the won gen diaries

But for the first week and half of our ministry we were working at a coffee shop called Won Gen Kafe. We pretty much helped run the store while it was open and handed out promotional fliers at the university across the street. The owner of the cafe, Emmi, is also the head of the Lighthouse Ministry. The main functon of Lighthouse is to get girls out of the bars and give them a chance at a better life, by going in at night and building relationships with them and gaining their trust. Won Gen Kafe is an extension of this ministry. Emmi wants it to be a place where people can come (she is mainly targeting university age students that attend school right across the street) to learn English and form relationships with the volunteers that work there and will eventually be able to share the story of Jesus. Won Gen will also be a place where the Lighthouse workers can bring the bar girls during the day as a place to hang out. The cafe is in a great location and the actual space is very warm and fun as well. We loved working there and experiencing the Chiang Mai community.

Won Gen Kafe

 

I do want to tell you a little of Emmi’s story though. She was born into a village in Northern Thailand and was immediately seen as a curse by her family because she was a little girl, not a boy. At the age of three, her mother’s cousin came to visit and when her father came back from work, he didn’t recognize the man. He ran off the cousin and came back to the house and cut Emmi’s mother’s head off in front of her. When her father found out who the man was he immediately turned himself in to the police and of course, went to jail, leaving Emmi with no parents. Her mother’s family would not take her because she looked too much like her mother. Her father’s parents took her for a little while but she eventually wound up in an orphanage. A missionary from Europe ended up “adopting” her which meant she paid for her education including college. Emmi said she went through some dark years but finally came back to Christ. She was soon after challenged to forgive her father who was now out of jail and who she did not have a relationship with.

 

I wish you could see her now because I am currently staying in her dad’s house and she has a normal relationship with him as well as her stepmom and half brother and sister. God has completely turned the situation around and restored her family. She not only has a heart for the girls and transvestites trapped in prostitution, but she is now breaking into her dad’s community. She just started the Door 2 Door ministry, which I am currently a part of, to reach her father and his rice farming community. This community is also a very high risk area for children being sold into slavery.

It’s amazing to see all that has come out of this one woman’s vision and passion for Christ. Thailand is only 2% Christian. That is probably the lowest number we will see all year, but God is moving and it is so awesome to be able to be here and be a part of it. Right now Emmi is having a lot of trouble coming up with rent money for Won Gen Kafe because, as a missionary, she lives off support. However, she believes that the Lord is telling her to buy the building, which will cost about $30,000 USD. So she and I ask for your prayers that this money will show up some how because there is no earthly way she can come up with it. She is at the helm of some great things here so please help! Love you all, thanks for your prayers!