hopeful

I don’t think that most YWAM outreach budgets include drinks at the bar. Ours does. (Don’t worry…they are all non-alcoholic beverages.) J

A few nights a week, our team has been heading out to the bars in the Kata area of Phuket. We split up into three groups – my group includes Marissa, Abbie, and myself. From there, we pray and see which bar God leads us to. We have been building relationships with the girls that work in the bars and have made some good connections already.

But it is also hard work and we are tired. Yesterday my group headed down to Kata early because we had two appointments to meet up with girls that we had met in the bars. They both fell through. We couldn’t get ahold of one woman and the other told us that her friend had been in a motorbike accident so she had to go to the hospital. I don’t know if she was telling the truth or not. Either way, it’s clear that the devil does not give up ground easily.

So we pray. We pray and we keep going and meeting women in the bars. We were all exhausted after being in Kata all afternoon and evening and none of us felt like going out into the bars. But just before we headed out, Marissa was praying and God reminded her of how He sent us halfway around the world for a purpose. She gave us a great inspirational speech and after that we were ready to go! And it was an amazing night! At one bar, we met two women and had a great conversation with them. They told us that they had seen us earlier walking around and had noticed us. We looked different, they told us, we weren’t dressed like most tourists (I guess dressing modestly pays off). We liked you when we saw you, they told us, we like you girls! It was so encouraging to see how God had worked it out so that we could meet these women. He led us to a bar where there were two women who had noticed us earlier and seen something different in us. We got their phone number and are hoping to hang out with them soon.

God is pursuing these women. He is passionate about them and loves them deeply. He longs for them to know Him. And so do we. Our hearts break when we watch a tourist paw one of the women that we have been talking to or walk away with them. We want more for them. We long for the restoration of their lives. I don’t believe these girls want this kind of life for themselves. I doubt that any of them grew up with the aspiration or dream of being a prostitute. But there are few opportunities for well-paying jobs and these women bear the responsibility of supporting their families. They see no other option for themselves.

Some still dream of other jobs and opportunites. One woman would like to open up a laundry business. Another wants to start up a salon. But many don’t see these dreams as really possible because of the high costs involved. Over time, their hopes and dreams die. So we hope for them…we dream of greater things for them. They could work in hotels. They could start up their own businesses. They could go to university. They could gain new skills like baking and making jewellery. They could take these skills and go back to their families. They could take care of their own children, instead of being forced by circumstances to leave them in the care of family.

We believe that God can transform Phuket. We have great hope because we serve a great God.

“The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27)

Our team before heading out to the bars

Beautiful beach in Phuket

A visit from our school leader Jon (and Sean came for one night too)!