Thoughts on the Beach

The other day I was at the beach in Pattaya with Pin and Pu (having a yummy papaya salad picnic). I saw a man moving across the sand on his belly, using his arms to push him. At first, I was confused as to why he was doing this. Then I noticed that he only had one leg. This got me thinking how sometimes we may see someone do something that seems unwise, crazy, weird, or even sinful. There may, however, be a justifiable reason for their choices. There may be something underneath the surface that is causing them to act this way. It is not our job to judge, especially when we don’t know the whole story. It is our job to show them love, to find out the reasons behind their behavior, and to help them make choices that will better their lives and ultimately lead them to Jesus.

At the same beach, I also saw many girls who were prostituting themselves. Yes, for many of them, this may be a “choice”. They may have made a conscious decision to sell their bodies for money. There may, however, be legitimate reasons that are driving them to make this choice. Maybe they have no other options for an income. Maybe they are seeking love that they have never received in their lives. Maybe they feel so broken that they don’t have any hope of earning an income with dignity. It is not my job to judge. Judging doesn’t help anyone. It is my job to love them. It is my job to help them make decisions that will not hurt themselves physically and emotionally. I don’t know what that looks like when I live in the United States, where I don’t come into contact with prostitutes on a daily basis. I know that it means to pray. I know that it means to give money to organizations that help rescue and redeem former prostitutes and victims of sex trafficking. I know that more needs to be done, and I want to be a part of that. 

Week 2

This is my second week here and I feel good about getting in the swing of things.

On Tuesday, we went to the slum, but we were only there for about 30 minutes. (I had a lot of fun with the kids in those 30 minutes and was sad to go.) So, we gave them their chicken and milk that they get every week for a snack, and we were on our way.

On Wednesday, we went to the next slum, and this week, we split up the older kids and younger kids. Jiap and Pin taught the older kids about dealing with stress in different ways. They asked them to share some of the things that they struggle with. Jiap said that a couple of kids shared, but not many. Angela, Jacie, and I taught the little kids about Joshua and the battle of Jericho. We told the story with puppets, and they got to act out the story with musical instruments. The kids had fun! =)

On Wednesday night, I got to meet with Pu, the Thai girl who I wrote about on my last email. She wants to learn English and she would love to go to America some time in the future and learn more about God there. Pu's mom is in the hospital right now in the home town where she is from in northern Thailand. She has a heart problem and has been in and out of the hospital a lot. Pu sends all of her money to help support her. Please pray for Pu, that she will continue to trust that God would provide. Pray for her mom to be healed as well.

On Thursday, we went to our final slum, which is also the biggest. We did the same program as we did on Wednesday and the kids loved it. Before going to the slum, Bo and Bell came to the center, and Jacie and I played a game with them. Angela talked to Bo while we were there, and apparently, Bo left the guy that she was dating because he hit her. Her mom and her filed police charges against him. Bo is now living back with her parents. Please pray for Bo. She has a lot of hurt in her heart and is seeking love in the wrong places. Pray for her to make wise decisions and find healing in the love of Christ. I also found out that Nan, the other teenager who I have talked about, ran away from home with her boyfriend again. Her mom wanted her to go back to school and she didn't want the boyfriend living with them. Nan is back home now, but continue to pray for her. She doesn't want to go to school and she wants to continue to be with her boyfriend. Pray for her to make wise decisions as well. Pray for her heart to seek God's love and not the love of a boyfriend.

On Friday, Pin, Aom, Jacie, and I went to the English club at the public school. About 10 kids came, and we taught them about gentleness. Pray for more kids to come and for us to be able to share Jesus' love with them (even if we can't talk directly about Jesus). Also on Friday, a YWAM team from the US arrived and will be here for 2 weeks. There are 7 women ranging in ages from 17 to 28 and one man, who is married to one of the women. On Friday night, I got to have dinner with Pu and teach her some more English. She is so excited to learn English and is so excited about her relationship with Jesus. It's really beautiful to see, and I am happy to be her friend here.

Saturday was youth club at PSM. We took the kids to taekwondo and then came back to the center. Jacie taught an English lesson and the YWAM team told the Max Lucado story, "You are Special", which is about finding your identity in Christ. We also played games and made a photo frame with beads. It was a fun day! Pray for these kids to know Christ more and find their identity in his love. Also pray for Bo, who came for the whole day on Saturday. She looked sad and withdrawn most of the day.

Today, I'm looking forward to going to church and just relaxing. Tomorrow I start my scuba diving class with a pool dive. Next week, I'll dive in the ocean, and I am excited!

Pray for another week of PSM activities, for the kids and adults in the slums to know Jesus and make him real in their lives.
Praise God for how well life has been going for me here. I am enjoying my time with the kids and have been healthy and safe.

Loving your Enemies

In Pattaya, I find it easy to have compassion for the children living in the slums. I find it easy to have compassion for the prostitutes I see. Since I've been here, they have been on the forefront of my mind for prayer. It's easy to remember them in my prayers when I see it everyday. This is something I want to continue when I'm home.

I have a really hard time, however, having compassion for the 'farang' (foreign) men I see, who are here to take advantage of the multitude of prostitutes in this city. Pictures like this, I see all the time.

When I see the farang men here with Thai women and girls here, it makes me sick. When I hear men talking about how "nothing changes in Pattaya, and that's a good thing", it makes me angry. I know that it makes God angry too, but I also know that God asks us to love our enemies and pray for them. 

In one of my favorite passages, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us in Matthew 5,
"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven."

I know that these men are in need of prayer. They are broken and in need of God's love and restoration like anyone else. In praying for justice to be done, I need to pray for those inflicting the injustices as well as those who are subjected to the injustice. 

This is hard. I am praying for God to show me more about how I am to respond to this. 

PSM Ministry Update

Check out Pattaya Slum's latest ministry update!

Saturday Youth Club

On Saturdays, PSM takes the kids to taekwondo class. This is Mu. 

Anne and Cream doing some karate kicks.

Tang taught me how to make a paper heart. 

I love, love, love this picture. This is what PSM is doing. 

I got my hair done by Gawte

And I was feeling a little sick, but Doctor Gawte fixed me up. 

All better. =)

A roi = delicious

This is a meal I eat a lot. 

Som Tom Thai Phet Mak (very spicy papaya salad). 

Yum. 

Island Fun

This is Pattaya. 

 These are the girls that took a trip to Ko Larn: me, Jacie, Pu, and Pin.

We took a 30-minute ferry ride to the island.

This is Ko Larn. 

Beautiful. 

Our awesome lunch provided by Pu. 

This is Thailand. My life is rough, huh? 

On our way back from Ko Larn. 

I love it.