So if there’s one thing I’ve learned on the World Race thus far, it’s that things literally never turn out the way you expect them to. There was one massive expectation I had for this journey, one deep desire that God had placed in my heart long before the Race began. That desire was to work with victims of human trafficking and women working in the sex industry. I thought for sure that Thailand was the place that I was finally going to get to go to battle on behalf of these precious women, as I had read many blogs about WR teams doing in the past. But that battle ended up looking totally different than I thought it would.
When my team found out what our ministry for this month would be, it nearly knocked the wind out of me. I fought to hold back tears as Katie Cartwright, our point person for the month, told us we would be going to a town called Chantaburi in eastern Thailand. She began listing off random ministry possibilities, none of which included the one thing I wanted more than anything to do on this Race (bar ministry). I was heartbroken. I was devastated. And I was livid. I couldn’t believe that something God had placed so strongly on my heart seemed to be ripped away from me in an instant, and so unexpectedly. Why would He give me such a strong desire to minister to these women, and then not let me do it? I spent pretty much the entire day in tears, just trying to figure out God’s purpose in all of this. Clarity did not come quickly. But eventually it did come.
I remembered that last month in Cambodia, I had asked God to strengthen my prayer life and to really give me a passion for prayer. Little did I know what the cost would be. (Had I known, I probably would not have asked for that!) So, after receiving confirmation from a few girls on my squad, I realized that I was to fight behind enemy lines this month. I may not physically be frequenting the bars every night, forming friendships with the women, but my role as a behind-the-scenes prayer warrior is just as vital. The other girls from my squad need my prayers, just as Moses needed Aaron’s support by holding up his arms while Joshua led the Israelites in battle.
So even though this month did not remotely turn out the way I originally hoped it would, I am choosing to believe that I am still making an impact through my fervent prayers. I also strongly believe that I will have another opportunity to be used in a ministry similar to this one in the future, and I cannot wait to see what that will look like. God placed this passion in my heart for a reason, and I think it has only been solidified this month.
