Hi friends and family! Blog post comin' at ya from the “Fab 5” sweatiest girlies in all of suburban Bangkok.
Reflections from this Week
Audrey: One of the most difficult parts of this ministry is the outreach at the bar. Last week consisted of lots of walking through streets praying for everything and everyone we saw in what feels like the darkest corner of the world. When we go into the bars, we sit in a booth and a woman walks over for each of us to talk to. We buy her a drink (soda or orange juice) and our main goal is to build a friendship. We want to smile with them and show them that they are welcome here and in the kingdom and that there is no shame or judgement coming from us. Thai women are not allowed alone in the bar because bouncers worry that they will try and steal men, or try and make the women leave with them. We help Thom, our host, get into the doors of the bar so that she can help the women make the real transition from bar life to a new life. This week there was a little girl about 1 or 2 years old (probably one of their daughters) waddling down the seats of the bar, right next to all the women dancing on poles. I had to look away immediately to keep from breaking down. It breaks our hearts that this little girl may grow up thinking that this is normal, or that this is how men are supposed to treat women. This week felt like our hearts were breaking as the Lord’s heart breaks. At Samaritan Creations, we have been spending a lot of time with the children of the women, and I know that my heart is growing so much fonder towards kids, which made this even more heartbreaking. We eventually get asked to leave the bar after a certain amount of time to make room for men that will actually request service from the women. This week we talked to the same women as last week and were able to get some of their Facebook information and will hopefully be able to build relationships outside of the bar as well. God is moving in these streets and in the hearts of these women in ways that we cannot see, but have to trust and have faith that this is true.
Natalie: It has been so beautiful to witness how Emily is using her talent of watercolor painting to serve the women at Samaritan Creations. Em has made it her project to paint an individual portrait of each woman. She carefully plans every painting with special details unique to each of our friends. Upon receiving their portrait, the women are filled with joy. Many of them are single moms, working hard to raise their kids. They are all working through rebuilding their confidence after being in the destructive environment of bar work. Knowing that someone truly sees them and thinks they are beautiful is so impactful. Em shared with our team that awhile back, she prayed that God would help her use her talent of art for his kingdom. She forgot her prayer until God answered it on this trip. His faithfulness is so beautiful!
Makenna: One of our highlights this week was swimming with some of the women and their kiddos on Thursday. We loved seeing their joyfulness and laughing alongside them at a local pool. Being with them in their element outside of the Samaritan Creations house was amazing as well. Even though we got wiped out from all of the games and Audrey’s toe cut open, it was wonderful! Also, swimming with the women right before doing the outreach bar ministry reminded us that there is always hope even in the darkest of circumstances. Witnessing God’s redemption in these women is something to keep us going even through the seemingly hopeless parts.
Em: This past week it has been really wonderful to see the creative side of everyone at Samaritan Creations. I’ve been painting alongside Ying and it’s been so incredible to share one of my favorite hobbies. Not to mention, she’s extremely artistic and talented. There has been a lot of joy in creating artwork together! The later half of the week we began making cards as a large group and learning to paint new things with watercolor. Its been amazing to see how God moves through creative work as well as the relaxation and healing it brings!
What Have We Learned from Samaritan Creations?
Natalie: Since working at Samaritan Creations, God has been teaching me how to empathize with his creation. I feel so joyful every day I work with the women—laughing about every little thing, playing with the kids, and observing Thom and Pastor Gong’s wise leadership. But I also feel so much sorrow about the immense evil of the sex trade. It can be overwhelming thinking about how many women still need a way out. I think that uniting these two emotions is hope— that the women at Samaritan Creations would know God more and more deeply, and that God will use his servants to work miracles in the bars. A verse that has been encouraging to our team is Habakkuk 1:5, “Look at the nations and and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”
Yuliya: I’ve learned so much, but the biggest lesson is about patience. Not only does bar ministry require patience when talking to the woman (and Samaritan Creations does it for years sometimes before a woman gets rescued), but that reflects the patience and grace God has for us. I’ve also observed how my loving the women are here and how they all try supporting each other with grace. The love of God is so visible in this organization and the people in it. Despite a language barrier, God’s love can be felt in how we are treated and what we observe every day. I’m thankful that God is allowing us to have this experience and enter into the lives of these women for such a short period of time.
Makenna: These past two weeks have been such a blessing to me. I have learned how to be joyful in dark places from Thom. Thom has also taught me more about being a servant leader. The way she loves on the women here is incredible. I have gotten to spend great quality time with a few of the women as well and have heard some of their stories. Samaritan Creations is doing life changing work and it is a privilege to be in the same room as these women and learn so much from them. They have perseverance and hope from Jesus which is teaching me to lean more on him and see the best in people always.
Emily: Something I’ve learned from being at Samaritan Creations, is how universal the Joy of God and worship goes. I’ve seen how much hope is present and how much healing God brings to people and how his love transcends language barriers. I’ve also seen how creativity and artistic expression can be used for Gods kingdom as well as being healing experience.
Audrey: I feel like I have learned so much from every woman we have interacted with. Specifically, Thom amazes me everyday with her selflessness and the way she puts the women first despite sickness and fatigue. The women have this unique, childlike joy and faith that is unmatched and contagious. It blows me away that these women have gone through so much, yet are so happy and loving and inviting to us strangers. They have welcomed us with open arms and our friendships are so special despite language barriers. It’s been amazing to help in any way we can to make it easier for these women to learn more about the Lord, even if that just means playing with their kids in a separate room so that they can work in peace and quiet.
Prayer Requests
Yuliya: Like most of Thailand, the Cambodian children that we have been serving in the slums come from Buddhist families. We pray that they would be the light of Jesus to those around them and that God would move through them.
Audrey: I would love prayers for us to have eyes to see, and ears to hear how God is moving and speaking even in what seems like the darkest corner of the world. Prayers that the Lord can speak through us in every interaction and show these women how good our God is even without explicitly saying it.
Natalie: Please pray for our health, that we would have strength and perseverance to love others well this upcoming week.
“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5
