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.

DAY 6: Connection hopping…and change of plans!

Much of the team was pretty wiped out from the previous day. We had two services we attended to see what church looks like in Thailand. Walked over around 10am to a church called New Song that was a Thai/English church. All the worship songs were in English, and was actually really joyful. The room was pretty cozy and people could cram in to sit on the floor or cushions to listen to the message. It was pretty intermixed between Thais and Americans or other Europeans, and we mostly went to just observe and worship together.

Here are some pictures:

We then all went out to lunch at a local food court, which had a beautiful view of the city and was a refreshing place to chill. We had about a half hour to run back to our hostel and then meet back up to head over to another local church around 2:30 that most of Night Light attends.

A few people on the team worked with Janie with the kids and got to love and teach them, while a few of us went upstairs to attend the Thai service. It was fun experiencing all the Thai worship songs and trying to sing a long, and one thing we picked up is Thai people cannot clap on beat, but use the off beat. It was pretty funny trying to get us to follow them. The message was completely in Thai as well, so used that time to pray and watch people. The first church was a bit more westernized than this one, but still had a pretty familiar structure.

After the service the rest of the team joined up and we got to pray for Annie who is the director of Night Light. I give props to this woman. She is a fierce warrior to contend with. The team really went for it in praying over her and blessing her. We also got to pray over her sinuses that had been inflamed and begin to break off any attacks physically against her. She said it was starting to feel better. We felt so honored that she had been so open to our team in letting us come and work with them and asked if she would pray over us. Sitting on the floor around her and hearing her sincere prayers of favor and blessing, there was just this feeling of reverence for what God was imparting through her. She basically released us and gave us a blessing to go into the darkest places and that our ministry didn’t have to be anything like any other ministry, but that we were to reach the one that others would not or were too afraid too. It meant so much to us that a woman like this who has been working the hard soil for breakthrough for years would trust and give blessing to a team of young newbies to Thailand to run with such vision and freedom.

As we were walking out, Janie pulled us aside and asked if then we would pray for one of the girls there for her sinuses that she had been battling colds and infections for over 2 years. The team huddled around her and began to believe. We asked her how she felt, and Janie translated 70% better. You wouldn’t know by the look of her face. It was as if SHE wasn’t even shocked she was being healed. We continued to pray and less than a minute later she was completely healed. She told Janie, “ I knew God was going to heal me!” We all laughed. She had more faith than us!

Here is the restaurant we ate at. It's very popular in Thailand (there's one in Bangkok and Pattaya). The restaurant actually is about raising awareness for "safe sex"... but we all laughed at how they probably over-marketed condoms! The food was amazing!


We ate dinner with a couple from South East Asia House of Prayer (SEAHOP) that was at the service that wanted to grab a bite with the team and connect. In talking with the couple and sharing back and forth our hearts, the Holy Spirit began to really connect some things. They began sharing their heart for the Northern region and what they had been praying for and revelation started coming to the team about really praying about sending a team to another part of the Northern region to a specific place where many of the girls who sell themselves in prostitution come from. Yonnie and Janie began to start making some calls to see who they could connect with and be blessed to move forward on this. As we were talking Janie began to share the need to attack the root and stop the flow from girls being pressured and leaving their towns and families to come to the city to get a bigger house or provide for their families. Janie began to share that it is so needed for people to go and work in the homelands and specifically in the region of Isaan. As she was speaking we could see the couple get really surprised. Kala, the wife, began to share a dream she had a month ago. They started working with SEAHOP a few months back and they said they have been really feeling the Isaan burning on their hearts and in their prayers. She then had this dream:


I was walking in the hills next to a large river. In front of me was a family who had just lost their youngest child in the raging river. The mother looked at me in total desperation and asked, “Who will keep the children of Thailand safe?” In that moment, I knew Brandon and I were to build a fence along the rivers edge to stop this river from claiming so many children’s lives.

I woke up from this dream quite shaken. I thought of the Apostle Paul’s dream of a Macedonian man begging him for help. I saw the desperation in the mother’s eyes and my heart was stirred. After praying about it a short time the Lord revealed this dream was about ISSAN. Issan is the North Eastern part of Thailand. What divides Laos and Northeast Thailand is the giant Mekong River- a river just like in my dream.

What is significant about Issan is that around 90 percent of all the prostitutes we see in Bangkok are from this area! The dream depicted it so clearly! It is as if there is a raging river sweeping away the sons and daughters of Issan. In mass numbers young women of Issan are being sent by their poverty stricken family, tricked by those wanting to exploit them, or choosing themselves to come to Bangkok for work. Most of the time the only work they find, or the job someone promised them, turns out to be “dancing” in a bar and supporting their families back home with the money made selling their bodies to male customers. They find themselves stuck in a cycle they cannot break out of. They cannot tell their family what they are really doing, cannot return home, cannot quit sending money back home and they cannot find any other job due to lack of education. Not to mention the emotional impact just one month in this environment has.

It is overwhelming. We are facing a sex industry that is overlooked by the government, accepted in society, and even boasted about in travel guides and stories from travelers passing through. We are facing a system that has a spiritual reality every bit as real as what we can see with our eyes. A darkness that feeds on souls and is fat on countless souls from Northeast Thailand.

The plea resounds in my ears, “Who will keep the children of Thailand safe?” Brandon and I choose to stand in prayer for these women and children who are being taken away by this raging river. Through prayer we will link arms with others who are praying for and ministering to these women. We will become a living “fence” along the river and by the Lord’s grace many will be saved.

-kala
“will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night?”
Luke 18:7


As she shared this you could feel the team just get excited and begin to just burn to send a team up to see and work with the people this next week. After a few hours of discussing, we had the rest of the evening free and waited to hear what was happening with the team. Jesse and his wife Tanya and their baby Zoe, were going to lead a team, but ended up Jesse, Christian and Lonnie went to go make contact and see how Iris plays a role. So if you can be praying for them for just open doors and insight to see what is really happening and how Iris can come along side to really help stop, like in the dream, the flow of girls from the North into Bangkok and Pattaya. 

So while all three of the guys headed North, we have two girls that joined up with us from Harvest School 13, and 14 of us traveling a few hours East to Pattaya to go meet up with Jess!

Day 5: Partying Hard!

Writing this after a very long and crazy day, so praying I can put into words everything of today.

First to give a picture of what a “block party” looks like and the heart behind it. As a team (including the missionaries) we were reminded of the parable of the banquet table, where the king sends out an invite to all the people, but one by one the invitations were rejected with excuses, so the king very upset tells the servant to go out into the streets and alleys and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. (Luke 14:15-24)… and so we did this, went into the streets and rallied all the poor and broken and invited them to a big celebration and feast.

We started the morning with some prayer/worship and prep for the party then around 2:30pm met up with the missionaries we worked with yesterday to pray, gather all our supplies and walk to the center square or park. We got there and got to meet the Grandfather of the block! What a cheerful man! He was just directing people and such a gatherer it blessed us to be able to just focus on what we were good at and allow him to run/MC the whole party. Many stayed and blew up balloons, they laid out mats that were actual official mats from Thai palaces, and set up 4 stations: dream interpretation, drawings, healing, words of encouragement. The rest of us walked around the blocks to continue to pass out invitations.

I partnered up with Janie and her Thai friend that’s on staff at Night Light to pass out invites, and taking a different side of town, it was so run down and filthy my heart was breaking more and more as I saw the conditions so many of these people live in. It was helpful having the girls to speak in Thai and when I would feel the Lord highlight they would explain the invitation and what we were doing. At one point we were walking and this man in a red work shirt and nametag stops us and begins speaking Thai to the girls. I thought at first he was asking us to stop, but come to find out he had a lot of favor in the streets and wanted to help us, so he grabbed a few invites and walked around and every person he would tell them what was going on… come on!

Encountered a lot of people just through that half hour, and actually really prepared my heart for who was going to show at this block party.

Returned back to the square and the party kick started around 5pm. People were flocking in, so we started ministering a the mats first. I was stationed at the Vision Drawings, where we basically would just ask God for pictures and explain what it means. Got to draw some pictures, and meet a few people and share Jesus with them. One guy actually wanted to draw his own picture to share what was going on in his heart. He drew a double sided coin and tried to explain how he felt about being “two sided!”. Janie and I talked to him for a while, until we began to get revelation about him needing to be filled with the Holy Spirit and understand Jesus’ love for him. We drew some pictures of Fire and of Jesus and a BIG heart and kept pointing at him and then would open our arms and show him how big God’s love was for him. We definitely saw a connection, but he thanked us and moved on.

The “party” flowed so well, although there was a lot going on, as mentioned before it was refreshing to focus just on ministering and not having to coordinate details. The skit was powerful and we were able to video tape it so will share that later. Then they passed out TONS of food. We were really believing for endless amounts and they were able to feed so many people!

One guy Natasha and I met yesterday on the streets, was on the outskirts of the park, and Janie and I during the meal passing, tried to get him to come in, but he refused, so we brought him food and crouched down to talk to him. He had remembered me and said that’s why he came. He began to explain he was drunk the previous day and when we asked him questions about his life and family, we could sense just a sense of emptiness and began to ask about his heart and if it was strong. Another Thai girl from YWAM came alongside and translated some for me. I was able to just look the man in the eyes and tell him that nothing could separate him from God’s love, and that he was worthy of love, and that every person falls short, but God’s love is unchanging. When he asked why did I come here, I was able to tell him that Jesus gave me His love and I wanted to come to Thailand to give it away too to those who need it. We got to lay hands and pray over him, and really felt the Lord just simply minister through loving and seeing him. Another person I was uncertain if they fully grasped Jesus, but definitely an encounter and experience of love.

As the night started to wind down, really felt a tug on my heart for us to pray for all the deaf in knowing this is where Heidi Baker started ministering to Mozambicans and seen incredible breakthrough, and going to Thailand with her blessing and same heart, believing we carry the same DNA and authority!

As we were walking the streets and just even in the past few days I have seen and interacted with so many deaf people. I talked to one of the missionaries and asked if we could pray for deaf ears and if she could point out which ones she works with and knows. So we had a few people sit at the healing mat and began to pray. The first I prayed for was a woman probably in her 40s, and as many of us were piled up huddled around each other praying for different people, the Spirit was so strong, and began contending for her healing. Slowly began to see a change.

As I clapped in one ear her eyes lit up and she began to hear sound. One of the ladies translated and began to speak to her….she would signal. “Little bit”…so we kept praying. 5 minutes later. “Little bit more”. More prayer, and increasing faith! One ear completely healed. She motions that her other ear still is “little bit” so we continue to pray for full healing and that ear begins to open up and she began uttering sounds. We all begin to just cheer and thank Jesus… I looked at her and smiled, and looked at the boy about 20 next to her and had the translator ask her to now start praying with me for him. We begin to pray. Nothing. Keep praying. A little bit. Keep praying! One ear opens. Keep praying. Other ear starts getting better. He then begins to speak. Honestly, in the moment it was so surreal yet natural, and the Lord kept them coming. Another man I begin to pray for was in one ear, he begins to hear and speak out and just overflowing with joy. Naomi and Yonnie and the other girls are praying for a woman and her ears begins to open. Another man sits down next to me and motions for prayer. Deaf in both ears. Start praying over him and asking for healing fire. This is where the testimony of God blew me away. So both his ears gets healed. We have it on video tape. Yonnie asks him and one of the missionary men translates what happened. He explains he used to have just bad ears, until all his hearing just eventually got so bad, but as we were praying for him, fire started to rise from inside his stomach and began to move up his body through his neck to his ears and then there was a pop and the block was cleared and he could hear! We asked him if he knew who healed him and he told us “Jesus!” He knew Jesus, but we told him to share the testimony with his friends and family so they know Jesus healed him!

There were many other healings through the teams that we know of tonight from knees to backs to a woman who had cataracts and was healed to see (I’ll post Naomi’s sharing that at the end of this), and even a Bhuddish monk who Naomi got to pray for who had gnarly sinus problems for the past few years and had felt no peace, but when he got healed, she said he finally felt real peace and believed and accepted Jesus!

We sat with people till about 7:30, till they needed to shut down and begin to clean up. Fueled with so much joy and love, but yet physically exhausted, we retreated for some dinner around the corner for our final time with the missionaries and returned back to our hostel to catch some sleep. We have 2 more days here in Bangkok and another full day today, that I will write again more later…. Until then here are some testimonies!

Day 4: Bangkok… and it get’s heavier!

Woke up early to attempt to publish some posts to keep updated. The first couple days were pretty much adjusting, observing and rest days for the team to catch up to the culture and overcome jet lag. Although I have been sleeping through the night, the first few nights, I found myself nodding off like at 7pm. It’s amazing how in adjusting to the humidity, the tiredness, the constant to and from in taxis/transportation or walking and the heaviness of the spiritual climate, you accomplish a few things for the day and realize how spent you feel. One thing I love about Thailand, is it is much slower paced than in than States, and yet I don’t feel guilty because it’s so much the culture here. They walk slow, talk slow and their patience level is far beyond what I thought I could embrace. But learning to enjoy and BE!

So to get on with the day (again another long post!)

We met up as a team at 10am to meet up again with Janie and head to another side of Bangkok near the Grand Palace to meet up with some missionaries (I’m leaving out names for privacy purposes) working in the slums and with the large population of male and older women prostitutes. We spent some time getting to hear their hearts and work at their small residence cramming in 9 of us, and while listening putting together hand made invitations in Thai to invite people on the streets to a block party we are putting on tomorrow in the central square. There will be free food, games, skits, music, prayer and ministry!

 CLICK ON PICS to see bigger!

 

After chatting and craft-making we took the invitations and split up into 3 groups, partnering with one of the missionaries and walked a part of the city to love on people and invite them. Natasha and I, and another man who has been loving on people in Bangkok for almost 30 years now, trekked along the water canal that splits between the city. I took a few pics to show what you see alongside this canal. So many street sleepers and homeless people. We met several people, and me not knowing much Thai just felt God move me so deeply to laughter and joy with them, even though there circumstances are so seemingly hopeless. After about an hour, returned to meet back up with the team to check out the center square and anoint/pray over the grounds. Felt the Lord really unleash songs and began to just walk around singing. “This little Light of mine”. It’s really fun to watch the Thai people perk up as they hear singing and see their eyes and face light up.

(I met this man below that we might see also during the block party who was deaf, but the happiest deaf man I have EVER met. He knows a little sign language so I was able to sign him and ask him if he knew Jesus, and the fatest smile overtook his face as he understood and shook his head yes and signed "I love Jesus!"  I couldn't contain the tears after walking away.)

God has really given our team and the missionaries’ huge favor, not only with location and the surrounding area, but they have a key person leading the party who is called the Godfather of the neighborhood! God really hooked us up! We were expecting about 250 to show up, until we heard at the end of our time that one of the local guys had made his own invitations and invited another 200. So we will see… be praying for us! We really sense this is an opportunity to bless these missionaries and see His Spirit poured out.

After we headed towards another side of town, ate lunch, debriefed, prayed for one of the missionaries for some pain he had in his head the past few days (which we saw about a 50% decrease of pain) and to just encourage him.  Then returned back to the hostel for a bit of rest before our late night outreach to the red light district with Night Light.

A few hours later, met up at Night Light for some preparation of going into the bar/prostitution scene, worshipped together, encouraged/prayed over some of the staff and then went to eat dinner together at a place around the corner of where we were going to be outreaching.

This next part I write and share might be a bit intense, although many know what we were going directly into to impact, however, some of the stuff I don’t even feel I can describe fully. We were well prepped and described the scene we were walking into, and can say God protected us incredibly and could really sense clear focus and vision in the midst of such evident darkness.

I am going to attempt to describe. Here is a little snapshot of the bars and pre-going.

We split into 3 teams (only girls go on the outreach), and worked with one or two of the staff. Kim, Janie, Carrie, and another one of the Night Light staff girls joined together and each of the groups picked a bar to sit and go love on the girls in the midst of them working. We were told not to pull the girls off when dancing, but that if they were not entertaining if we felt led, to offer to buy them a coke or water and sit with them and talk to them. Us girls started by walking around the whole upstairs balcony, where curtain after curtain would take you into another bar. The music was loud, the smell of booze was thick, middle-aged mostly white men were everywhere, and the girls and (lady guys) were dressed in practically nothing and very quick to lure in any potential clients. There were make-up booths setup in random corners where the girls would start getting all done up to start their nights, and some bar mamas hung on the outskirts to make money and sell the girls. We encountered a few Janie had befriended and got to laugh and love them, but chose a not so male prevalent bar to sit and observe.

I’ll be honest, sitting at Night Light talking about the details of the scene, my stomach was in knots and although I knew God was going before us and that we didn’t need to fear the darkness, this pit of nerves tried to rise in me. Getting there and sitting in the midst, it was very in our faces, but being so filled with His love and such a desire to see these girls free of this bondage, it went from a very unknown situation to just watching the Holy Spirit work. Got to talk to a few girls, particularly one that Janie got to speak Thai with and see her open heart. Most the girls have babies, anywhere from 2 kids to 4 kids, and the range of these women’s ages is anywhere from “technically 18”  to one woman I poked fun with who was 43. The girls showed us her pictures of her kids, and Janie got to really see if getting her out was a desire of hers.

We then all gathered back around 10pm (which Night Light really tries to get teams in and out before then, before it gets overly explicit and too difficult to stay) and then returned back to Yonnie’s room to brief. It was amazing hearing all the stories and what the other girls encountered. It was all so much for us to take in, yet many of knew and just had this confidence that God is working there and we got to be a part of bringing His Presence in to these girls workplaces and place where many men from all over the world literally believe they are doing these girls a favor and “empowering them” as one foreigner told one of our girls tonight. We see many of them even during the day with their “Thai girls” they hire. Some hire just for the night, others keep them around to be with them all day long, and it’s hard to walk down the street and see a white man and Thai girl holding hands, knowing she was illegally bought to be his sex object and fantasy girl. 

In sharing all this I end (on a very long note) one thing we are really desiring to learn and walk in unity as a team and with other ministries is having the eyes to see, and yet the heart of Christ. Although there is a righteous anger that comes against the work of the devil in the city, in these foreigners, in the girls, in the bar owners…we fight not against flesh and blood, but principalities, so we are NOT to be judgmental towards these men although it is difficult to watch and not be stirred. We are not to condemn or judge the girls for their choice to stay. So I encourage in reading this…as our team is experiencing the pain and heartbreak towards the lives that are ruined, both girls and the men we see constantly in the open, PLEASE be praying for this city and for us as we are here for a few more days!

Bangkok: Day 3 - Feeling it...

Playing a bit of catch up over the last few days..so this might be a bit longer. Things are quickening up, so less time to write and update. I will update today's adventure later.

So we left YWAM Bangkok in the morning on our Thursday (2days ago) to move more in inner city Soi 11 of Bangkok, while half the team headed to a Northern region to meet up with another YWAM base and scope out their ministry and serve alongside.

We are staying at an amazing hostel called SUK 11, so we will be closer to Night Light for our next few days of outreach. Again pictures don't do justice, however here are a few shots of our hostel. It's pretty eclectic and a common place for many tourists and visitors to stay. It downpoured throughout the day, so it was nice to have a cozy place to be inside.

CLICK ON PICS to see bigger!

Below... the front of the hidden hostel. Also note the sign below. It's refreshing to see a business turn away sex tourist and not permit them to use their rooms.

Katherine O'Brian (we have 2 Katherine’s on the team) and I snagged a room on the 4th floor, and arriving we all could feel the spiritual climate shift hugely and the heaviness set it. Here’s a shot of one of the hallways, which as you go up higher on the floors turn more into cavern. We joke that it’s kind of like Indian Jones ride.

To explain a bit of the spiritual background in Thailand, there is about less than .5% Thai Christian, and majority of the rest is Bhuddist. You can find on just about every business lot and street, idol temple houses built they call "spirit houses" (I will try to snap a pic later to show…you can kind of see on the picture above in the corner) where they build a home for the spirits so they won't reside in the Thai's houses or business, and they will pay or feed them to stay. Inside our hostel on every floor there is a lounge room where idols are set up surrounded by gifts and offerings. It is openly welcomed here, and we can definitely feel the heaviness.We are finding as a team that we have to be so intentional in prayer and constantly speaking out against the warfare, through continual worship and prayer. It's not as easy to "feel", but it is definitely more in your face!

One thing though for those who might read this and ask if we are safe. One, Jesus is with us and we can feel such an ease/protection in everything we do as a whole. Thanks to those who saw the ease and prayed it! Two, Bangkok and actually Thailand overall is very safe and not as much crime or violence as we would expect in comparison to the States.

So after arriving and settling in met up with Janie again to walk to a local park to join up with some of her girls that left the bars to work for Night Light. We picked a central spot and began to worship and intercede on the grounds. Thai people LOVE singing and music. As we were worshiping and began to pray for the girls, could feel the Holy Spirit begin to minister and through one of the girlis and began sharing some of the things she was sensing and seeing. My favorite part was tag teaming with Janie, as the Lord gave me a song for one of the girls, and the phrase "You are His beauty", while she took over and translated singing it over her in Thai "You are His Princess!" while the rest of the team covered her in prayer and spoke over her. It was a sweet time to experience the fight for breakthrough together and to get a chance to minister/bless the girls Janie works with.

Here is a picture of the park. The signs reads: " This park is dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ...To God be the Glory!"

Later that evening we compiled in Yonnies room to debrief a bit, and pray over Janie. I feel it really helped the team verbalize what we are sensing in the Spirit and content for greater breakthrough and unity amongst us in our time here.

We then had a free night so the team decided it would be fun to see a movie together. So we headed to the Bangkok Mall and ate some dinner sporatically at their "food court" which is more like an indoor food market (where I experience that a Japanese Waffle, looks like a waffle on a stick, till you bite into the middle to find a hot dog!). Then after eating all piled into one row at the theater. All I have to say is Thai drama is hysterical and so over-the-top!

Here are a few pics of their glorious massive mall! The Lord gave me a word in the beginning that our trip was going to be like Disneyland and super fun. (You hear that Cheryl Perry and Lizzy!?) When we walked in this joy welled up in me and felt this excitement to experience the creativity and FUN in Thai culture!

And this is just the beginning... we still have 4 more days in Bangkok (which I will share in a few hours yesterdays crazy day!) and another week in Pattaya with the team. It's getting so good!

Taking it all in with one deep breath...

So finally some pics to share...although this doesn't do justice to what you see in Bangkok or what we experienced today. This beats any city I have ever experienced. It is by far the most colorful, chaotic overwhelming mess of a city, and I am head over heels wrecked by love for this place! I told one of the girls, that since I stepped off the plane, this deep satisfaction has overtaken me and I feel this contentment and purpose of being here like no other.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO SEE BIGGER SIZE...
(Here's a few snap shots of the city this afternoon I got to snap)

Today started with me automatically waking up at 6:30am, cold shower (which feels great here!), a walk through the city with some of the girls on a hunt for fresh fruit and the most sugary coffee drinks you can imagine. Beats starbucks! and returned back to the base to meet up with the team to pile into a truck like taxi and head roughly about 45 min towards the middle of the city.

(here are some pics of the team squeezed in... and some of the scenery along the way!)

Our main plan for the day was to meet up with Night Light and get a feel for what their ministry does in this city with providing jobs for girls who want to get out of the bars. Got to hear the heart behind Night Light, the real statistics behind the scenes of prostitution here in Bangkok and testimonies from the hospitality director and meet up with Janie (for those who don't know, another local Central Coaster, who works with Night Light and come to Thailand more long term!) Of course just hearing the testimonies you could feel the Holy Spirit just increase in the room as each of our hearts broke and expanded. Although we aren't here for a long period of time it's becoming more evident we are coming along side to bless and pour into the ministries here in hopes to really see where in the future we can partner more in depth. We got to pray/encourage the director, really asking the Father for things they want to see their ministry grow and gain. There was so much love in the room!


To learn more of what specifically Night Light is and does, it would be better to hear it directly on their website: www.nightlightbangkok.com . You are able to purchase jewelry handmade by the girls online with USD money.

(here are some snap shots of us meeting and getting to tour the place and even buy some of the jewelry these girls make. Due to discretion for the girls sake, wasn't able to take too many photos of them working, but you can see a bit of the stations, and their jewelry shop.)

After a few hours of absorbing Night Light, Janie led us to a great cheap place to eat a few blocks down. Just wanted to share a few snaps of the team and us super excited to eat some grub.

Sorry no pics of the food... we were pretty toasted and hungry at this point, although Naomi looks pretty happy! These guys are such a humble flexible team. Enjoying so far just the ease and flow of hanging and connecting with them.

Lastly our drive home was quite an experience. Instead of taking a truck taxi back altogether we split into separate taxis. Yonnie, Carrie and I all took one, and said we'd meet back at the base... unfortunately NONE of us knew Thai and thought we explained what part of town we needed to go and found out 20 minutes later we were headed in the opposite direction... so here is a picture of our happy taxi man dropping us off at at the base who thought it was hysterical we had to pay him 400 baht (which is roughly $10-12 USD). To say the least, us 3 girls weren't to stoked and bargained him down, but still a costly loss. Lesson 2 learned... write down address of place staying to give to transportation. You can really see why they call this place "the land of smiles!" I think I might fit in quite well here.
























Lastly we spent the rest of the afternoon resting a bit, and then spending sometime in prayer and worship for the city and our time here, shared our hearts of why we are all here, and wandered the market night life for a bit to grab some street food. Tomorrow we are leaving the YWAM base. A few members of the team are heading North to outreach to a specific region one of the guys has a heart for, and share the Jesus film, while the rest of us are moving closer into the city to a hostel-like accommodations where we will be staying for the rest of the week. More updates to come tomorrow...

BANGKOK! Arrived at last...

Dang it! I wish I could show you all the things I experienced from that last flight out of Taipei to getting to meet up with the team to the quaint local restaurant we ate at all in pictures, so for now just bear with me, till I can share some glimpses of what's to come when I am able to lug my camera around.

First off, went from blah to greater anticipation to the last 20 minutes of the flight flying over the city of Bangkok and could seriously feel my heart jump out of my chest it was going crazy!!! I just broke and began to cry over the beautiful land and began to just feel it again. "It's Time!" All the colored buildings, and lush tropical vegetation, and tons of huge water drenches, mixed in with the temples and golden dressed roof tops. I felt like a little kid looking at a huge world, and telling my Father. "Look! Can you feel it? It's happening. I get to be here and be with these people with You!" The guy sitting next to me didn't speak any English and I turned to him with a huge smile and teary eyes asking him: "Home?" He didn't understand me but there was something in me that stirred an honor for this place.

There was definitely a shift getting off the plane and felt like I could take a deep breath (although the humidity and heat here is getting more intense as we speak...I am having huge flashbacks of Australia! Grateful for the fans in our rooms!) Took a cab, and driving through the crazy roads...back roads, tunnel roads and dirt roads... I rambled away with another teammate we picked up at the airport, and stared out the window overwhelmed by this culture's beauty. I kept telling her... I am so excited, I am so excited!!!

Got to the YWAM base (where we will be staying for the next few nights) and met up with almost everyone else and had a good time of worship and prayer as a quick intro. Then a few of us girls walked a few blocks to a small little food shop to get some noodles and get to know each other.

Now retiring early... if you get this, feel free to pray jet lag doesn't get me these next few days. It would be super helpful NOT being delusional at any point of this trip in order to stay pumped!

We'll be running around the city tomorrow it sounds like, so excited to share more to come.
As of now we have internet at this base, but unsure what it'll look like in the next few weeks, so... I will try to keep updated for the time being.

Love you all...and good morning in the states! ;)

Here's a picture Yonnie took of the place we are staying if you'd like to see: