This past month in Thailand we worked in a ministry called Love Acts, commonly known as bar ministry.
Here are a few things you should know about the nightlife here in Thailand.
- Most bars have “ladies” employed that stand out front with the ultimate goal of luring and baiting a “customer” for the evening.
- The city that we are in is known for this industry and has a high level of tourists come through the bars frequently.
- Men work in the industry too and they are referred to as “lady boys”.
So everyday we would prayer walk through the bar street to pray over the bars and the city. In the afternoons we would go hang out with bar owners who open early to get their places ready and cleaned up for the evening. Then when night rolls around…we party!
And by party I really mean grab a group of fellow q squaders and go make relationships with the people in the bars. Really the whole month we just loved on our friends that we made. It was incredible.
(We also drank a lot of Coke and Sprite. A lot.)
What I learned this month was that God goes before us in everything.
Human effort will accomplish nothing. Our efforts are ultimately futile unless they are lead by the Spirit and Jesus has been in these places and working in hearts before us.
We have developed some very unique relationships this month with lady boys, bar owners, bar tenders, alcoholics, prostitutes, and “ladies”. We have gone as deep with them as the language barrier will allow. And it’s been difficult.
It’s hard to watch transactions happen and customers leave with your friends, to get stood up when you ask them to meet you for coffee, to have a great connection with a girl in the afternoon and being ignored by her evening, to watch as these girls sell themselves because they want and need the money for .
But it is beautiful to hear them talk about their dreams, their regrets, their fears, their insecurities. It is wonderful to discuss what love is and to realize that you have experienced the love that they are longing to know. Hearing the hunger in someone’s voice for a bit of hope and knowing the only One who can provide.
Jesus.
Jesus is preparing these people for something greater than they have ever known before.
Himself.
My prayer is that God continues to raise up people for the harvest and that they don’t forget about our friends on bar street hungry for the gospel. I know that he is coming because I can see that he’s been here.
He will come. He will come like the rain.
And how fitting that it’s monsoon season.
