"Tonight we headed to one of the brothels we saw last time. It was intimidating approaching a building where girls are lined up on one side of the entrance and boys on the other side. Everyone appearing ages 15-22. There was really no where to stop and talk, so it was going to tricky to try and make this work. We walked past once searching for our way in, with nothing jumping out to us we stopped to pray again. After we walked back, there was one girl who spoke English, and while we tried our hardest to make conversation, she really wasn't having it. As she had her cell phone out ready to call a cab for us (to go to a 'really cool bar') Jessie and I made our exit. We stopped on the way and met a new friend then proceeded to visit Joy. While we were at the bar with Joy we ended up conversing with two men from England instead. Both were school teachers at an international Christian school. Yet neither were Christian. They were curious as to what we were doing, so I was able to share the gospel with one of the men and Jessie had meaningful conversation with the other. Jessie and I were hopeful that God was working in their lives, and even though we didn't have anything crazy happen at the brothel, at least the gospel was presented and to us that was a success."
"Tonight as we visited Joy I met a girl who was covered in tattoos. All classic style tattoos like mine. I swear she was my Thai twin. She was so sweet, she gave me a nose ring which I love, and Jessie had good conversation with the woman next to her. Another good night out."
"The last three times we went out we went to a new bar down the street from where we lived. The girls who worked there were all so sweet. Only two girls there were prostituting themselves, and the rest were there just to sell drinks and try to attract business (not so different from bars in the U.S.) There was a creepy old man there hanging around a particular girl, I heard the girl talk about how much he was paying her and it was pretty disgusting, but Jesus loves that guy too. We kept going to this particular bar and funny enough, some of our other teammates were lead to that same bar as well! We never talked about it or collaborated, but God just kept pursuing His people and doing His thing. One night I got into a philosophical conversation for two hours with an old man from San Diego. Meanwhile that night Jessie got to take pictures with the girls and talk about boys (way more fun). But I guess my Religious Studies minor was useful for something. As tiresome as the debate left me after that night, I ran into that same man two more times in the next three days out in public. I've never met someone as closed-mided as this man, but it was evident that God was working in him too."
So there it is. Bar ministry. Maybe not what you expected? Maybe not like the documentaries you've seen? Maybe leaving you with some questions?
The truth is
Everyone had different experiences.
Everyone had different attitudes.
Everyone had different passions.
But the message was the same:
Jesus is relentless in his pursuit of his lost sheep, and we were blessed enough to be on His team.
Thailand.
GOD
PROVIDED
SHOWED UP
DREW NEAR TO HIS PEOPLE
WORKED MIRACLES
BLESSED US
TAUGHT US
MET US
LOVED US
over.&.over.&.over
Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.–Psalm 147:1-5
Thank you for all your prayers and support! <3
