Ministry Summary
Bar Ministry: Every afternoon and night, we sought out the darkest areas of Phuket, prayer walking and visiting with people who soon became our friends. By the end of our time, we were not able to walk far before meeting someone we had befriended and grown to care deeply for.
Volleyball: Late Night volleyball took place multiple nights/week and served as an amazing platform on which to build relationships. You don’t have to speak the same language, eat the same foods, or have the same worldview in order to enjoy life alongside another person. Merely being consistent and caring speaks super loudly in a city that is bent on using and abusing. What a great time of fellowship and loving on the community!
Valentine’s Day: In conjunction with multiple other organizations/volunteers, our team distributed over 1,000 flowers/gifts to people working in the sex trade within Phuket. There is one particular area where most bars have men working in them. A teammate and I got an opportunity to lead a team of men into this area on the night of the event. Super powerful to get to watch men love other men in healthy and God glorifying ways.
“I Will Listen”: All month we had seen tourists from all over the world walking the streets of Phuket, looking to fill voids in their souls with all kinds of things/people. It became very clear that they had a deep desire to feel known and loved. So, we decided to stop and listen. We stood out on Bangla road with signs that said “I Will Listen” and simply listened to those who needed to talk. We prayed many prayers and listened to many people’s hearts. We prayed for an older man who lost four loved ones this year, a married couple hoping for a child, and a young professional with hopes of achievement and success. However, the most exciting prayer was with a young man who asked to receive Christ. We have a new brother in Christ everyone 🙂 What a glorious moment to get to be a part of!
Jesus Film at Burmese Refugee Camp: Our team got to join the church in airing “The Jesus Film” at a nearby Burmese Refugee Camp. After the film, we shared about our mission and prayed over many of the attendees. What a reverent and cheerful community of people. And how reassuring to know that while they may have little/no voice in the political arena, the God of the World is more than aware of their situations and needs.
Community
This month has been rich and full of God’s universal Church. Not only was our host church made up of people from a variety of different countries, but people from all over the world came to help out with the Valentine’s Day event. As if that wasn’t enough, a short-term Adventures in Missions team was also in Phuket at the same time as us. What a great glimpse of just how big and active God is, and how much we truly are not alone in our kingdom journeys.
Beauty
Exotic islands. Beaches. Sunsets. Waterfalls. Thailand is full of God’s artwork. One rest day, my team and I got the chance to visit some islands off the coast of Phuket. What awe inspiring sights! Each time I experienced something glorious in Thailand, it reminded me super poignantly of Ephesians 3:20, He is able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” and Matthew 6:8 “your Father knows what you need before you ask him”. I never asked to experience God in all of the ways I experienced Him this month. Thankfully, He is trustworthy and His plans are far greater than we could ever hope to imagine.
Heart
Facing brokenness and enslavement on the scales that we faced this past month required that we not only preach truth to ourselves constantly, but it required that we share that truth and hope with others constantly as well. One of my first few nights out at ministry, God reminded me that the battle we were fighting, the darkness that seemed so prevalent, the hopelessness that clung to most everyone in Phuket would lose in the end. Darkness was fighting a losing battle and it would only be a matter of time before all things were redeemed, all things were made new, all things were restored. Praise the Lord that Jesus conquered the power of sexual addiction when He died on the cross.
What’s Next?
After a short night in Chiang Mai, team “Guardians of the Galistry” is now in El Salvador to work with and support an organization that focuses on ministry through sports. We are sad to leave Asia, but super pumped to see what God has in store for us in Central America.
I received word that my squad and I will be returning to the US (landing in Miami) on June 23rd. I’m super excited to get to share my hometown with so many of my new friends!
Thank you for journeying with me on this journey!?
Your support and encouragement means more than you know 🙂
Love You All!
