Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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You might be in Thailand if: the icecream special is a corn sundae, there is enough polution that people on the street wear doctors masks’, it’s so humid that you would think it just rained but it’s so hot you know it hasn’t , you can get amazing fresh fruit smoothies and delicious Thai food for less than a dollar, you add “ka” to the end of everything you say because that is polite, large outdoor night markets are the places to be, you put your hands into prayer position and knod to greet people, you can get a $2 sucker fish massage, it’s the year 2056, and all the kids are just sooo darn cute!

 

I have yet to actually get this massage, but I hear it feels electric! Oooooo! 


 


As you can see, after just a week of living in Thailand I’ve experinced some interesting things. I’ve explored the Buddhist temples and have seen people praying to hundreds of golden idols and tithing down long rows of offering plates held for all the different gods. I’ve studied and compared the ways of worship in the Buddhist religion to the Christian faith. I’ve also spent time debriefing, praying, and worshiping with my squad to regain the strength and encouragement I need in order to finish this race strong. Is it really month 9!?



 

 


When I first started the race 8 months ago, I am pretty sure I had the largest backpack out of the fifty racers on my squad. I could hardly carry it. I had 14 outfits, 4 towels- ya know, the necessities . Apparently, I am excessive because there is an on going joke about me and my abundance of towels. I’m happy to say that I started month 9 with only three outfits and two towels. Maybe I’ve finally figured out what it takes to be a missionary. 😉


First day of ministry in Thailand turned out a little differnent than I expected. My contact tells me that I am not allowed to tell people that I am a missionary. I can’t share the gospel aka evangelize for the first few interactions with people. “I am here as a tourist.” Lastly, I can’t look like a missionary. This is the part where I look down at myself and laugh.


My lips are sealed because I’m not speaking like the average missionary. This month isn’t about a rush to share the gospel in the first five minutes of knowing someone. It’s not about preaching. It’s not even about handing out tracks. It’s purely about building relationships and letting my actions speak louder than my words ever could. Shouldn’t we be living this way everyday, everywhere we are? That’s what I love about this month. Holding back on the cliche westernized Christian phrases that people of Buddhist religions possibly wouldn’t even understand and allowing my actions to bring light into places of darkness.

 

(Hanging out with some Thai men on the street. 10pm. Notice the faces in the paintings.)


That’s what the ministry Lighthouse In Action is all about. Centered in Chaing Mai, Thailand, it has four focuses; children in the slums, physical labor and living life in the villages, human trafficking bar ministry, and college ministry/teaching english in the Lighthouse Cafe. The two that my team are focusing on is children in the slums and bar ministry to prostitutes, but we’ll be spending some time in the cafe, as well. Open mic nights! (Note: never give me a microphone.)

Wongen Cafe, operated by Lighthouse in Action, outreach for college students, amazing food and smoothies!


The ministry schedule for the month is pretty rare for the race. I get to sleep in for once because most of our work is mid-day to late nights. Sundays are time for rest and church.On Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays I spend time with children in the slums and participate in intercessory prayer with my team. On Friday nights we have open mic night at our awesome cafe where we can sing, read poetry, act, and build relationships. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we have intercessory prayer in the afternoons and bar ministry from 7pm-12am. This looks like “partying with coca cola” at the bar scene. We go in as groups of two so that we aren’t obvious missionaries. There are many tourists here in Chaing Mai which makes this possible. Only, many tourists are not Christians and also do not know the culture of Thailand, so they can be very offensive to the people. My team has been trained otherwise. The bars have Thai women working for them at 2,000 Baht/night which is about $67 US dollars. The women make about $2,000 US dollars each month.


 My job is to befriend the prostitutes. Love on them. Show them there are people who really care and who don’t want to just use them and leave them. The team budget allows for me to purchase a drink for a girl. This buys me time to get to know her. Then, I set up a date to take her out of the bar and continue the relationship. In time, I’ll be able to share Jesus with her. Any free time that my schedule allows is given toward dates with the new friends I’m making. I ask her out. I pay the bar for her time out. And then I buy her dinner and a movie, etc. This, of course, takes money, and this is where your part comes in. God has given me a heart for these girls, some as young as fifteen years old who are owned by the bars, some older who are working to support their children and families back in the villages. As sad and hopeless as they may feel day in and day out and as fake as their smiles may be, we have an amazing opportunity to forever impact their lives.


I’m believing that God will provide so that anytime it is laid on my heart to treat a girl, I don’t have to worry about not having the money. (I hate worrying about money.) It’s pointless because God is always faithful to give…It’s a waste of time when you know that God is big. I’m fully funded for the world race; however, I’d love to spoil these girls with the love of God. Sometimes that looks a little different than expected. You may not believe in bar ministry, because association in such places could ruin personal testimonies. Personally, I’m willing to sacrifice my reputation in this way because I’m more concerned with the Kingdom. Plus, I figure it’s just the place that Jesus in the flesh would be. If you’d like to support me in this ministry and trust the Jesus in me you can help financially. I’d even love to personally share with you the experience of my time with the girl you helped.



 

Options:

Bar fee:


400 Baht for one evening out with a girl (2 hours)= $13

~instead of being on a date with a man, she’ll be with me =)


2,000 Baht for an entire night off (7pm-12am)= $67

~instead of sleeping with a man who paid for her, she’ll hang out with me and then get the night off to sleep in her own home


It’s almost like physically rescuing her away from destruction so that you and I can have the opportunity to spiritually pour into her.


Lighthouse has a website specifically for YWAM and World Race volunteers that is very much like Facebook. I’ve been able to read all about the different bars and girls that work them from those who have already built relationships. It’s amazing to walk into the bars already knowing names and where the gilrs are spiritually. Also, this month is packed with intercessory prayer to fight away the strongholds that Satan has put on these women and even men. The best way you can be involved with the fight against prostitution/drunkness/human trafficking/spirits of addiction is thru prayer. My key scripture for the month comes from John 14:12-18 which says:

“Very truly I tell you, all who have faith in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”


When we pray in accordance to God’s works, He will answer. He even promises that we will do greater things than He did on earth. That’s almost unbelievable!


Please pray for freedom in Thailand for these men, women, and children that I’ll be interacting with this month. Please let me know if you’d like to help. For more information about this ministry visit: www.lighthethai.com. And please pass the word.


Thank you, “Kap Kun Ka”!