This blog is not going to be like an other Unsung Heroes blog you have read.
For those who have not heard of the Unsung Heroes program, let me fill you in. It is a fantastic program under Adventures in Missions. The goal is to find Kingdom-focused ministries around the world and bring light to thier work and see if they would possibly desire to partner with Adventures in Missions in the future. I can honestly and truly say that I love the mission of the Unsung Heroes program. One thing I have learned this year is that there are so many believers around the world that are serving the least loved people groups and spreading love, joy, education and health in thier communities. I love the idea of partnering with these believers; building international relationships and uniting the body for one purpose; to serve the needy and bring them Jesus. When a World Race team has an Unsung Hero month they go into the country with one goal: to find new ministry contacts within that country, serve them in whatever way they need, tell thier stories and bring them recognition and see if they could benefit from World Race teams. Well, my team had the chance to do that! I loved it, it was different than any other world race month I had experienced. I enjoyed meeting with people, hearing thier stories, praying for them and building relationships with them. I was thankful for that month and for the people I met. That was month 5. Bulgaria.
Then I had to do it again….in month 9. Thailand. This last month.
No one wants to do Unsung Heroes in Thailand and I DID NOT want to do it a second time.
I had been looking forward to Thailand for nine months. Thailand was this promising horizon of amazing ministries piercing intense spiritual darkness. Thailand is a hub of human trafficking and the need there for Jesus is so intense. I wanted that ministry. I wanted to be challenged. I wanted to bring Jesus to the darkness; to spend time in the bars with girls trapped in thier own hell. No. I got Unsung Heroes. I would have internet all the time and spend time in cafes, drinking coffee and doing a ton of google searching.
I would not be in the bars.
I would not be at Zion Cafe (world racer favorite).
I would not be with orphans or children rescued out of human trafficking.
I was on Unsung Heroes.
I want to tell you that as the month slowly progressed my attitude changed. I want to tell you that, as we met with more and more amazing people here in Chiang Mai, I suddenly felt fired up again. I honestly can tell you that we DID meet amazing people. I can tell you that God is moving in Chiang Mai. I can tell you from the bottom of my soul that I feel a connection to the people of this country and that I feel like freedom is coming for the forgotten children of Thailand. I can tell you many, many stories of the people I have talked to, the places we have seen and how they touched my heart. I cannot tell you, with my whole heart, that I loved doing Unsung Heroes twice. I cannot tell you that I feel no guilt for having endless internet and a million coffees instead of spending time in the red light district and spending time with kids affected by HIV and AIDS.
Halfway through the month, I was just barely skating through. Like I have said, I really do love meeting with missionaries and learning about thier ministries but the enemy continued to attack that love that I had for them. I began to buy into the lie that I wasn't doing ministry and that finding new contacts for future teams wasn't a good use of my time. I felt guilty for meeting with people instead of pouring myself into one ministry for a whole month. Sure, we did things with the people that we met…if we could but you can't pour yourself into a ton of different ministries. It didn't help that I was asked multiple times by people to post more pictures from Thailand than just my "off day" pictures. How was I supposed to explain that my ministry that whole month was research and meetings? Who wants to see pictures of that? I let that lie continue to eat at me all month….I kept hearing it in my head "you are not doing anything….you are not doing anything…."
But then I saw them.
Beautiful, lost girls standing on the side of the road, wearing short, cheap dresses and made up like movie stars. All alone. Waiting for one stray customer to pay them for a night's work.
I cannot explain the sorrow I felt, driving down the road, passing not one but five or six of these girls. There was nothing I could do about it. Until I realized, I was doing something about it. No one person can end human trafficking. One thing I learned through my contacts in Thailand was that we didn't need heroes to save these girls….they just needed one hero.
They needed Jesus.
No. I wasn't the one talking to them in the bars. No, I wasn't the one prayer walking the streets or building relationships with girls rescued out of human trafficking but I was talking with the people who were. I had been meeting with them all month. I had been in so many meetings, spending time talking and learning about people that are seeking to change Thailand. My team and I were able to build bridges to these missionaries and ministries. We were forging new paths for future teams… teams that will talk to those girls.
I may still feel like I didn't do anything this month. I may still feel bummed about doing Unsung Heroes again but I cannot deny that God had a plan in it even when I could not see past my own expectations. I may still feel bummed about "losing" another month of ministry but I cannot deny the blessings that came with meeting with the people that I did and I cannot deny how much they touched my heart by sharing thier visions with me. I may not get to work alongside them ever again but I know that everyday, no matter what we are doing, we are fighting the same fight. Everyday I can pray for my new friends who are seeking to bring the light of Jesus to a place that has made its home in darkness. I may not be able to do anything but that has never been the point. If we stand together as one body, with one voice, we can make a difference in this world. We will see people set free.
I think that is what Unsung Heroes is all about.
