I hangout with prostitutes
I teach english in bars
and I serve…
because HE who is greater than all… came to serve
My heart is so full of thanks for all the things God is doing through Me, Sarah, The YWAM Perth team that's here and everyone else that has been going out three nights a week to minister to the girls in the bars. Loi Khro road is a road full of bars, massage parlors, strip clubs and broken and lost people trying to fill voids that nothing of this earth can satisfy. Its full of trafficked girls working all day and night to earn money for their poor families in the villages. It's full of lost dreams, false security and strongholds gripping the lives of many men and women. The scene is the similar to that which I saw in the Philippines, the reddish glow coming form the bars, girls standing along the streets calling out to men walking by, drunken college kids looking for a good time, and older men removing their wedding rings and breaking their vows.
The first night I went out I wasn't sure I was ready for it again. Flashbacks of the Philippines, the heaviness, the brokenness, the hurt. Could I handle it again? My mind races with the faces of girls I had befriended in the bars in the Philippines and I prayed and prayed for them. focus marisa..God has you here in thailand, there are new girls you need to meet..he will give you strength… The thickness of the darkness in such places would bring chills to anyones body. So many things going on around you. A darkness that goes deeper than what we can visually see. But we are LIGHT. We walk in authority. God's word LIVES in our hearts and we have won the battle with the evil one. We've been working in the bars for three weeks now, I've gone out 8 nights (tues/thurs/sat) and with each night the darkness is lifted more and more. I go out now with such a heart overflowing with love and joy, I feel a peace and light when I walk down that street. I feel the presence of God cutting the darkness with every step we take. we are taking back what the enemy has stolen. Every night before going out we have prayer and worship and get God heart and listen to where he is leading us. The first two nights it was just me and sarah and Bethsaida, the women running the ministry, and a volunteer from England. Then an outreach team of 10 from Perth Australia came for two weeks, as did two girls from The World Race, and another YWAMer who was in Chiang Mai doing a school. Our group kept growing, we could barely fit in the tiny prayer room :) :) After prayer we walk to the street together and then split into groups of two or three and go into the bars. Sometime that looks like just walking the street interceding, or buying a soda and sitting and talking to the girls who work in the bars. Its well known that all the girls working are prostitutes. They earn money when guys buy them drinks and when men buy to take them out for the night. The massage parlors on the street are the same way. Many children walk the street trying to sell roses to earn money for their families. Kids as young as 5 or 6 up to maybe 13. And girls working in the bars are as young as 16. Their innocence is being stolen. My heart really hurts for the little boys that sell roses. They are so young and their only role models are the men they see on that street. Many of them have become very hard and wont let us talk with them. We always play with the kids for the first 1/2 hour but there is a group of boys who have such hard hearts and wont come near us or let us touch them. They are full of such anger and bitterness at such a young age. Pray that God will soften their hearts , I know he already is. short story quick: there was one night that I was sitting in one of the bars we teach english at and noticed one of the little rose boys over by the Thai boxing ring. A group of drunk guys were teaching the little boy to throw punches. I prayed and prayed that God would take him out of that situation. Right after I prayed the little boy moved over to the other side of the boxing ring by himself and then just stood there alone. He then moved on and went from bar to bar trying to sell flowers. I prayed that God would bring him over to me. Right as I was about to leave he came into my bar. As he stopped to fidget with his flowers I lightly placed my hand on his back and proclaimed the name of Jesus over and over and over again. He stood still. He didn't fight back, he run off. I know Jesus is slowly softening the hearts of these little boys.
Another bar I continually visit is the *Starfish bar. Its one the rowdier bars with lots of girls always out front calling after men. I met two girls here that I am really close to, *June and *Sam they are both 20 years old. *June can be a bit stand-offish at first but she opened up to me right away and we have such fun relationship. Its been hard because we have planned many lunch dates that she has backed out on or been busy with a "boyfriend/customer", I love her so much though and keep pursuing her. God is doing great things in that bar. Many times when we are in there praying and bar is empty of men before we leave :) yeahyeah! we chase them out with our prayer ;) All the girls there are really open to us and the bar owner as well I have become friends with. *June has a lot of pressure to earn money for 2 year old son and mom and dad living in Bangkok. You can see the happy lively face she puts on every night in a front. I am praying so much for this girl, for a discontentment where she is that she will see that there is more, that there is other options and that she would feel christ's love through me. It amazing to come back at the end of the night and hear everyones stories and conversations that were had. We offer free english classes during the day to the women on this street so its always nice visiting them bar nights as well as making new relationships. Our presence alone there is making a difference. Many people watch us and see how we interact with the women and kids, they see how we genuinely love them and just want to get to know them. The other night when I was walking down the road, we were saying Hi to all our friends in the various bars, a man behind me said "wow you sure do know a lot of people." I told him that we love meeting new people and that we teach english to the girls on this street. He said, "yeah...I saw you guys out here this morning.." People are noticing. There has been breakthrough in seeing girls do from depressed all the time to happy and smiling all the time. They love when we come and often offer free punch or coffee. Some people in the group have even gotten to talk to some of the men. One guy from the Perth outreach team met the same man two nights in a row. The man said he was nothing to live for and is basically waiting to die. A few people have had the chance to share the gospel and one guy even was allowed two gigs to play guitar in the bars and shift the spiritual atmosphere through words and song. Most of all though we have just loved through actions. Through conversations, smiles, hugs, hellos, and continued pursuit after these women's hearts and their friendship. Please be praying along with me as we go into our last week of bar ministry, I know God wants to do so many great things as we have build solid foundations with many of the girls. Pray for open hearts and wisdom for us in what to say and do. Pray for a blinding thick light that will radiate from us, and for all who see us to know that there is a father in heaven with a love for them greater than we will ever comprehend...
Everything you do screams I love you
Everything you are screams I care
What am I that you would love me like you do
Who am I that you should care … -corey asbury
These lyrics from a worship song are my hearts cry, I want to exude those same characteristics. I want the love and hope and presence of God to manifest through me on the darkest streets of the red-lights in Chiang Mai..
(the last two images and the one with the motor bike were take by Sarah (swallensteen.wordpress.com)
** names have been changed **
** names have been changed **
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