My faithful readers may remember a blog I wrote a few months ago about the jumbled state of my heart and some revelation and desire God was stirring within me. Everywhere I turned, the injustice of human trafficking, women and children caught in sexual slavery and bondage, seemed to highlight itself to me. As I began to research and pray through this more, my main question was: How do we as believers move beyond awareness to action? It is even starting to become trendy these days to be made aware of things (buy your favorite 4 dollar Starbucks drink and 4 cents will be donated to AIDS orphans-does this kind of make anyone else cringe? just a little bit?). Awareness is neccesary. We have to know the issues, hear the stories and allow God to work in our hearts. Awareness is the road that I have been walking down for the last four months. But, I read stories like this one and I know I can’t just sit in my awareness any longer.
Through a series of emails, conversations and video chats, I have been put in contact with a ministry in Bangkok that many of our World Race squads partner with called The Well. The Well is a ministry that reaches out to Thai bar girls and sex workers. Their desire is to show these young women their value and identity as God’s creation, and empower them to live their lives walking in that identity through discipleship, counseling, job development, and training. Last Sunday, I officially accepted an invitation to spend three months at the Well. Beginning in September, I will join them in being a vehicle of God’s love to these precious women and children. Details of what I will specifically be doing are still being fleshed out, but this is what I do know:
- I will continue to be on staff with AIM. AIM desires to have more of a permanent presence “on the ground” in places where many of their participants come through, and have been especially desiring that in Bangkok. So, I will be working with the Well, but also be a contact and liason for AIM participants that could be sent there. One thing that I have appreciated so much about my time with AIM is the genuine desire the leadership has to see people used and launched into what God is calling them to. Wherever these three months take me, I am grateful to be able to stay apart of the family.
- The Well works in the city, but also does preventive work in the rural provinces. Many girls from poor rural areas are easily deceived about the reality of what working in the bars mean and the appeal/glamor of big city life . So, my time will probably be split between these two different areas.
- For awhile, it looked as if I would be the only young, unmarried staff member. This was a concern for me, as I am so used to being in community, and that the nature of the work there can be so draining and overwhelming, not having someone to walk through it with would be extremeley difficult. When I spoke to Jim, the founder of the Well, on Sunday, he told me there were going to be 1-3 other single interns coming. Thank you, Jesus, for knowing what I need and being so generous in how you work things out!
- When I asked Jim what the next steps were, he sent me a link to a Thai language website. So, I am taking up the challenge! My desire to hear the hearts and stories of these women in their own words compels me to be able to communicate and share with them as much as possible. I am giving it a shot. Please pray for me 🙂
An overwhelming sense of peace has permeated this decesion. I am confident that this is yet another door God is asking me to walk through, though once again I am unsure of where it leads. I am sending out an offical update newsletter soon, so if you are on my mailing list, be on the lookout. If you would like to get this newsletter, shoot me your info.
I want to leave you with this video that Caroline Crawford, a friend and fellow World Race staff member, made at the end of her time in Bangkok while on the Race. God wrecked her spirit and her heart for the women and what was happening spiritually there. The words she is speaking here revererberate with Holy Spirit truth. God is crying for His church to respond. Will we answer?
