Well, you may think that I am a slacker, as I certainly
might if I were you back at home waiting for updates. Here’s the thing though, and it is not an
excuse. In Cambodia I struggled with not being able to
write, because I wanted to write about things I had hoped to experience and not
what I was experiencing then. Thailand created an entirely different
struggle. I found it hard to process through all that I
experienced, I found it difficult to think about my Thai sisters. But here’s the thing, they followed me to
India and now back home in the States. There is no forgetting them, so I am sharing them with you now. My heart still cries for them. As I
type, tears fill my eyes, as their faces return, their stories surface, and I am
reminded of their pain and their hopes. They are still in bondage!!! People
I love are in bondage and it hurts my heart. To say otherwise would be a lie. I can rest in knowing God and that He is victorious, that He is pursuing
them. I can find comfort in knowing that seeds were
planted or watered, and I do, I definitely do, but there are moments when it
still just hurts, when my heart is burdened for them. There are moments when everything in me wants
to return to the bar, sit down with them and talk about life, talk about Jesus,
and help them step out of the industry into their hopeful future. There are moments
when I just want to pray with them again and see more of the walls come
crashing down until they experience His unfathomable, overwhelming love for
them. They wait for a prince charming, a
client that will see them and want to rescue them, do they know they are really waiting for
Jesus, and He is waiting for and pursuing them? I tried to tell them this, and so much more about what God wants for
them, and I saw their hearts longing within awaken, yes their hearts awaken to
the truth they know but that has been beaten down inside of them.
No one speaks life into them, into our sisters, no one speaks
hope! The people you would think would
be constant sources of encouragement and love in their lives, like their
parents, are the ones that most of the times force them to prostitute
themselves. They prostitute themselves to send money home and their parents are okay with this. It is unfathomable! It is heartbreaking to hear how miserable they are, how they drink to numb themselves, how they cringe when an old man comes to be serviced, how some men are abusive and how others they fall in love with and end up getting hurt. Our last night together, we
prayed and it was pretty powerful, they listened to every word as we talked
about Jesus, as we shared with them His love for them. Our last night, I saw an alcoholic’s drink
sit in front of her untouched! On our
last night I had the opportunity to tell one of my sisters, who dislikes
thinking about God, how my God loves to think of her and does so often, that he
pursues her relentlessly and wants her heart. Something stirred within her, to the point she had to go collect
herself. I pray that continues. That His love becomes real to her! We were able to give one that wanted it a
Thai/English bible that I know will speak to her! While this was our last night with them, it
was not their last night with Him. I
believe God will continue to pursue these sisters!
So if you will, pray with me for our sisters in
Thailand. Pray that they will come to
know the love of Jesus, and their value as His daughters. Pray that they will connect with resources
made available to them, and take a risk/step of faith to better their future. Pray for them to continue to meet people who
do not want to use them, but rather want to share with them how valuable and
loved they are. Pray that they will seek
after their dreams- scuba dive master and hotel manager. Pray for their hearts.
