I woke up this morning with a heavy heart. Last night was my last time on Bangla Road. It was the last time I would drink a Red Bull or Coke past 11:00pm and stay wide awake until 3:00am. It was the last time I had to brush off the ping-pong show people trying to bring m
e into their clubs. It was the last time I could play connect four/jenga/hammerschlagen with my bar friends.
It was the last time I could physically look into their eyes and tell them that Jesus loves them.
Being back on Bangla for a second time reassures me that God delivers His promises. I remember last year on the Race after doing some praying, the Lord promised that I’d be back there ministering to the gals on Bangla. And now here I am, writing to you a day after I said goodbye to some friends for the first time, and also some for the second time. Will there be a third time? I don’t know really. As much as I want to say yes and start planning for my next time, I want to leave room for that uncertainty in life in order for God to continue to move and challenge me in my faith. I know I probably should be careful saying those things, but I’ve learned in those trying times is when the Lord moves the most powerful. I WANT to feel His overwhelming power. I crave it.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
-Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
I have no regrets about my time on Bangla. Regrets are from the enemy is what a wise friend once told me. I walked off that road with my head held high and chalked up a victory for God over that stretch of road. I came what I was called to do. I endured the three months of lecture phase while other teams went out. I came. I saw. I loved. That’s what the Lord called me here to do. Love.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
-1 John 4:11-12
While no girls actually came “out” during my time here I have no doubt in my mind that the Lord still ministers powerfully outside of SHE. We can sometimes forget the fact that we will sometimes NEVER realize how powerful the Lord’s impact can be. I walk up and down those bars carrying Jesus inside of me. To those girls, I am the only time they will ever experience Jesus. I carry the presence of the Lord and I am the one who is responsible for God’s duty of loving on His daughters. I must take whatever happened that day and check it at the truck because from 9:30pm-11:30pm when I walk onto Bangla it’s my responsibility is to make sure that the Lord’s daughters are being taken care of. My responsibility is to go out there and speak life and encouragement over them. Not just for the girls, but for the ping pong show touts, drunken tourist, and anyone else that has lured into the devils trap. Even though I see things such as drunk dudes hanging all over my girls I must remember that they are my brothers and that they NEED Jesus as much as the girls do. So I just pray for them and the Lord takes it from there.
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
There have been countless times when my heart just reached out to the girls. Working in such an industry in Patong negatively affects them in so many ways. Self-worth and self-esteem are at ridiculously low levels. It breaks my heart to hear things such as “why do you want to hang out with me? I’m just a bar girl” or “I’m not a good person because I work in the bar.” I’ve even had friends tell me not to tag them in Facebook pictures because they don’t want others to see that they are working in the bar. Hmm….think about that one for a sec.
Some people would say it’s just in their “culture” to work in the bars. NO! It’s NOT! Being part of the Thai/Lao/SE Asian culture (or whatever you want to call it) I will tell you strictly that working in the bars is NOT part of the culture. What IS part of the culture is working hard and doing whatever it takes to provide for your family; Even if it means having to do jobs that aren’t so great. Growing up my Dad had three jobs and my Mom had two full time jobs. It’s not that we needed the money, but they wanted to make sure that I would be ta
ken care of. Even to this day both my parents still work really hard….especially my Mom who continues to work extremely hard to help support her humbled missionary son who hasn’t had a steady job in a year and a half. And her boyfriend Jon helps too J The whole culture deal is a whole ‘nother can of worms that I don’t want to open up at this time. You want to talk about it? Let’s go find a happy hour when I get home and we’ll talk more.
I have no doubt in my mind that I have accomplished what the Lord had set forth for me here in Thailand. We (the Lord & I) walked together hand in hand down Bangla has beacons of light that twinkles in every person’s eye. We spoke truth and encouragement to those who needed it. I will rejoice in victory knowing that every minute I was on Bangla was covered by the blood of Jesus. My heart longs to continue to minister down there physically, but I know the Lord has closed that chapter for now. I will absolutely continue to be in prayer over all my friends and minister to them in that way.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
-1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
haven’t with being on the WR and coming to Thailand. Now when I get home…it might be a different story ;). Anyways, I would then jokingly say the famous Thai phrase “No Money No Honey.” It’s on t-shirts and I see it everywhere! But lemme tell you what the girls say to me after I say that. Rather and jokingly laugh and say yeah you’re right, they look at me and say, “but you have a good heart Phillip. That’s enough.” I’ve heard that about 3-4 times and I’m seriously consider flying those girls to my wedding to witness what a “no money but good heart” wedding would look like. Haha….
Lastly, I have to thank everyone who has supported me financially and in prayer during these past five months. I know it’s very cliché to say, but I really couldn’t have done this without you. There have been many times where I’ve been challenged and I get comfort knowing that I have a gang of prayer warriors back home praying for me regardless. Your contribution to my Thailand MTS will have a forever impact on God’s Kingdom. The resources that you have sacrificed to help support me here on earth will make an eternal impact on the Kingdom long after we are gone and hangin’ out in Heaven together. Thank you for sacrificing part of your paychecks and part of your prayer times to help me in my ministry. I have grown so much and my walk with the Lord has grown deeper. You were with me at every bar on Bangla. You were with me during every date that was had. You will be with me for the rest of my life because you’ve sent me on a calling that the Lord had placed upon me. Forever I am humbled.
With things quickly wrapping up ministry wise and the fast paced day to day things that go on here at SHE it has slipped my attention that I still have to have raised $500 in order to complete my payment for MTS. I am calling out for one last boost of support in order to complete my obligation to SHE and Mark & Sharon. Please join me in prayer and fasting for the funds to come in! My deadline is 31st May which is umm…tomorrow. I know God can do ANYTHING and I’m praying for miracles! I leave Phuket on 02 June and I do not want to have a carry a debt afterwards especially since funds are needed to continue construction on the new SHE Centre in Koh Sirey. But you know what? I’m not going to, because my God is faithful and He has faithful servants that will carry out His promises!
Most importantly I have to give thanks to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is my strength, my encourager, my love, my leader. My EVERYTHING. Thank you Jesus for the past five months. I can’t wait to see what You have for me next!
