Preface: This is a journal entry from night three in Thailand. I only ask of one serious requirement to reading this: I don’t care to know if you followed through, but my team and I need your prayers heavily this month. Pray for us. Pray for Jesus to protect us. Pray for the women. Pray for the men. Pray for our hosts. Pray for revival. Just pray!
Mark 4:39 “Peace! Be Still!”
God my heart feels the chaos. My heart feels the hopelessness. My heart feels the brokenness and it’s overwhelming to the core.
When we walk down Bangla street, we know we carry the light in this darkness. We know we carry the one thing they can place their hope in. We know we carry the only thing that can bring them peace. We know we carry your authority, Jesus.
Yet all I feel is frustration.
I’m frustrated when I can’t take 3 steps without men and women shoving signs of naked women promoting sex shows in my face. I’m frustrated when I see tourists of all ages and genders filming and taking pictures of the REAL women on the poles in every bar down that street. I’m frustrated when I see men of all ages whispering into the ears of these noticeably younger Thai women. I’m frustrated when I realize how normalized it is to choose this lifeless life-style.
Every step taken down that street is a step of utter reliance on you Jesus, for my strength. I need you. We need you.
As my eyes skim from pole to pole, bar to bar, face to face, my heart hurts for those women with complete emptiness in their eyes. My heart hurts for the tourists who come seeking their worth in the payment of women. We walk through and wonder how this street got this sad. I wonder what possessed someone to create such a place. I wonder about all the movies that glamorize this life-style and I cringe knowing I have watched and supported not thinking twice about the reality of these women.
When you walk down Bangla street, it wreaks of despair and hopelessness. It reveals eyes of broken, tired and lost girls who are just trying to support their families. Believing the lies that the best/easiest way is selling themselves, objectify their bodies and hiding their pain with shots of whatever they can get their hands on NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.
There’s more to their life right God!?
God calm the overwhelming storm in my heart. God I know you are faithful. I know you bring hope and peace. I need it more than ever right now. I need your strength to walk down that street with nothing but a smile and radiating joy. I need your love to see the brokenness for what it is and see and love these people for who they are.
God, Peace Be Still my heart PLEASE.
I trust you and I love you,
– Katie B
