Meaning behind Thai Fig tree...

Ok... so get this. It's my last day in Bangkok and got wrecked this morning by the Father's love in church. A bunch of the Thai people here at the New Dawn church facility where we are staying at saw me on my knees after the message and just began pouring into me and breaking stuff off. It was difficult letting go of things, but was experiencing new waves of freedom and intimacy with the Father. Thank you Jesus! I had gotten a word a few days ago from Craig, who lives in Pattaya, that God was going to wreck me even more... I received it right then and said... "Bring it Lord!" But I'll be honest I wasn't expecting what I was hit with this morning.

So after service, ate lunch with everyone, then grabbed some coffee and retrieted to my room to rest, pray and listen to Heidi's message when she was in the Central Coast last year during the conference. As I just sprawled on my bed and talked with the Father, Jess walked in and we began talking... we then walked in the kitchen area real quick to finish talking and I leaned out of the window on the side wall to overlook the slums below. As I turned my head right I saw a huge amazingling fun tree with several sturdy branches right in the middle of the lot. It had this colorful sash around it. I told Jess, "check this out! wouldn't that tree be amazing for a huge tree fort?" She walked over and said it was a Thai fig tree and actually the monks used to sit under them, so they are considered sacred and can't be touched. They tie the sashes around as a sign to to not tear it down or trample on it. She also said they probably couldn't build on it or climb it because of the feet being considered so lowly here, it would be disrespectful religiously.

Immediately the verse in Luke 6 popped in my head about figs and grapes. I went back to the room to look it up:

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

I started to laugh as revelation started to just come... I googled "Thai fig tree meaning" and found this article:

WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND WHEN JESUS CURSES THE FIG TREE?


In between the two encounters with the fig tree, Jesus goes to the temple and overturns the money changers tables.The fig tree is a representation of the temple.

You see from a distance the fig tree appeared to be lush, green and life sustaining, so that if a hungry man saw it, he would naturally go to it in hopes of being nourished. But when Christ got to the fig tree he saw that the fig tree was no different than the rocks and sand around it, it bore no fruit. Essentially there was not difference between the rocks, sand and the fig tree.

Now when Christ went to the temple that day it was a type of the same thing. From a distance the temple appeared to be a place of God where a man could nourish his spirit. But when Christ got there, there was no difference between the way people were inside the temple and the way people were outside the temple.The temple was not helping God to change people for the better. It was not bearing fruit. 

So then I looked up Mark 11:20-24 (hahah...it was a journey of revelation. I was having fun with God researching this!) The actual Lesson of the withered fig tree.

"Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (key word for what the Lord began speaking to me at the beginning of this trip) And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. "

REVELATION...

So in sharing all that. I believe the fig tree represents as mentioned the temple, which in Thai culture I believe represents Bhuddist religion that has no fruit, and Thai people will testify Bhuddism brings no life here. As I remembered the fig and grapes... the comparison came to mind that they can't intertwine together. Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches. We who remain in Him and Him in us will produce MUCH fruit and apart from Him we can do nothing.

This is key. Coming to Thailand, it is not a fight about religion, but about Life and abundance. Many here have nothing... no hope, no love, no homes, no family, no food, no money, but Jesus came to bring life and abundantly. He came to POUR OUT LOVE, and teach that the Father knows our every need and when we ask with even the little faith we have, He will give us much! This is life giving. So I am believing this fig tree represents a root in this culture that Jesus wants to transform and redeem. I speak in faith and with great confidence, Jesus is here, and brining MORE. He says the Harvest is ready, and much good fruit is growing already. This is just the beginning...

Compelled by love...

It's been over a week since I last wrote and things have picked up pretty quick since the Convergence worship/ministry team came from Texas this last week. Our schedule has been more sporatic so most my downtime in the mornings is resting and getting prepared for our long nights. It's been awesome getting to merge with this team and see God pour out His Spirit through them and through their worship in the streets and bars.

I felt more led to write about what God has been speaking specifically personally. I can share more stories and ways He is moving at large later, but really felt a tenderness in my heart on Saturday and Sunday. Seen a lot and really been moved emotionally and spiritually here in Thailand. God is shifting things in the atmosphere and it's such a crazy good time to be here.

So in that said... I sat on the streets of Soi 6 on Saturday night for a few hours just praying and watching the lady boys and girls in the bars laughing, flirting and getting ready for their long night ahead of them. In being here now almost a month and seeing it everyday, something was different about Saturday night. A defense arrose in my heart for each person I saw. It was like as time went by more, I could feel my heart slowly turning to mush. By the time the worship team showed up to start, I was so overwhelmed with this love sickness that I took the first hour of worship to go upstairs to the third floor in the house of prayer and just flopped on the floor in abandonment before the Lord weeping and crying out. The Lord's faithfulness amazes me. His words of affirmation, and things He was revealing to me about this time and one thing after another I would bring up to Him and He would take it, and then pour back into me His joy and love. Just that time with Him, releasing the burdens and being reminded it's not too big for Him and He has so much more to show me and do in my own heart to give away.

I then walked out onto the balcony overlooking Soi 6 and began to sing and physically look for signs of God moving. His Presence was in the midst of the loud bar music fighting the teams worship music downstairs and the girls screams and laughs. I returned down to the street, and sat next to Jess and some of the kids that started to come to paint. It was the first time they had kids stretched out on the street painting, and to our amazement one little Thai girl probably about 7 was sitting with her mama outside the bar came over to join and stayed most the night late painting picture after picture. My heart broke again with what God was doing. He was bringing children out of the wood works, and in perfect timing. Sarah and Jason had all their kids there, and was able to invite the little girl to their Night Care Center while her mom works. It was so hard to contain tears at the evidence of His hand moving on the street as I just people watched and was overwhelmed by His love!

We left around 1am and woke up early to head to True Friends church where the team was leading worship for mostly Thai/but ran by westerners. I found a window on the side of the building and sat underneath it to just pray and write during worship. And this is where the Lord spoke to me "compelled by love". I began looking at all the Thai Christians and those that were weary and even not fully experiencing His complete joy and love! I began praying for more for myself...how much joy and love was I missing out on? What was God doing that I wasn't getting to enjoy and agree with??

Then I got this image of a desert and felt the Lord began to speak to me about desperation. Here is what I wrote down in the midst of what I felt He was speaking:

"In a dry desert drought. Desperate for water until we get really really thirsty do we go to extremes. We are fools to ignore and pretend we aren't thirsty, when our desperation becomes SO great then we have to SEE. We NEED to SEE. We need to see our desperation for MORE Love. Only Jesus is the Living Water. We need to be honest about our desperation for Love, for affection, for intimacy, for Jesus. I am being drawn to see my dessert, my lack of, and I am desperate to be drenched by His Love, not just partial or dry, but staying filled. We don't have to live on earth poor. Only when I know I am FULLY completely loved can I act as a daughter and walk in confidence, desiring all things He has for me as a good Father....Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven!"

Then heard Ezekiel 37. Reading, I felt verses 1-14, really applied to God's heart and message for America and for me for the Central Coast:

"Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

Verses 15-28 speaking specifically about Thailand.


‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be ONE king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the LORD make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.’”

This is all I got so far. There is a lot of meaning I felt within the context of this, but not quite sure how to share it, so will leave you with this. I have one more week here. I leave for Bangkok on Friday to spend a few days hanging out and meeting up with Natasha (who was on the IRIS team and living in Bangkok currently doing language school) and possibly meet up with Janie again. I fly out next Monday and will be back in the Central Coast Tuesday. I am still anticipating great things in the next few days as we continue to worship in bars and the streets together and pray for more of His Love and joy to be released here! Thank you guys for praying and being a part of this journey. See many of you soooo sooon!!!

wow i'ts already Tuesday...

So... blogging is a bit different when you're not on a daily schedule and things are always flexing and changing.

These past few days have been wonderful. The heat returned quickly the past 2 days, but then today overcast hit again. So not normal here. Jess and I have been talking about it and actually we think God is shifting things in the physical in preparation for what's about to happen in the spirit.

So PLEASE be praying for these next two weeks. We both feel something huge is about to be released, and like in Esther 4:14 where it talks about the time: "For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" So excited to be a part of His Kingdom coming here right now!

So just a quick cap of the past few days, and what I've really been able to absorb and soak so far in.

Saturday

Shared some pics on facebook, but Jess and I led worship for Extreme Prophetic's last day both Saturday morning sesh and Saturday night. There was about 70 students in training. Basically for those who don't know much about Extreme Prophetic you can check out www.csa-xp.com and go under events and check out their mission schools. They do trainings/outreach in Thailand 2 times, sometimes 3 times a year. They have another one coming up in September, but felt hugely blessed to co-lead with Jess for these guys. It was enjoyable to do the last of their trip, although they were tired from long days and pouring out, they were still firey and excited about what God had done and was doing in this city.

Here are just some snap shots.

We had a time of ministry at the end where the Spirit just started falling on people. Two thai women grabbed my hands and were just laughing out of control they both hit the ground with so much joy. One of the girls though started grabbing her stomach and seemed like she was in a lot of pain. Sarah (the same woman IRIS prayed over their building for the children's safe house) her daughter Anna, and I asked to pray for her and asked her what specifically she was battling with. She told us she was being tormented inside by a spirit.

We began to get words of revelation of abandonment, about her needing to forgive her father and that there was a root of anger. She told us her father was never present in her life. She never knew him, but he was heavily involved in witchcraft and demonic entertaining. So we began to pray and take authority over the manifestation happening in her. We began speaking and releasing and asked her if she could forgive him and trust God was a good father. It was so heart wrenching watching the pain in her just climb out... you could physically see her choaking and coughing out the spirit wrestling in her. We kept declaring FREEDOM and peace and the love of the Father and after about 15 minutes, you could see her countenance change. She was crying and saying she was free. Hallelujah!!! We continued to pray over her and tell her that she had authority that whenever torment tries to come, she knows who she is as a child of the Father and that He is present and through him she has already overcome evil. 

This is so impertenant in the Thai culture to teach this. Two things I am seeing that are really key here (the first I mentioned prior):

1. Really asking if they are healed and not just being polite. We got word back a few days ago from the couple we worked at with in Bangkok at the block party. They saw over 30 people come to their new small group the next day, half from the party!!! YA!!! and then on top of it, about half of those who were healed are reporting complete healing! Such good news!

2. Also teaching them how to walk and operate in the authority God has given them. Not to depend on others or especially missionaries to conquer for them. "... in all these things WE are more than conquerors through him who loved us!" Romans 8:3. Once they know they are loved, and adopted as sons and daughters, they then need to understand what authority that gives them to fight the evil one and depend that God is bigger than the spirits and torment.

After a late night returned back to the house to call it a night.

Sunday

Jess, Angela (who works with the slums ministry) and I went to Ban Amphur beach a bit north for a down day. Just read, slept, laid in the sun, ate a mix of different foods, jumped in the water and Angela and I played a rediculous game of scrabble for hours! Then headed back toward the city and grabbed food at a place down the street from Jess' which is like an American cafe/restaurant, however the food was not quite what we expected. Jess ordered fish and chips and basically got what we think was a slab of shark covered in crumbs...haha! I will probably mostly stick to Thai food while here.

Monday

Yesterday went back to Sketch Book Cafe to meet up with a couple from Chang Mai who is looking at possibly doing a guest house/team living hospitality here in Pattaya. It is so needed! It's difficult to describe how things work here specifically in Pattaya, but things are much more incovenient when it comes to driving, catching Song Taos and if your staying in a hotel or apartment that is not near anything, everything can become inconvenient and take a long time. Plus it's expensive! 


So while Jess sat and talked vision and heart with them for a bit, I grabbed a cup of coffee, did some communicating back home and hung out in the gardens. It was pretty humid, but refreshing. 


We then headed back to Jess' house to get a few things done and I really felt a burning on my heart to pick up guitar for a bit and start writing some songs/worshipping, in preparation for not only the team coming in next week but even in return of coming home. One thing in this time the Lord has just been showing me is such a need of running from rest. It's easy in our culture to feel guilty if we aren't doing things or to even get lazy in our time. We feel we deserve to check out after running so hard, but rest isn't checking out. I feel rest is intentional. You still think, feel, experience, but instead of letting other things master your time, it's like you protect time to just focus and enjoy the moment with the Lord. Be open, be receptive, be easy!

So in sitting outside and playing guitar, just starting playing and writing and singing, and just felt this release of just refreshment from the Spirit come, and anticipation. I feel more drawn to spend more time intentionally in the word and releasing in music right now for the next few days before our schedule picks up again.

Went out to dinner and walked down Walking Street to show the couple a bit of Pattaya and how its different than Chang Mai spiritually and even congestion of people and bars. The longer I am here the more it feels lighter and not so heavy burdened, but even seeing the girls out in the bars, I feel more love and hope.

So... in that said. That's what's been happening the past few days. Will post again later this week. Much love. Miss so many of you, and appreciate your prayers and encouragement!

FRIDAY: Surprises!

Last day of Thai lessons...as I said... I learned like 5 new words and spent the whole lesson trying to answer her questions with those 5 words. It made my Thai teacher and I both laugh, but gave me a hunger to learn more. That's always a good lesson! Especially me who is so impatient with learning and by a book! Ha!

I did get an opportunity to talk to her about her a life a little when I got a chance. I hate not being relational. She is actually from Isaan, where her family lives and she moved to Pattaya to teach English. She studied for 16 years before actually speaking English and was forced to speak when she got the job. I told her she was smart, and asked if she was pressured to make money. She said no, and we got to talk about the other girls from Isaan that come to work in the bars. She said she was jealous they make so much, but I affirmed her that they are not happy and at least she is doing something she is good at it. It was encouraging to see a girl choosing a different lifestyle than those so many pushed out by their families to make more money.

Jess and I then went and had a huge English breakfast at a cafe down the street. I think Thai breakfast is weird here...sometimes it consists of a big hot dog with maybe an egg, a piece of lettuce with a cucumber and a piece of toast. Overall I love Thai food, and especially the venders are the best for fresh meat or soups, but there are definitely some weird things of late I have found and tried and swore on never eating again. I bought a package min pancakes the other day at a foodmart and in between was a red beat!!! yuck! What a surprise! Also asking what the meat is... chicken and chicken butt is two different things! It's all part of the learning experience...

Here's one good experience! Coconut milk right out of the coconut. Jess brought it home for me yesterday to try. It's really good for you! And will somebody please note how long my hair is getting...

We then went to one of the bars to meet up with another Thai girl from Tamar to connect with one of the bar mamas to see if Convergence church and us could lead worship there in a few weeks. I sat at the bar and ordered a coke just to let them chat with her on the other side, and within a minute an man white white long hair probably in his fifties saw me sit down and said hello and began a conversation. After a few words he asked if he could sit next to me. He grabbed his beer in his cozie and started asking me if I was hear on holiday. I kept it brief and asked him questions about his life.

His name was Billy (real name William - second William in the week. I looked it up cause I was curious of what it meant: will, desire, and helmet protection.....hmmm) and he was from Scotland (not too far from my other friend I met last week in Ireland), and although he was vague why he was here other than "vacation", I asked him what he did and he said he was a man of many trades. I asked him if he did construction, and he said a bit but because of his arm, and he proceeded to try to lift his left arm which didn't rise higher than his chest. I then asked him if he wanted to be healed and told him I had seen God do some pretty neat miracles the last few weeks.


He then asked me which God. He went on to talk about religion and the many Gods, and the contradictions and if I was referring to Jesus, and he then told me who Jesus was from many religious points of few... and as I listened Jess returned to sit next to me and ordered a water quietly. I then asked if we could pray for him. He said yes, until we leaned over and he reacted! "No, not here!" I kind of laughed, and told him God wanted to heal him and that because He loved him. I told him he was a good man and why wouldn't he want to use his arm again. It was quite funny in the midts of it...

I kept thinking, God you're funny. I could be offended right now that this man is being super stubborn and could receive completely healing but is refusing it. I felt like God was showing me that He wasn't offended, so it made it a lot easier for me to continue loving on him. We continued to talk some more about life. He kept talking about God and finally it came down to me asking if he had children. He said yes, two. I then asked if he loved them. And he said very much, but that he was a bad father and doesn't talk to or see them anymore. That one lived in England and the other near him, but he was out of their life, because he was bad. I then told him, if his children were hurt wouldn't he want to take that away if he could. That he loved them so much he wouldn't want them to be in pain. That was the breaker.

I could see as I starred in his eyes with so much love for him, he said with assurance, YES! I then proceeded to tell him that's how the Father is with us. He doesn't want us to be in pain or unwhole. He heals us because He loves us. Another seed. I don't know what it is about these Williams I run across that I have so much love for, and they are so tender at one moment, then shut down so stubbornly, but I still have so much faith, God's on them and with them and just tugging on their hearts like crazy! He's so good like that!

I think my favorite thing Billy said in and out of the conversation at one point was that if Jesus was real and sitting next to him, he would buy him a beer! I laughed, because I think Jesus loved that! Another man next to us started talking to us to and it became a pretty nice conversation for about 15 minutes about Pattaya and life and euro money vs. Baht and American money. We then left, and felt to tell Billy he was  good father, and I believed it. They told us it was nice talking to us and we hopped on Jess' bike back to her house again.

I am still processing a lot, and asking God a lot of questions, but I think one thing I love so much about Heidi Baker is the simplicity of just stopping for the one. Today it was Billy, tomorrow...who knows, but it's so not overwhelming to think we can just love on one person at a time, and hear what God is saying or doing with them, even if it's such a fraction of their experience of Him. Even being in the midts of such darkness here and surrounded by it everywhere I go, I love that I know over everything dark, my Father loves me just as much as all those we are reaching, and I need His love just as much. I think that's what broke me so hard for the girl we prayed for at the House of Prayer. Hearing her heart cry out in pain, mine met it and I too cried knowing everyone needs to be loved and comforted, even me. So in this time of resting these past few days, it's been a huge necessity in hearing my Papa say to me in the moments, I love you and I care just as much for you and what I have for you!

PAST 3 DAYS: Winding down weather...

So it's been crazy with the weather change here. Normally this is the hotest time of the year feeling like 90 and 90% humidity, but there's been a shift in the last few days where it's windy and off and on rain. Mostly just cloudy, but it's puzzling many of the Thais. It feels nice and has been much less heavier running around. The heat makes everything more tiring.

So... more catch up. Not being on a team schedule and having more sporatic time feels more like a schedule back home, but still trying to be intentional in my time. Spending a lot of time helping Jess update a new website, praying even over her and seeking my own direction and absorbing.

WEDNESDAY

We went to UCM at Tamar for unity worship/prayer amongst the churchs/ministries in the morning. Jess and I both have been feeling a hit in our bodies health wise, so it was a bit hard getting up, and felt during worship was dragging a bit, but pushed through and had a good time at the end to get in more intimate groups and pray for each other. Good boost!

We decided to take a rest day. So we spent the rest of day at Sketchbook Cafe reading, listening to music, doing some internet stuff, drinking coffee, relaxing and staying out of the rain. It's a pretty neat and abnormal cafe for Thai culture. Very eclectic artistic place. The owner teaches painting and art in one of the little side rooms, and all over paintings and art is hung on the surrounding white walls. The pictures show a bit more of it's feel. It was surrounded by wood carved seats and gardens and open decks. Something I feel I would find back home in like Los Osos or a hidden spot in SLO. It felt like home, and sometimes you just need a bit of familiarity in the midst of so much unfamiliar culture.

We then scheduled a 2 hour Thai (note the THAI part...ie. INTENSE) massage around 8pm before going to bed. It was to say the least amazing although at times I thought I might break. Normally I can't do massages, because of the toxin release I get pretty sick, even drinking tons of water, however, trusting Jess is the same and recommended, these women were amazing. And the price here for a massage... what you would get at home maybe for a 2 hour session that cost a couple hundred dollars, here is only $15!! (500 baht!)


THURSDAY

Spent a lot of day working on Jess' website and organizing. Excited how it's coming together. Will update soon and repost. After brainstorming really felt the Lord on this and it's been a fun/timely, but good project to focus on where I can help her organize and communicate, through design. It's helpful for her too, so she can share more easily what it is she is doing her and even communicate needs/current events. We will also be re-doing the Pattaya House of Prayer website that will link to her personal site. Although websites are not my primary passion, i love social networking and design projects, and getting to express a shared passion for what she does makes it fun.

Went to prayer/woship at PHOP (Pattaya House of Prayer), and it was a bit different than the last one with the whole team. Lesser people, but Jess invited one of the girls she met a couple months ago at the beach where she was selling herself. (you can read the girls story and how they met on Jess' blog at www.jessicamock.com) She showed up drunk and left for a bit to get some food, but came back and we stuck her in the middle of about 10 of us and prayed over her. As we just loved on her and held her and told her how much the Father loved her and knew the things she had experienced, even the things nobody else knew, He still accepts her and wants to be near her. She broke down crying, and I just began to ball so broken feeling her pain. She spoke no English and kept trying to look into our eyes in desperation. She was still very drunk and many of us felt that was as far as we could reach her. She was very grateful and kept "wai'ing (Thai bow) us and thanking us... but the ache in my heart remained knowing it was going to be time. She calls Jess a lot upset and frustrated she doesn't have money or that she is lonely. So be praying for her. I believe she is receiving bits and pieces and is honest why she drinks and that she is scared, and although she flakes out a lot on things Jess invites her to, she came last night and knows where they are on Thur nights.

We ended the night praying for each other, praying over Jess' health, and for another girl leaving in a few months and Sherry who also leads the prayer room with Jess. It was good, although I was pretty tired, it was nice to be around a lot of the firey one's who have been in this city for a while, and still going strong and pressing in. It's one thing to come in for a few weeks and burn, but to last years and still triumph. They are true heroes in the spirit!

TUESDAY: One day at a time...

Have some catching up to do... this was Tuesdays "day"... I am getting a bit of down time these next few days and week prior to a worship team of 20 from Convergence Church coming next week for a full week of outreach. I am super excited to meet many of them, as they are Jess' close friends and worshippers she trained with this past fall for a few months while she was in Texas. It's going to be fun worshipping with them in the streets/bars and partnering with them my last week here.

So continuing the day (Tuesday)…around noon we hopped on her bike (which I am enjoying seeing the city so much from the back of a bike and enjoying the breeze in this heat!) and headed to Thai lessons for 2 hours. I know NO Thai! Immediately they set me up with one of the teachers who is just a few years older than me and we sat down at a table and got rolling. Learned the 5 tones, some numbers, common phrases, and a few words, but after 2 hours my brain was a bit slow and trying to remember everything, have to keep practicing. We had another session today, which I was feeling SOOO much more alive because I knew now 5 more words!! hahah...but enjoyed making conversations with what I did know.

After lessons we went back to her place for a couple hours to wind down and then headed over to her close Thai friends Lek and Bay and there three beautiful children, including 2 week new born baby! They are truly amazing people. Bay was adding a wall to their new apartment where the dining room used to be opened into the living room, but turned it into a worship/music room for training. He is such an anointed worship leader, and have had the privileged a few times to worship with him. He is a very unique Thai, with an incredible voice that is hard to come by, especially in this culture. He was one of the first guys Jess began working with once he came to the Lord and had a heart for worship. In many of her pics you will see him with his wild (now cut) long curls, for every worship conference, beach worship outreach, bar outreach, Pattaya Praise and service they have done. He has been so faithful in over the years of her raising him up he now is starting a youth ministry in raising up youth worship teams/bands and leaders, and just watching his passion even in creating a place out of his home to play and meet.

They ordered some meats/veggies and we had a delicious,what they call Thai BBQ, out on their patio. It was amazing. You basically get a bunch of variety of raw meats and veggies like cabbage and greens, and put it on a metal soup pot looking cooker with some broth over some coals in a bucket and you cook it yourself. Here are some pics of us cooking. If I had one of these I would do it every night!

It was enjoyable just hanging with them, even though they speak very little English, and spoke in Thai the whole time, I was able to just listen and experience just normal life with them. Their two boys Bak, 6 and Bam, 4, were at Hand to Hand and came home around 7:30 ish. Jess and I went up and pestered them after dinner and brought my camera to take some pics and share their silliness. They had us in stitches laughing so hard as they rough housed with each other and made the silliest noises. Bak really wanted to take pics so some of these are his priceless works. One day I believe he will become an amazing photographer.

After a few hours of eating, chatting, laughing and roughing it, we left to head back to Jess place to wind down and sleep.

Taking off where I last left…

So although I am sad and miss the team mucho, excited for these next few weeks to really spend the time expanding more in the city and spending more time with Jess and what she does here. So we came to her house, which I wanted to share some pics of her quaint place. It’s so peaceful here and she has lived here in the house for 3 years, praying consistently and worshipping. You can seriously feel the difference from the hotel where there was a lot of chaos and heaviness, to this sweet abode. I am feeling very relaxed, and slept great!

Hung out here for a bit and, caught up with where we last left off in December and also had her share where she is at in vision and what the big picture looks like here. So we are going to try to set aside some time to really work on some communication together to help express better what she is called to and focusing on here and communicate with people back home. So I will be sharing obviously my experiences here through the blog, but also be intentional to blog things that are typical things Jess deals with here in this culture and gives some light to what it takes to be here, especially as a single woman wanting to see revival! She is amazing at connecting with so many ministries and working together in unity, so it’s been awesome already having a week of meeting and working with many of these ministries already and seeing what they are called to and going after.

We then too a trip to the local market to get some vegetables for dinner we were invited to have with a family. The market reminded me of Oaxaca. So many vegetable venders all selling the same things. It’s definitely overwhelming to know who to pick from, but was laughing as Jess quickly zipped in and out of venders blabbering Thai and grabbing single items. I am enjoying the freshness of food here, and learning what is good and what is…not so good. I snapped a few pics… (p.s. they put all their spices and eggs and like garlic in these baggies and blow them up. I asked Jess, why, and she said it was complicated in that the air preserves them better…I guess!)

Then went back to the house, grabbed our laundry and headed over the families house to do some laundry and eat. They run a ministry here which I have to be more disclosed discussing, but they live in Thailand and distribute Bibles to tourist that come in to take back to their countries where many don’t have access or allowed to have bibles. It was good just hanging with them and their kids and even seeing what an American family life looks like here as missionaries.

Came home, which I was starting to really feel the exhaustion hit and feeling some sinus pressure, finished up some blog stuff and was out cold. Here's my stuff taking over her room...haha!

Got to sleep in a bit, while Jess woke up and got some of her usual stuff done early, and did some calls, and now just hanging out till language school in a few hours. Eek! It will be interesting. The language is so freaking hard here with all the tones and different ways to say words. Fortunately Thai people are so nice and just laugh at you! More to come…

Day 13 & 14: Final days

Woke up yesterday morning and had to get going early. Met in Yonnie’s room around 10am to talk as a team and worship. Then went to True Friends church to worship and fellowship together. It’s fun always seeing familiar faces of people throughout the week we connect with like Jason and Sarah and their family, Craig and his boys, Jess, and Angela again and others we got to pray and encourage throughout the week.

The Thai girl who translated the words at the party for the woman I got to pray for the previous night, preached as the other Thai girl that some of us at the end of the night also prayed for translated. It was fun seeing the duo together tag team and watch the Lord move through them. The message was powerful and passionate!

Afterwards, we loved on and prayed for different people. As it started to get late, we gathered as a whole team for the last time, as Christian had to run to catch a flight and got in a circle holding hands as family. It was pretty emotional, only running 2 weeks with this team, and not knowing most of them, yet the connection of love and closeness we experienced working together and unifying so quickly! It was such a sweet time to just pray and lastly stand together as we looked around seeing the amazing warriors we stood with and fought hard these past few weeks to see God breakthrough in Thailand!

I had to run with Jess to put together worship for the Extreme Prophetic Conference. A lot was happening so fast in transition, that I didn’t really have time to take it all in, but we spent a few hours doing some sound and going through songs, then about 40 people came for the first night to kick off the start of the conference. It’s so fun to worship with Jess. She has such a sensitive heart to what the spirit is doing and goes where He is going. It has been hard for me in breaking through the thickness in this atmosphere. There really is no way to describe it, but it’s like trying to breathe in thick smog. I felt this when worshipping, as if I couldn’t get past the fog or see where I was going. There were definitely times of clearing, but it’s really teaching me how to just press in to listen in such oppression and darkness. It takes a lot of faith to just trust and be confident in what He has given me and go with it.
It was fun meeting the team and sit and hang for a bit with them, but after a few hours started to get tired and wanted to meet back up with the team. Rode back to the hotel, and popped into Yonnie’s room around 9ish to find the team altogether praying and speaking over each team member. Jumped in excited and got so filled just seeing each person get lifted and blessed individually. As it got late, we decided to meet again early to finish praying for the rest of the team.

So woke up this morning around 8:30am, started to pack up everything and get our room cleaned out. Carrie and I walked over to BIG C for the last time together to grab some coffee. Everyone piled again into Yonnie’s room to finish praying for each team member. We ran out of time again, and Kim and I opted to get prayer later after our meeting with Patricia King. We all then threw all our bags in one room, and hopped on a Song Tao to the hotel Patricia was staying at. We ate at the hotel restaurant, and broke into a few tables. Many of us wasn’t too sure what to expect. We originally only had twenty minutes with her, but she was gracious to spend over an hour with us.

Mainly the reason we were meeting with her was because her and Heidi Baker a few months prior were talking in passing and Heidi had mentioned an Iris Thailand team was coming through for a few weeks and Patricia asked to meet with us. Not knowing if it was going to work out with her busy schedule, it was honoring she made it work out and was worth hearing her heart and vision she felt for Thailand and for Iris here.

They have been doing conferences for the past 3 years specifically in Thailand and Patricia just shared her heart for this land and that she saw it was harvest time and that the workers are few, that Thailand is ready and they have seen huge shifts in the spirit in the last 3 years. When we asked what she saw for Iris in Thailand, she really affirmed the heart behind Heidi and what she has imparted for us to walk in and that Thailand is ready for us to come. She talked about us pioneering, stopping for the one and that we were going to get to sow into what other people had already done here and that it was just going to be easy. Also that we were going to raise up people but that it would not be for a long time and that we wouldn't have to breakthrough a ton because of the work sewn before us.

It was good confirmation and in the last minutes we had asked if we could pray over her. It was powerful standing with this woman who has such authority in the spirit.

She then had to leave and we rallied the team up to finish praying over Kim and I. In the whole 2 weeks being here, felt like personally been going strong and pushing through, but when they laid hands on me and began to just speak such strong words of encouragement my heart just broke and I sobbed. I was so deeply touched by each person who saw me and loved on me. I felt so affirmed to be a part of this team, especially being one of the few who have not done the Harvest School, but so many just kept saying I was family. I have thoroughly loved running with these guys and they have really pushed and challenged me so much in stepping it up and laying it all down to see His glory revealed to those who have never seen or experienced the power of His love. I know I will never be the same. I have seen amazing things these past two weeks, in part I have shared, but nothing has blessed me as much as having this humble and fiery team to run a long side with. I thank God for the years of waiting just to experience that!

We all then headed back to the hotel, and grabbed our bags and said goodbye. I threw on my 40lb backpack and hopped on Jess’ bike and started what seemed like a new part of the journey…

Here is a pic of us hauling all my stuff on her bike.

I have personally taken it on these next few weeks to help serve her in putting word out to not only share what I feel and see here in this time working with her, but to communicate on behalf of her some needs and the difficulties she experiences daily in this culture to continue to see her vision and heart for Thailand fulfilled.

One very very practical thing is a car. Thai's don't take very good of their cars here AT ALL...so buying a used car would be foolish. And Song Taos and taxis are SOOO expensive! So... she is desperately needing a vehicle to help her with hauling equipment for worship, making several trips, traveling, transporting teams and people here she ministers with/to.

SO... SHE IS HAVING FAITH FOR $20,000. If you want to contribute please CLICK THIS LINK:

JESSICA MOCK - FIVE CITIES VINEYARD DONATION
scroll down to her name to give specifically to her account.



I will write more about the rest of my day next entry!

Day 12: One last party!!!

Woke up a little, after a better sleep last night. Had a team meeting to worship, pray and connect. It was a great time of resting, in that we had no rush to get anywhere till later in the afternoon for the last block party. We soaked and rested in the Father’s Presence and it was much needed. Katherine O’Brian delivered a timely word of Jesus’ heart towards the team as many of us were so tenderized by His love and affection for each of us.

Yonnie then explained that they were up till 2:30 in the morning working out the possibilities of Iris Relief Japan and how to get over there right after Thailand. We could feeling the tearing in the team as many wanted to just go and be of aid and love to those in need, but yet still be present in Thailand and finish strong and well. It was a battle for many to really seek quickly and be in both places at once.  But really love this team in that they lay down their life for anything and anything Jesus is doing, and if that meant staying mindful and focused where we are at even though many hearts were just anxious to know the plans of the future, we stuck together and wholeheartedly agreed in prayer to press in reaching out our last few days here.

After a few hours to grab some lunch, get some things organized, and prepped we walked across the street and met up in BIG C with Jess, Janie (who came out for a few days to join us) and the rest of the team. We talked a few minutes some logistics then split up to pass out the rest of the invites to kids around the surrounding area again. It was fun running around the mall and outside finding kids to hand something free to them. We got all kinds of looks from the parents, and it’s pretty hard not speaking the language to tell them we aren’t trying to promote anything. Overall Thai people are pretty receptive and smiled when we would just hand them the paper.

We all then met back up together at the Crossing to blow up some balloons for décor and games, and enjoyed some loud rocking out to Jake Hamilton as we set up wii and some of the kids gathered around to play. The party was to start around 5, but in Thai culture, that’s pretty flexible. So many of the kids didn’t start showing up till around 5:30ish. Mostly we had little kids ranging from 2 to maybe about 10. The older skate kids, mostly stayed away or chose to skate under the parking garage. We played games, hung out, loved on the little ones, but after a while I started to feel this real desire and burning to pray and encourage. It was hard with over 50-60 kids running around screaming to get any one of there attention. As I talked to Jess, we both thought it would be awesome if some of the little kids end up leaving around dark, the older kids might start to merge back towards the skate park and we could have an opportunity to pray for them.

But as the night prolonged, most the of this little kids stuck around later. We ate dinner (which they got a huge roasted pig! It was so tasty!) and other noodle/rice dishes for everyone to eat. Finally after dinner, Yonnie began to grab a few people she wanted to bless and had us pray over them. We began to speak what we saw God was showing us and one by one started blessing people we didn’t even know or had met.

After praying for a few people, I sat back against a wall and started talking to Craig, one of the missionaries here. As we started chatting I noticed a Thai women next to me, Natasha had her hand on her back and was praying, and another Thai woman sat in front of her translating what Natasha was praying. I felt draw to them, and put my hand on the woman’s back with Natasha’s. I could hear Natasha praying healing over her back. After a few minutes, started to really sense a lot of fear over her and that stuff was coming against her and she was having a hard time fighting. Both Natasha and I covered her in prayer and broke off all the stuff we were seeing that was coming against her. After she said the pain in her back completely left, and explained a little bit to us about the attacks she was battling.

Then she asked if we could pray for her daughter and she signaled her over. She was about 4, and sat in her mom’s lap as we laid hands on her and began to pray. As I opened my mouth the Lord started to show me her. I had the translator tell her. “She is a dreamer, and dreams a lot at night and has many good dreams. She has fun dreams. She sees a lot. She is a princess and Jesus loves her. She is very special.” We continued to pray, and when we were done, the mom looked at me and asked how did I know? I told her God knew and shared it with me for her.

She then asked if we could pray for her son. She signaled him and he came over and sat in her lap. He looked to be around maybe 8 or 9. She told us he had to have surgery when he was little and he was never the same in his personality afterwards. He is very hot and cold temperately and still has health issues. We prayed for healing, but wasn’t able to know if he was healed due to it being more of a time will tell issue. So pray for him that he will experience full healthy and wholeness, emotionally and physically. The Lord began to give me words for him too: “He is very good at sports and loves sports. He is an influencer and a very strong man. He will influence and be looked up to by many men and connect especially in sports.”

After, the mom again told me it wad totally true and God. As said before, Thai’s don’t always show a lot of emotion. Both her kids just made it seem like it was common knowledge for me to understand and see that in the spirit. After her son ran off, she shared a bit of her testimony about where she came from. She worked in the bars a while ago, but then came to Tamar, came to know Jesus and started working there. She was going to do a Discipleship Program, but having two kids and needing to provide it was hard for. So she then really had a heart to have a business and is now doing that. So Christian then came and sat next to us and joined us and we got to bless her business and believe that God was going to give her all the finances and favor she needed to grow it and give away to others as well.

We also got to encourage the translator. It’s so much work translating, but not only the act of it, but having the gift to want to translate things accurately and with the heart and passion. She seriously was amazing and afterwards said she prays that she would be used in translating and grow more in speaking the right words and heart behind it.

It was such a fun evening of pouring out. I especially enjoy praying for the families. We got to pray for one more women who came up to a few of us girls and asked us to. She spoke English and we could tell was a fiery one in need of encouragement. After she got pretty wrecked with joy and excitement.
We all were pretty wrecked with laughing and enjoy the end of the evening together. Many of us got to just love on the adults and people who came out to be a part of the ministry. The Holy Spirit had a lot of fun and we were enjoying being a part of what He was doing.

To end the evening we gathered up to chat about the last few days, and we prayed about Japan, in hearing that the Nuclear plant had an explosion. Many in the team were just breaking and crying out, in such a desire and heart to go.

We headed back to the hotel and a bunch of us girls gathered in Yonnie’s room to get updated on the news and help Yonnie facilitate and do some admin stuff. It was fun helping connection and do some media stuff, that even not possibly going at this time, still being able to assist in setting up and preparing them to go after Thailand. The huge benefit is we have such a ready strong team, and Thailand is not far.

A few things though to be praying about:

1.    Yonnie and the IRIS RELIEF team for Japan. To help them get everything they need to get over there and for direction for staying over there. They are depending big time on God to lead and show them how to help, but need favor in getting in right now and working out all the details.to follow go to: www.irisrelief.org

2.    For us to finish strong here in Thailand. We all have enjoyed this time and have a lot of insight and vision being here, but pray we have good insight and direction to what’s next for future prospect trips and where we situate here and how. Tomorrow is our last day

3.    Lastly for me personally. I will be transitioning from the team dynamic of two weeks to living with Jess for the next 3 weeks. I had an opportunity to go to Japan, however, felt to stay here for the time. I am super stoked to spend some time with her and being able to invest here and observe on a more intimate level. It will be good time getting to work a long side her more in worship, outreach and relationship. Also getting to meet some of her power teams that are coming in. But mainly just seeking right fit/place in Thailand and what that looks like in the future here.

So in that said, I need to sleep some and will write more after the team leaves.

Day 11: Enjoying some R & R and team catch up time…

So finally a decent night of sleep, although others on the team said it was a rougher night for them. It’s like it comes in waves for us all… so pray we all get amazing sleep one night this week!

Today we had a few things on our plate that due to need of refreshment and catch up, we decided to do a swimming day at Hard Rock Café, hang out together and then spend a bit of time re-unifying the team.

A few people left around noon to go back to the slums and help pray for some deliverance and healing for some people for an hour, while the rest of the team hung out waiting for them to return.
We had a few hours to swim, and relax and even enjoy some fun entertainment. It was mainly a huge target spot for tourist, but not a lot of people. Due to it being so hot and muggy here it felt nice to stay in clear water for a while. I took some pics of the place as well as random things we experienced as we sat and laughed.

We then all met up in the afternoon to chat. The boys shared their time in Isaan and that they were really able to spend a lot of the time with favor with different connections. Although nobody spoke English, they were able to join up with their contact at one of the churches and see the Holy Spirit fall on several services and people they ministered to. They said it was really good going up there, and loved serving with Kala and Brandon.

The rest of the team meeting we processed the last couple outreaches we had, shared some testimonies and then brainstormed what we were feeling as far as Iris Thailand so far. It was a good time just to hear from the team and open up what we were sensing and seeing as a whole. We have a few more days here, and will be continuing to process vision and future plans, but for today talked a few things out.

We then headed to dinner to meet up with Patricia King’s Extreme Prophetic team, to hear what they have been doing in Thailand. Malina, who is one of Patricias personal assitants and here for the conference lives in Bangkok and runs a halfway house in Pattaya. The team comes through 3 times a year to lead prophetic trainings and outreaches for a week. Patricia, actually is on a tour through Asia, and won’t be at the training, however will be swinging through and specifically asked to meet up with our team on Monday, so will share more how that goes.

I wasn’t much in the loop with what Malina or their team is involved in, as Yonnie and Naomi and others on the team all sat at her table. I sat with Jess and another guy named Rob who is teaching at the school, and been involved in the trainings the last few years, and it was nice just sharing what God is doing in Pattaya and the unity amongst the ministries and how they feel so accepted in what they do here. He shared a bit of their outreaches with the students and that it’s over 60 students they split up and train in prophetic outreach.

After we split ways with the team, some of the team stuck around in the mall to see a movie while the rest of us headed back to the hotel to use some internet and head to bed.
Us who came back to the rooms then had for the first time heard about the Tsunami in Japan and began to pray and think about how that was going to effect us and possible change of plans.

Day 10: Pressing in to see breakthrough

Due to a restless night, a few of us stayed back in the morning to catch up on some things and get ready for a jam packed day. A few went to do some prison ministry and pass out waters and sandwiches. Unfortunately they weren't really allowed to take any pictures, but the people who went said it was really good to go and minister/pray for people.

When they returned we all met across the street over at BIG C (which is the shopping center and central location for many ministries such as the Crossing which we will be doing another block party for kids on Saturday and Hand to Hand ministry which has the children day care). From 1 to 5 we were to go help with all the kids’ daycare. There were about 50 kids ranging from ages 1 to about 6. Due to a few miscommunications, things were not as organized as they were usually and the kids were pretty crazy. However, one thing I love about this team is they go with the flow…didn’t stop them from just loving on the kids and playing with them. We orchestrated a few games and songs, but after a few hours, we could feel the chaos set in.  Around 4pm a few stayed back to help clean and prepare with Sarah for some Police that were coming next week to inspect the grounds, and a few of us returned back to the rooms real quick for a break.

We then met up with the guys who had returned from outreach up North and walked over to the Crossing behind BIG C to where the skate park ministry was. Christian and Jesse brought their skateboards and immediately began to just fit right in making friends and skating. The rest of the team walked around the surrounding area and passed out invites to kids to the block party. It was a bit easier in that several of the ministries are already aware and putting the word out for Saturday, opposed to in Bangkok where most people were street people and had no way of hearing so we were eager to invite everybody!




We then broke for dinner, which at this point much of the team just needed a boost. It had been 3 days of not sleeping for Carrie and I and we were starting to feel our minds just shut down. At one point I just sat with a few of the girls and just cried saying my heart is so willing but my strength was just zapped and felt I couldn’t function anymore. Pushing through was becoming harder, but I was grateful we were heading to the prayer room for worship.

Every Thursday night different churches and ministries meet at the Pattaya House of Prayer in the middle of Soi 6, surrounded by bars and open up the downstairs to worship and pray together. It was neat to see many of the people we had worked with in the week and made contact with like Angela, and Bae (who lead worship Wed morning), Sherry and Craig who lead in the prayer room and Jason and Sarah. It was like family knowing so many faces. Christian, Bae and I led and it was a blast. We had three guitars and about 8 jimbay drums in a circle and were just going for it. I just love Christian’s heart and just the unity in the spirit that was happening amongst us all was so refreshing and exactly the boost we were longing for. It’s amazing how when we pour out in the spirit, it is freeing because it’s not coming from our strength, it’s coming from His!

Here's a snap shot of the open doors worship... can't really see everyone, but crammed in the corner is about another 6 people playing drums! It was so loud and powerful!

After about an hour, I decided to walk outside and worship in the street. About ten minutes later a short white man with a beer in his hand walks up to me. He looks me in the eyes and ask: “You guys having a party?” I told him with a fat smile,  “Yea!” He then asked “Are you guys Christians? What kind?” Sarah and Jason introduced themselves and told him it was all churches coming together. He told us that just 5 days ago he had just married a Thai woman and that she was in Bangkok, and he came to Pattaya to have fun. He said he was from Ireland and no joke ten seconds later Christian not seeing or hearing what was going on began to play “You are the God of this City!” which was written in a bar in Pattaya from a group of Irish guys a few years back. As Sarah heard this she told him it was a divine appointment from God he was there and she began to explain to him the song that was playing that that it’s no coincidence.

I invited him to come in and sit down and enjoy. He took me up on the offer and we pulled up two white chairs in the street. I began to pray quiety and felt led to ask him if I could pray for him. He kind of starred at me for a minute blank and almost unsure how to answer, but then said yes confidently. I signaled Jesse who was standing behind him to pray too. Jesse squatted down next to the chair and we asked if we could lay hands on him. Again he was a bit unsure, but said yea. We began to thank God for bringing him here and that God brought him for a reason. At one point he looked up and could feel him start to wrestle. He began asking questions about religions and why then were there so many gods. He told us he was Buddhist. Jesse just began to share with him his past also believing in other gods and the things he experienced and visibly saw, and that it was only Jesus that could save him and satisfy. He told us he had heard it all before, and right then I felt God give me words. I asked him if he had peace. He began to shake his head and say no. I asked him if he wanted peace. He began to cry. He told me he wanted to experience Jesus not just talk about it. I told him if he was open and willing I would pray for peace. But he was so broken at that point he just began to get uncomfortable and got up and walked away.

My heart was just breaking. I knew he wanted to be filled. I could see it. He came to us. I followed him down the street and watched him hide behind a bush to chug the rest of his beer. I started just praying, and then he came back towards me and still with tears in his eyes shook my hand and said. “Thank you, you are very nice.” and walked away. I just began to cry. Sarah and some of the girls came around me and began to pray and break with me. Unbeknown to me Jesse had gone back in to the bar he was at and sat down with him to continue talking with him.

We saw him one last time when we were leaving Soi 6. He was standing there with a Thai woman on his arm and with another buddy. I got to bless him again and tell him I would be praying for him and hopefully run into him again in my time here.

I am unsure what will happen to him, but never did I think in being here that I would get an opportunity to reach one of the men. In first stepping on the plane to come here, I would see all the white middle-aged men and my initial instinct was judgment. As God began to tenderize my heart, I began to love the men, but still not think they could change. God proved me wrong last night. His love is so much bigger and so much better than I think, and He is constantly showing us this.

Day 9 : More heaviness sets in…

As I mentioned in the previous blog, it’s is getting harder to stay on top of writing more frequently. There’s no real rhythm or rhyme to our schedule here, it really is flexible, meaning we are able to feel out things and rest more or go for it more.

Yesterday our main plans were to head over to the Tamar Center, which is the YWAM base here that really operates much different than many other YWAM’s I have experienced or seen. They offer so much to help women get out of prostitution, and really are on board with several ministries here in Pattaya to rally together to fight and contend against the spiritual warfare. The three women who run the base prior to really digging into outreach, really surrendered themselves to the Thai culture by learning the language and observing first. It has helped them so much in being very relational and successful in ministering to many. They still have a lot of vision and desire to see more come.
We met there for a weekly worship and prayer meeting that happens every Wed morning with all the other churches and ministries in the area. It was good to worship and see who else is working in Pattaya and what their needs and visions are.

The rest of the day we hung out at Tamar, had lunch there, then went back to the House of Prayer, where they have a salon downstairs that has helped employed girls to give them other job opportunities than selling themselves. Some of our girls got their hair or nails done to help support the women and the business. During that time I actually hopped on Jess’ motorbike with her to go pick up over 400 roses for the outreach we were doing in the afternoon with Tamar staff. I wish I had taken a picture, but it was pretty funny the two of us on her bike carrying a huge bouquet of 400! Thai people are so expressive and loved watching their faces as they saw us ride by.

So in the afternoon we walked from Soi 6 to another center to go to the bars on the other side of Pattaya and pass out roses with little notes that said something like: “God sees you and says you are Beautiful and He loves you!” Everyone split up into groups, prayed and then went out with a translator/staff. Many of our girls from the team have some awesome stories of opportunities they got to pray for the girls and really pour into them. It was fun coming together and hearing the excitement from the different girls they got to love on! I’ll have some of the girls write their stories and post more later.

CLICK on IMAGES to see bigger

After, we met up with Jason and Sarah again, had dinner, then went on a prayer walk with them. We met up at the IT mall, in a location of town where the most child sex slavery occurs. It was so heavy as they shared that hidden behind the streets of the shops, were what are called closed communities where occurred families that would sell their own children. They told us that you would see children go into the local restaurants surrounding and make contacts with the customer and sell them sex.

Jason and Sarah have been working with other organizations helping children of the bar girls or even with Hand to Hand Ministries that helps with daycare for local families, but in years of living in Thailand they have learned more about the need to save kids from being sold. We walked through the streets, and the whole team could just feel the turning in our stomachs and the weight of how dark everything was. Jason and Sarah took us to a potential building on the corner of the most prevalent block of child prostitution and even human trafficking of many European women. As we walked the block we began to pray over the street and ask God for the building. We prayed over Jason and Sarah and honored them for their boldness to want to be in the midst of it all and have such a burning heart to see freedom in children and on that specific part of town. Many people on the outskirts watched us as we cried out and declared, and even some joined us in raising their hands, although I’m sure they had no idea what we were doing. We split ways with them at the end and returned back to our hotel for sleep.

It was another restless night for Carrie and I. We spent some time talking and really praying intensely over our night and breaking off the heaviness we felt from the prayer walk and things they shared with us. We found Peace in just releasing things, but both of us all night could not enter deep sleep. We tossed and turned all night.

Day 8: Loving in the Slums

Slept in a bit till about 9am. Normally get up earlier to here to blog, but internet has been a bit more difficult to come by, so thanks for being patient with updates. Was a few days behind… it feels like things going by really fast when updating everyday, but enjoying sharing.

Carrie and I walked down our street a bit to grab some breakfast and then meet up with the around 10am. Spent some time in worship and prepping and then was planning on meeting up with Jess at a local artsy café, however, her bike broke down on her and we had a change of plans for the morning. It felt like though the extra time was much needed for the team to spend some down time together before we went out into the slums to minister for the rest of the evening. Spent some time updating and then around 2:30pm hopped on a Song Tao and drove to Project LIFE Pataya Slum Ministry to work a long side. Met up with Angela, who is the director of the ministry and really close friend of Jess’. She shared a lot about Pattaya and the hidden slums. I truly loved working with her!




We then piled back into the Song Tao as Jason and his teenage daughter Anna who grew up in Thailand and speaks fluently came with to translate and minister. We will be working with them one of these days this week to serve a long side Jason and his wife, Sarah’s vision for reaching child prostitutes. Jason and Anna were also amazing to work a long side.

So as we arrived, you can see in some of the pictures it was basically a dirt road with shacks and half finished houses made out of wood pieces and some tin roofs. Nothing was sealed or fully closed, and children ran around in the dirt without shoes as motorcycles and food trucks would constantly being driving through. We set up in an open dirt lot, laying some tarps down as the kids began to flock to. They were so precious and friendly, but very independent.


Before the “program” started, we spent the first hour just splitting up. One third of the team stayed to help finish setting up and hand with the kids coming, the other third went with Jason to one side of the slums, and me, Carrie, Bethany, Katherine O’Brian, Angela and another volunteer that works with them headed towards another section.
























We basically were just doing a walk through praying for divine appointments to begin loving on people. We didn’t have to even walk a few steps, when Angela began talking to a food shop owner out of her home. We asked if she had any pain, and she said her leg was sore and been bothering her. She invited us in. All her walls were covered with pictures and posters of the Royal King and she had sacrifices and decorations all over. She told Angela she was Buddhist and she asked if we could pray for her. She was so hospitable. She kept telling the girls to sit on her bed, and offered us all her nicest seats, while she pulls herself out a stool to sit on in the middle. We giggled and felt honored. We began to pray for healing and ask Angela to translate for us. We asked her how her leg felt after a few moments, and she said the muscle was so hard before, but now it is tender and way better with no pain. We asked her what percentage, and not a “Thai answer”, in that many want to just say they are healed, but when Angela asked her she kept shaking her head that she was fully healed. We then told her that Jesus healed her, not us, and that Jesus sees her and hears her. She admitted that her gods never healed her, and that it was Jesus. We felt led to move on and just bless her and her business. I took a picture with her when she came and sat with me to watch the kids play.

We kept walking a bit and after a few houses walked into a family fued. To our left was a crippled young man sitting in a chair, and across the way under a shack overhang a few older people sitting on the floor. This woman arose from the right side and approached Angela pretty angry and started talking very loud in Thai. Angela started to explain to us that her sons both lived in the house on the left. That she and others in their ministry had been praying for them for a while and seeing progress in their healings. Both guys probably in their twenties were paralyzed from their left sides down. The older woman began to just cry and point. Angela began to share that she was mad, and wanted her boys to be healed, because she didn’t want to take care of them anymore and that they need girls to take care of them. In Thai culture it is the woman’s responsibility to be the “bread winner”. So for a mother to still be taking care of her full grown men, it is a reasonable frustration in the culture.

We looked at Angela and asked if we could pray for him. The mama then came over and stood by her son crying. Angela explained that they knew Jesus and were believers, but this has been a burden in their family and torn them. The mama drinks because it gets to heavy to handle, and she had drunken the whole day because she knew Angela was bringing us to come. At first looking into her eyes they were yellow, bloodshot and glazed over. We got down in the mud and sat with her son and began to pray healing over him. The mama kept saying she wanted to go to Heaven, but we had Angela translate that God’s will is Heaven on Earth. I kept reaching my hand up to say Heaven on Earth. She would start to cry and raise her hands and I began to see joy across her faith. Her countenance was changing and there was a shift in her, even her eyes had changed. We continued to pray for her son, and ask her to pray too. We had him stand up and begin to walk. The mama began to get excited seeing him put pressure on his left leg. It was still completely turned out and he used his cane to brace himself, but he was able to make many steps and get stronger and he kept saying the pay was gone. We had him sit down and again and continue to pray for strength is his left leg. It was straightening out more and getting stronger. We continue to rejoice and get excited about his progress.

Another woman from the same shack across came over and poked her head in and crouched on the ground next to us and began to cry. She just wanted love. All while we were praying she kept nuzzling her head on us and wrapping her arms around. God was so present and we could just feel His desire to bring restoration to this family and those impacted by it. The mama then invited us in to see her other son. He laid on a bed, and propped himself up to allow us to pray for him. We sang and worshipped in the house and prayed for new nerves and feeling in his left side. He told Angela he felt fire in his left shoulder, and we continued to pray. As we left, the mama wanted to come with us cause we needed to be back with the kids. She kept telling Angela how she wished she had daughters and as all 6 of us woman walked and had our arms around her, I had Angela translate to her “You are a spiritual mama and have many daughters. We are your daughters!” She just smiled and laughed.

When we got back the lot was filled with probably 30 kids. They were in the midst of playing games and I was enjoying snapping some pics and taking some videos of these fun rascals. They were all so precious and just enjoyed being all over us as many were so accustomed to living in Mozambique with the African children. Things went so smoothly. Kim shared about hearing God’s voice and had them draw pictures of what God was showing them. Although many of these kids are used to the program, it’s uncertain how much they have been given. Thia people are so visual and open spiritually it was amazing seeing what these kids saw and were so willing to draw and grasp the concept God was speaking to them through images.



After spending a few hours with them and loving every minute we packed up and left and returned back to our apartments. Everyone split for dinner then returned back to Yonnie and Naomi’s room to pray and speak over Jess. Everyone piled in and it was fun praying for her, because she carries so much in the Spirit here. Many of you may have met her or been aware of her or what she does here, but even in knowing her for the past few years and interceding for her and Pattaya, I really feel it was tonight I really began to see who she is and what authority she has in this place. It really struck me and as a team we just felt this honor towards her and the weapons the Lord has given her to fight the warfare here. It’s pretty gnarly and she is quite the warrior. I’d really encourage people to pray for her in this time. We as Iris (and even me personally) in this time are really seeking the Lord for how Iris Ministries fits and looks specifically in Thailand and even what partnering with her looks like. She has crazy favor with all ministries here and great relationships already with existing key people. I’m excited to see how it plays out and especially the next few weeks being able to spend some good quality time with just her.

Ok… I think that’s a lot and all I can write. Last thing I seriously would appreciate prayer for personally is the blogs. I know many of you have encouraged me a lot in saying it’s nice to read, but just pray for grace to write. It’s getting harder, and I love doing it, but find condensing and getting to the point is more and more difficult as we go deeper and deeper here and don’t have a lot of time to process.

Day 7: Pattaya Bound

Last morning at Suk 11. Gathered together around 11am to send off the boys up North and hop into some vans and head to Pattaya.

Here's a picture of Yonnie and I faithfully attached to our computers to update... we both love media and our macs! Just thought I'd share.

Took us about 2 hours to get there, and arrived at our hotel/apartments to meet up with Jess. After getting our rooms and settling in, we crossed the crazy highway together to the mall across the street to grab some lunch and meet some of Jess’ coworkers in the House of Prayer.

Headed back to the hotel to meet up. We gathered all in Yonnie’s room and was able to give Jess her her guitar I was able to bring over with me that Five Cities Vineyard helped buy her! It was exciting seeing her face in that I didn’t tell her I was able to bring one. Huge thanks to Jim and Jose for being so flexible in helping me get it at the last minute. It seriously blessed her! We then went into a time of worship, where she got to play it for the fist time and pray together.

Pattaya is a whole different playing field than Bangkok. Most the team felt the shift once we entered the city. A bit about Pattaya, but basically the city is only known for it’s prostitution, unlike Bangkok that constantly draws people for many other reasons as well. Although some breakthrough has occurred in Pattaya, and some bars and streets have been turned over from bars to restaurants, the spiritual climate here is so thick, yet difficult to put into words. We are still trying to figure this out as a team, and Jess has been a huge asset to helping us understand somethings to be aware of that she sees a lot of attack in.

After prayer and worship we had a half hour to just unpack or chill out and then meet back up as a team to head towards Walking Street and then head over to Soi 6 where the House of Prayer is located. We walked the streets around 5ish, which was still slower since the night life doesn’t really start till later, but grabbed some street food and then walked along the beach street walk observing all the girls selling themselves on the beaches and in the streets. We walked several blocks for about 45 minutes. It was pretty overwhelming and with the team being tired, we were desperate for time to just rest in His Presence.

Here are just a few pics of us down Walking Street. It was too hard taking pics of the beach walk because we were just absorbing SOOO much. But also here is a clip Yonnie interviewed Natasha.

We finally arrived at the House of Prayer that is located on the top story of a corner building right smack in the middle of Soi 6 which is one of the darkest streets in Pattaya.We compacted all 14 of us in and shared a bit of what we were feeling. I expressed that I felt a lot of apathy and carelessness opposed to what I had felt in Bangkok. It was like my joy was robbed by the hopelessness. In Bangkok it seemed people were much more playful and would just smile and approach you, but in Pattaya, everyone seemed distant and non-relational. It froze me to even know how to pray or approach people. It was like I felt unrelateable too. After a few hours of praying and worshipping, began to feel God move my heart again as I cried our and just spend time resting in His words and feeling His heart touch mine. He even used little baby Zoe who mind you is only 14 mos. came over to put her hands on my head and pray for me… I went from crying to just laughing with this overwhelming joy. The Father was touching me through a baby! He began to remind me of the joy He carries and that He has called us here and said it was going to be fun, and not burdensome.

We then went out to the balcony overlooking the girls and lady boys in the streets and began to pray over them and invite the Holy Spirit to bless them and pour out His love could begin to feel more a shift in heart and realize that the hardship was just the initial reaction to the heavy oppression, but that it’s not too heavy for Him to handle. The word one of the missionaries in Bangkok said to us was: “This isn’t new to God. He sees it everyday.” We were reminded of this. The oppression is never too much for Him and whether or not we are with it or having a hard time, He still is present and overcomes.

We then walked back to our apartment to hit the hay pretty late. Carrie and I spent some time laying in bed praying over our room, the team and our sleep. I woke up once in a urgency to pray for the team and for unity amongst us in the middle of the night. It was one of the rougher nights being here in Thailand, but still nothing compared to what some of the other people the team battled with this last week in sleep. So please be praying over our rest! We need it to continue to press in.