Bar Ministry? Seriously?

                                                  

         After running in the rain.                                               

                                                  

12:00pm

LUNCH TIME

1:00pm

Afternoon ministry- Each afternoon looks a little different. Some days we are in the field doing practical labor (planting trees, hoeing, pouring concrete, playing in the mud, watering bushes, weed eating, etc) at the next SHE ministry site…

                               

                              

…while others go to the SHE office where there’s AC (a.k.a. a fan)  to make jewelry, construct mosaics, or bake cookies. 

                        

                                                                                                      

Others put their prayer to work in the streets of Patong where we return to later that night (the streets are practically deserted during the day).

                              

While still others might be hanging out with some women that they met the night before at the bars!

                                 

5:00pm

DINNER TIME/SHOWER/NAP

7:00pm

Free time- It never fails that this time consist of fighting Winston for your shoes, an evening walk to the local 7/11 or fruit stand for snacks, back to do a little relaxing and catching up on whats happening around back home (a.k.a. Facebook stalking), and team time!

                                

                          

                          

8:00pm

Group Worship- To get our heart and minds focused preparation for our work on the streets, we spend an hour in praise and worship. I love this time- 25 people seeking complete intimacy with the Lord!

                         

                    

9:00pm

Night ministry-  After worship we say good-bye to our guard dog, Winston, pile in the truck, and head to the bars in Patong (never thought I would say that on a mission trip)! Once there we split into groups of 3 or 4, pray for guidance, and go where the Lord leads us. Most nights we go to about 3 bars. Just by walking the streets, you can feel the spiritual warfare in the air. There are women dancing on bars, little kids drugged by parents to stay awake selling necklaces, and people passing out flyers with invites to things I can’t even mention here (which we are prohibited from going to as well, even to witness). When we get to the bars, we order our juice, soda, water and then start conversations with the women. Most of the time we play games (Connect Four, Jenga, the nail game or Jackpot) to break the ice. Sometime the conversations go well and we end up with a lunch date, other times they are a fail and we try again at another bar!

                                                             

                    

For those not in the bar, they stay back at SHE and intercede. This job is not to be taken lightly. Interceding is just as important, if not more, than the people on the streets. It looks a little different each night. Sometimes we worship, and pray as a group, other times everyone spreads out and does their own praying while still other times we walk to the dam and pray in the middle of God’s beautiful creation!

                           

12:00am

Return from ministry/ debrief- At the end of each night, we all meet together and have one final debrief of our day, how things went at the bar/praying, and we close in prayer.

This month has been incredible. The country is beautiful and I get to see God at work every day! Thanks to everyone who has supported me in extra prayer or finances! Because of you, lives are being changed.