suggest for improvement.
As we went around the circle, answers were varied, but for the most part, the ministry was either loved or…not so much. I was trying to figure out a tactful way to explain that I hadn't been happy in the village, because I wanted to be honest, but not make it seem like I felt that the ministry was a total flop or waste of time.
"My high was probably getting to spend time with Pe [our translator]," I told her. "I really enjoyed getting to know him and investing in his life, and just getting to be his friend. My low was not really feeling like what we were doing was advancing the Kingdom, or how we were different from all the other teams that come and go there."
As everyone went around and shared their thoughts, Emmi was bursting to tell us something. Once we were finished, she began, "Well, let me tell you what your impact has been." She went on to explain that this village, and others like it, are the areas that traffickers go to buy kids. The villagers plant rice and beans, but 3 or 4 months out of the year, as they are waiting for the crop, they have no income. The traffickers know when their low income season is, and when they are most susceptible.
"For three years," she continued, "I've been praying and asking my dad to try holistic farming. He kept saying no. After seeing how hard you girls worked, he has agreed to devote one acre to it."
By employing holistic farming, they will have rotating crops year round. When the other villagers see Emmi's dad's success, they will begin to use holistic farming techniques as well. Year round crops mean year round income.
Less poverty=less trafficking.
If the families are not as desperate, they will be less susceptible to falling for the lies and empty promises of the trafficker.
As she explained this, we all began to cry. Our month was not in vain. We were used by God in an incredible way to equip a community to better support themselves, in order to prevent the trafficking, the pain, and the darkness of the sex trade from stealing the lives and the joy of the children of the village.
It's just so amazing and incredible how I didn't even fully have my heart in the ministry, but God used me and my teammates anyway. He wants us to be a part of His Kingdom work on Earth, and even when we think we know the best way, He does it so much better.
We all left the meeting on cloud nine. If God can show up in such an awesome way when some of us were dragging our feet with the ministry, how much more can He be glorified when we are truly all in?
We leave Chiang Mai in a few hours to take an overnight bus to Hua Hin, our debrief location. We will spend a few days there, and then head to Malaysia. I'm so excited to meet back up with Josh (and the other guys), and finish out this month strong. God is so good, isn't He? 🙂
