I don’t think my mind has fully wrapped itself around what I am doing this month.
Every other weeknight (and maybe some weekends) I get dressed up as fancy as a world racer can, go out for drinks with a group of teammates and try to pick up women.
Ok, don’t freak out, lemme shed a little light on that statement. This month we are working with an organization called SHE that helps Thai women working in prostitution turn their lives around. For once on the Race, we, as tourists, are uniquely equipped to do this. Basically, we go out to the bars on tourist-central Bangla Rd., befriend women, show them the love and attention of Jesus and give them SHE’s info so they can learn other skills and get out of this trapped life.
View from my bedroom window at SHE
This is how a normal night goes. We buy sodas or water to acquire a seat at the bar and a chance to sit and talk to one of the girls. Pretty much any girl there minus the bartender can be bought and all of the girls are required to pay customers some sort of attention. We sit and ask to play one of the games that every bar has- Connect 4, dice, jenga and even hammering a nail to a log (harder than it looks) – and start to talk. We start out with small talk and then try to add a little depth. These convos usually only last a half hour or so before we have to move on to the next bar and we usually hit 3 or 4 bars every night. We keep moving for a number of reasons- so we don’t lose favor with bartenders by taking up their girls’ time yet only buying one drink, so the girls don’t get creeped out by the intensity, and because there are a hundred more bars and a thousand more girls that need to see Jesus. This ministry is all about establishing relationships. We get to know the girls over a few visits, invite them out to lunch and see if they would like a way out of the sex trade.
This is where you come in. Because of how our budget works out this month, we are personally covering most, if not all, of the drinks and lunches we buy out with girls this month. This totals between $150 -$200 for the entire month. On a normal salary this would be totally fine but on a missionary’s budget of $0, it’s a little daunting. So, I am humbly asking for your help. Please do not feel obligated at all, I realize this is above and beyond the initial fundraising that I had to do for the trip. If you do feel led though, shoot me an e-mail through the “contact me� (NOT “support me�) button at the top of my blog. The easiest way will probably be for you to mail a check made out to me to my parents. We can work it out in the e-mail though. I will try to keep you updated with reports and stories to let you know how your drinks are affecting lives here in Phuket.
I am humbled and amazed at God’s provision on this trip and I can’t thank you enough for your prayers and support. Please let me know if God leads you to pray for specific things or specific times, I’m looking forward to some awesome God-stories!
Love the red-light.
