Trafficking Across the Plains

Exactly one year ago, we sat with a group of potential missionary candidates in the basement of a beautiful home off Sunset Blvd in LA. It was a time of equipping, exploring, and encouraging each other. Our home church had sent us out for the training through Foursquare Missions International. We met some incredible people, those who were willing to lay aside everything, to follow God's call. It was truly inspiring. 

While we were there, we were asked to share about our vision for missions. Human trafficking, the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, was the overwhelming problem that weighed on our hearts. The fact that there are more slaves now than at any other time in human history, calls for action. We shared how God had put a burden on our heart for the men, women and children in Thailand, and specifically how we envisioned God redeeming their lives through prayer, the arts, and true community through family. Each time we refined and shared it, there was something that begged to be heard. At night we would lay in bed wrestling with what this Voice was saying to us. Somehow, although Thailand was so heavy on our hearts, there was a greater call, inviting us to look in our own backyard. Really, Kansas, God?! 

Kansas, and Wichita, Kansas specifically, has been identified as the 5th largest originating city. What this means is that pimps and traffickers come looking here, to lure boys and girls who are the average age of 12-14 years, making promises only to turn and sexually exploit them. Often, when we hear the word trafficking, we have pictures in our minds of internationals, bound and drug across borders. This is true. However, the misconception that we are exempt from this lucrative business is deceptive. When you place words like runaway, escort services, strip clubs, pornography, and the like, it brings it closer to home. Prostitutes are trafficked because trafficking includes force, fraud, or coercion. In a city where there are  drugs there is money and often the sale of sexual services so the demand can be satisfied. Some would argue that those who prostitute wants this, that somehow it is to satisfy her own "needs". But how much was this a "choice"? Where abuse and fraud have been all they have known, this "choice" may appear to be the best option in sight. Let's ask this, "What has led them to this point, to this decision?" The answer often less about "choice" and more often about "survival". Trafficking has never been simply an international issue. Today we need to look in our own backyards, our own streets and schools. Who may be at risk today? 

One Night

It is nights like tonight that stir a passionate fire inside of me. I want people in the western world to see, to see what happens here on the streets of Bangkok. Do you want to join me? Do you want to see?

Outreach evenings always start with prayer. Our team meets at our offices to share about the current events our organization is facing, to talk about, strategize but most importantly pray. We realize that going out into the red light district is no easy assignment. The darkness is prowling all around so we, not out of fear, but out of discernment, call out to God for His protection. We pray that God would thwart the plans of the enemy, that He would open our eyes, make us aware of situations; that He would lead us to the women and children who are most desperate, who need that touch, a kind word, hope, freedom. After prayer we go to a local hotel and eat. This is a time to just enjoy each other's company, tell stories from our past week, laugh together, get our tummies filled and watch. We notice the women sitting just a few feet away, putting on more makeup, eating, engaging with a passing man who shows an interest in them. We watch the men come in and comment as they often pass our table, seeing who he wants to take out for the night.

Leaving the hotel restaurant, we make our way toward the red light district. Passing some beggers on the way we enter the plaza where all the Thai Go-Go, Beer and Show bars are. The bar we went into was filled with women...wait, actually it took me a little while but then I realized that most of them were lady-boys. Seeing this made my heart very sad as I thought about how Thailand is loosing it's men. They see becoming a woman as more attractive, more fulfilling, safer and are exchanging their identity by the hundreds.

Then I noticed this girl among the lady-boys who was dancing...after she got down from the stage I motioned for her to come over. As soon as she sat down I noticed the tattoo of her name on her right shoulder. "I haven't seen you in a long time!" she said. "I recognized you." Sure enough, we had met before! We exchanged small talk. I found out she has been working there off and on for 2 years. She is going home next month, hopefully to stay there and help her family by selling things. She has three younger siblings, one married, the rest in school. At the end, before she went back to dance, I gave her my phone number and offered, if she wanted, that we could meet up for dinner before she works some night. I am praying she calls.

After leaving the bar, our team went down to speak to some of the street walkers. Women from Central Asia, Africa. They are so beautiful and yet so controlled by the dream of making money or the manipulation of those who brought them here. Rarely do they not know what they have come to Bangkok to do. However, the reality of it once they get here, begins to take a toll on some, throwing them into silent desperation or hardening their hearts as they accustom themselves to the life they live.

And then there are the children from Thailand's surrounding countries, who run down the streets carrying roses, or baskets of gum to sell for near 75 cents. And then there are the mothers, with their babies wrapped up on their laps, begging for money, the men who stand and watch, we are not sure if they are just observing or keeping an eye out. So many relationships, so much need.

As I come home tonight there is a burden on my heart. A burden for the western world to see, to see that there is a world of people who are desperate to be loved. These women, men, and children are living lives that are ruining their hearts and future. But who is going to come and help them, give them a loving touch, continue to visit them, show them a way out? This is what is burning on my heart. I want to see a movement of love that reaches here to Asia. To see more people who will follow the call to go. Who will get involved? Who will pray? How about you? What will you do?

These children know freedom

Party in the Park!!--February 5th, 2011

Never have I experienced anything like this before! In an area surrounded by idol worship, comes an opportunity to love the most broken. This part of Bangkok known for its cheap services, poverty and homelessness is one of Jesus’ most favorite places. How do I know that? Well, because He showed up to our party. It all started when some people who wanted to see Jesus touch Thailand, had an idea to have a block party. The week the party was to take place, the missionaries who were coordinating this event were put in touch with a “grandfather” of the community, a man who was like a party guru, all kinds of parties and events in this part of the town were hosted by him. Soon, after they spoke with him, he had changed the location, taken care of food and even said that he was going to print out 200 of his own flyers and hand them out! To me, this sounded like something similar to the story of  Zaccheaus or a tax collector or one of the many people that Jesus chose to hang out with while he was on earth. Our team, most of whom were from Iris Ministries, planned games, a skit, and brought supplies to have a dream interpretation, healing, prophesy and picture booth. As it turns out, these booths actually were not really booths but just people sitting out on prayer mats. These mats would easily be found in one of the temples. make sense. After just sitting there with him, and speaking love into his life, he let us pray for him.

Meanwhile, as we were talking with him, there was a lot of activity going on on the prayer mats. The Iris Ministries team, Thai Christians were praying for people and people were getting healed!!! I’m talking about, the deaf hearing, cronic pain leaving, knees being restored!! Yup…pretty amazing! One of my friends gave testimony that one of the deaf people they had been praying for said that he could feel this warmth like fire rising from his stomach to his head, to his ears and then they popped! Nothing is impossible with God, not yesterday, today or in the future! I just received word that everyone who received prayer is still testifying to their healing! That night when I got home and was going to sleep, I suddenly was like, “What a minute, what the heck happened today?!” My faith was built as I saw Jesus answer as His children stepped out to love. It really is simple. Jesus said…

“Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14

Now Iven and Kashmira who are missionaries there have started a cell group on Monday nights to welcome anyone who wants to come. Their mission is to love, to love the most broken. That is Jesus heart. And I am inspired to have the same.

Sunday Afternoon

I got to church today and was met by near 15 children! I could hardly believe it! Just this past week I had spoken with Pon about how I wanted to teach the children on Sunday afternoons and here they were! It was crazy. As I am walking downstairs followed by a bunch of laughing kids, I prayed, "God, help me to be able to communicate in Thai!" One of the mothers was there and she had all the kids sit down together in a circle on the ground. I got out the Bible story book and started telling them about John who baptized Jesus, of how the Holy Spirit came down upon Him and of how God's voice was heard from heaven. Today we reviewed the three voices that we can hear, God's, Satan's and our own. Some of the older kids were distracted but most of the children followed and understood what I was telling them. The kids then drew pictures of either God's voice or the Holy Spirit which is like, rain, wind, water and some of the kids drew pictures of God speaking to them. Then I passed out some instruments and we all danced around while listening to "Supernatural" and then "Be Still" in Thai which definitely helped to calm everyone down. The kids loved the music shakers and little tambourine. This all lasted for about an hour and then they all went outside to play. Here are some pictures from this afternoon. They took many of them themselves. :) Please be praying for these children. Many of them come from buddhist families where most likely one of their parents is a Christian. Pray that the Holy Spirit stirs inside of them a hunger to know God and that they personally encounter Jesus in a real way. Pray that God would raise these children up to be the future leaders and revolutionaries of their nation. Pray also for me, that God would give me creative ideas in knowing how to communicate truth and an ability to understand the children when they speak to me. Thank you so much!

Is It Worth It?

Tonight I have been thinking about love verses exploitation. As I walk into the horseshoe plaza and sit on a coushioned bench in a windowless room, with women, holding onto a pole and dancing in front of me, I think, and feel so many things. When I have a girl sitting beside me, who seems more interested in getting a customer that night than talking with me, and yet in her eyes is something, a hidden longing for something more, and a little girl then throws herself into my arms, I catch a glimpse of why I am there. When I get a text message from a girl whose family expects her to pay off their debt because she is their daughter, and not only to pay off their family debt but the motorcycles her uncle bought and then to pay for her baby's formula, and in her text she says she cries every night but she doesn't see how she can leave this job and make the same amount of money, I wonder what hope there is. When I unexpectedly meet a girl on the streets who only a month ago looked like a little girl and now is dressed all up, wanting to meet just the perfect man, I think of my little sister and feel this ache, this longing, when, when will they see? When will they see that there is so much more to life than money? When will the economic structure of Thailand shift so that families no longer pressure their daughter to go to the city and then justify their work because of the money she can send home? When will bars where it seems Satan is getting the upper hand at exploiting God's most beautiful creation, stop being frequented by men from around the globe? When will the women really value themselves for who they are?

As I sit in a bar, talk with a girl on the street, I sometimes wonder if it is worth it. It hurts. It hurts to get close, to embrace and then to see them continuing down the same destructive path. But when a woman, I met in the bar only once, calls me and tells me that she wants to learn to speak English, she wants to take me and my friend to see the city of over 400 ruined wats and then she comes to our Christmas party and says to me, "I see that Christians think..." and "I want to become Christian too..." I see that somehow it is worth it. As I think about the thousands of women who are prostituting here in Thailand and it seems overwhelming, I have to focus on love. I want the world to know, to see, to realize that in the midst of darkness, in the midst of situations that seem hopeless, there is a God who loves and sees and He sets up divine encounters so that one by one, people can encounter Him.

Honestly, the only way that we who are a part of the ministry in Thailand can keep going into those bars, can keep meeting those girls time and time again, is because of love. It is because as we have those encounters on the streets or in the bar and are able to exchange even just a look, heaven just touched earth. I think that sometimes we as Christians don't realize the power and love that we carry. Our lense is too narrow. God is a God of the impossible. Each time I meet a girl, I see it as a gift. Knowing a girl's name, getting to talk with her, put an arm around her, look into her eyes and know that the God of the universe sees her, that is a beautiful thing. When I start to question and feel overwhelmed, instead of looking through the lense of the world that says this is the way it is and will always be, I look up and see that God is holding keys of freedom and He is passing them out. As we are talking, the words that we say to someone, may be the very key that God uses to bring them out of darkness. Sometimes we may not see how the key is used, but it is His business, to set the captives free. Will you join in being a part of this? In being a part of the revolution of God's love? Of His love even in the darkness, even when things seem hopeless and the world gets tired of hearing and seeing the needs, will you still let love carry you and move you to action? Will you be a part of seeing the revolution of love overcome the exploits of darkness, will you carry keys to the captives? Will you let heaven touch earth through you?

Childlike Faith

Thursday night this past week, I couldn't go to sleep. I was listening to Hometown Glory by Adele, just love the raw richness of this song. I took my computer and started writing...what came were lessons, truths that God was putting on my heart to impart to the kids here in Thailand before I leave to visit the states. When I finally fell asleep near 3am, my spirit felt full and refreshed. Then Sunday came. One of my Thai friends had asked me to be a part of the worship team for church. As I looked out over the group that had gathered, I saw that there were many children who had come, several I had never met before. I was really excited when I saw my friend Uh Oh, who is Thai, walk into the room. She had been a translator when a team from Bethel church in Redding and Expression 58 in LA had come to do a week of teaching with our children. Today was the first day that I had seen her since then.

When worship was over and the kids were dismissed...I was even more happy that she came to join us. Today, I really wanted the kids to realize how many God's thoughts are for them, more than the grains of sand, we can't even count them. Uh Oh helped translate and when we talked about how our hearts get dirty and how Jesus wants to clean them and fill them with good things, we had the kids lay on the ground and ask Jesus what He wanted to put in their hearts; what He sees when He looks at them. One of the boys, who is 5 said that he saw a black heart. Then he asked Jesus to clean it. As Uh Oh prayed with him, he said that he saw a sun. One of the girls who is near 10 was having a hard time listening and seeing but when I asked her to picture a garden and where she was in the garden and she saw also Jesus giving her a gift. We all got out paints, and the kids got to paint what Jesus had shown them. The five year old boy randomly started painting and on the top wrote S...H...I...N ...Uh Oh finished with an E at the end, SHINE...which fit in beautifully with the sun he had seen earlier. A father, who had brought his two young children, sat there painting with them, water, a wale while his oldest son painted white covered mountains.

When our time was finished, we all went downstairs to the main worship room. Entering, I saw that there were several people up front who were receiving prayer. Soon I realized that this father's, wife was there as well and she was experiencing a lot of turmoil and was wailing. Their youngest child, a little girl asked, "How is my mom?." I was a little concerned about her being there, but she didn't want to leave. A group of women who are experienced in ministering in the area of deliverance prayer, were there with her. The father lovingly had his hand on his wife and was interceding for her as well. After a short time, the ministry team had her sit up, and the woman started throwing up as the evil that had been tormenting her, physically left her body. Then she became quite again as the Holy Spirit enveloped her with His love. It was one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen before. The team spoke lovingly to the little girl, explaining to her that her mom loves Jesus so much and that no bad things can live with her so they have to leave because she is a daughter of God. When it was all over, the little girl There was something special about the whole family being there to see their mom set free.

God really is in the process of making all things new! I love what He is doing right now and that I have the opportunity to be a part of loving the people of Thailand. I can't even describe how much joy it brings me to see children grasping truths of who Jesus is to them. It makes me want to jump around and dance for joy! And actually, I got to do that today...but that's another story :).

(Art is done by children)

(angel warrior)

Freedom

I have been thinking about children. Many times they can be overlooked, disregarded and dismissed but I believe that inside of each one is a key, a key of freedom. Though they are young, in God's eyes they are the future and destiny of the nation to which they belong. They are future mothers, fathers, pastors, doctors, teachers and world changers. The heart of the Father in heaven beats with undying love for the least in a land, they are His treasures. But how many times have these treasures been treated like clay pots? How many times have we shut out the voices of the children, thinking they are annoying or unimportant? Jesus said, it is to them that the Kingdom of heaven belongs. When we silence their voices, push them away, we are quenching the very breath of God. I can not even begin to describe the depths of love Poppa God has for children. His heart burns with justice and compassion for the one who knows the fear of death, of abandonment, of rejection and of physical harm. Throughout heaven a voice cries out. Can you hear that cry? He is in their song, in their questions, in their exploration of life, in their tears, in their smile, in their dance. Freedom. A child speaks of freedom.

If you will stop and watch a child, if you will get close enough to let them influence you, you will start to feel something being unlocked inside. That is when the Sprit of God has come. How many of you know that children can and do see angels, that with their gentle touch and simple prayer of faith, healing can come? So many of us have not known real love and often this makes us afraid and uncomfortable to get close to children because something feels amiss inside. When we havn't felt delighted in, it is hard to delight in another. When we are afraid of failure we will be uncomfortable with the freedom to fail a child realizes. If all we have known is someone making choices for us or we have made choices out of fear, we will cultivate an atmosphere of control that sufficates the spirit of freedom inside a child. Even in church we try to contain our children, keep them from disrupting our services, no wonder we can not figure out where the freedom has gone.

Jesus said that a child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. How bad do we want it? It is a risk...to live like a child...to trust, to dance and not care what anyone thinks. But if we will stop and ask God to make us like children, we will discover that the same key of freedom they carry is inside us as well.