Calling ALL Men!

Hey MEN! Yes... you! I'm calling out to YOU! I am calling out to you to tell you that YOU were called to GREATNESS! You were designed to protect, provide, defend, and be strong.


One of the things that fascinates me the most about the sex industry is how contradictory it is to what really brings happiness, wholeness, and joy. The sex industry says, "Hey, sex is fun, it feels good, so why not do it? Who cares who you do it with? As long as it's consensual, no harm, no foul." It teaches you that looking at porn is harmless. It's just you in your room watching something on your computer...you know... doing your thing. Here comes the buzz kill: It does do harm and it won't bring your lasting joy.


I'm not even going to talk about this on the woman's (or supply's) side. I want to talk about the demand side: The men.


The men who come to Pattaya to take out a bar girl start to all look the same after a while. They all seem to be in the same latter years of their lives (between 50 and 80 years old). Many of them have been married before, have families, daughters, sons, even grand kids. They often walk around without a shirt on despite their giant pot-bellies and carpet on their chest. In my experience, they have been rude and ungentlemanly (not holding doors, getting up from their seat on the song teaw when an older woman gets on, not making apologies for knocking someone while walking, etc.). They are misfits. They are the kind of men who wouldn't get very far with any other self-respecting woman from their own country. They have been rejected, unloved, and emasculated by life's challenges. They are far from champions.


They come to Pattaya in search of one thing, but really it masquerades as something else. They come for sex, but what they really want is love, affirmation, something REAL. They will, of course, deny all of this saying that they want something easy and uncomplicated, but think about this: What kind of an ego blow is it to have to PAY for sex or a girlfriend? Talk about settling. These guys come to basically settle for something that has the facade of the "real thing" but is so far from it that they have to pay for it to continue.


Now, onto the porn. It's known that many of the women in armature pornographic images and videos are trafficked. They are moved around so fast that no one can tell if something is wrong or not. As spoken about in the video below... well... watch the video:



Jacob's Story from Unearthed on Vimeo.




Here is the point of this all: The demand is the biggest part of the problem. It's time to stop beating around the bush and take some responsibility. Every time you brush off this responsibility, you become less of a man. My blog. My opinion. Man up!! Do something about this. Stop the demand!

I have more to say on this subject so: TO BE CONTINUED...

Pattaya from a Christian Man's Initial Perspective

This past week, I had the pleasure of meeting Josh Davis who is on a fact-finding mission in South East Asia in search of organizations and individuals making a difference to those who are trafficked and abused. He is an Australian who will shortly return home and tell his community about his findings. He also has a blog and wrote a special blog specifically about his time in Pattaya. I would like to share what he wrote on his blog (http://joshtbk.wordpress.com) about this city that has captured my heart.

Here is what he wrote:

Pattaya – sorry it’s a bit long.. I get passionate. (not really that sorry)


Entering the city of Pattaya, I knew I was heading to a dark part of Thailand. (if any if you have seen Furious Love’, you may be familiar with it.


Notorious for being both the sex tourism capital but also the pedophile central of the globe.


You can smell the darkness in the atmosphere. It’s disgusting.


My bus driver on the way, was wearing a shirt that said,


“Good men go to Heaven;


Bad men go to Pattaya!”


When I asked him about the sex trade in Pattaya he smiled and said, “Pattaya is not a city with a red light district, Pattaya is a red light district with a city”


Neon lights flood this city. “Live sex shows” “50 beautiful girls and 2 ugly ones” “horny girls” “men’s fantasy lounge” “no rules bar” “devils playground” and at the start of walking street is a big red neon picture of the devils face saying “Lucifers world”

You cannot walk down the road after dusk without different propositions less then every 30seconds. Blinded by the neon lights that attempt to entice you in like a mosquito to a bug zapper.

Open wall bars and clubs where you can see the girls lined up, ready to choose from the menu.

Often when there is nobody to watch the children at night, they will follow mummy into the bars, follow her when she has to see clients and work.. This gets me furious. Having a child vulnerable and exposed to such things at a young age.

In fact, one bar I was walking past had a young girl, possibly 6-9yrs of age, pretending to dance on the pole with all the ladies laughing her on in encouragement. That’s ridiculous!


As the bus drivers said to me on the drive in, Pattaya is the devils playground. And after seeing walking street, I agree with him.


It is by far the most disturbing thing I have ever seen. Bars, strip clubs, nightclubs lining the streets with thousands upon thousands of girl, boys and of coarse an abundance of ladyboys ready for sale like a commodity.


I had been told that the Russian mob had a heavy hand on the sex trade in Pattaya, but I was quite shocked to see thousands of European girls, beautiful girls, listening to their accents, I recognized Serbian, Polish, German and Russian amongst the rest. You cannot argue that any of these girls ‘voluntarily’ entered the sex trade in Pattaya, Thailand. They were trafficked, and judging by the fact that there were many Russian thugs keeping watch from the front of the bars, I believe they are either kidnapped or held at ransom.


Walking down that street was…something else.. I’ve never seen such darkness in one place as I did there. With each step, I felt more and more heaviness laying on my chest. At points, it is even hard for me to physically breathe, you can smell it.. I felt physically sick.


And the men, they are the type of guy, that at a bar, no girl would want to look at them, yet alone sleep with them. So they come to Pattaya, a place where they can live like kings and bring to life their wildest fantasies. And these men, they come from all over the world, and flood to Pattaya.


It is hard to not look at them and want to act out some of that righteous anger. To confront them and give them a good old fashion smack-in-the-head until they get that it is wrong, but as I look at them, and look into their eyes, I’m starting to see, that they are broken people too.


Maybe they were never loved before, never validated as a man, possibly abused themselves, whatever it is, something has happened in their lives for them to get to the point of paying all this money to get on a plane, fly across the globe and come to Pattaya just so they can find a warped version of what they believe love to be. They are the prodigal son spoken about by in the parable. They too need love.


As horrible as most of Pattaya is, there is good there as well. I met with a few groups who are doing remarkable things in the fight against trafficking. A couple of groups who focus on the business factor, training up girls who want to leave the trade, help them write a business proposal and guide and mentor them as they commence setting UL a business.

I also met with a group who work with the children. Teir drop in centre is right in the middle of the area notorious for pedophilia. This group. Currently in the middle of construction to build this drop in centre, is to be the light in darkness. And as all of us know, when your in a dark room and light a match, however big or small that match may be, it will brighten the room. And the darkness is no more. That's what these guys are doing.


When I look out over Pattaya, I am reminded of Ezikiels prophesy in chapter 37. In the JTSV (Josh’s Translated Summary Version)


Ezekiel looked out over the valley and he saw a place full of death. He saw bones, no life was to be found. As he stood there watching, his Master commanded him to prophesy to the land, and to the bones and to call it to life, Ezekiel did and the bones started to form together, muscles and skin began to grow, Ezekiel prophesied breath and as he did, they came alive and stood before him as a mighty army.


As I look out over Pattaya, I see the same.. Death, no life in these people. But I speak life into them, life into the city of Pattaya and country of Thailand. A nation whom is called to be the ‘Land of Smiles’ and I speak out that the day will come when these people can smile as they will be free. I speak against the death in Pattaya and I bind it’s power and authority and I loosen the chains upon it’s people. I prophesy the breath of life!


On a lighter note, looking forward to home. Heading up north for a few days then home by Sunday. Keep me in your prayers as its said that the floods are quite bad up there, also I’ve been having trouble sleeping at night. Not cool..


Cannot wait to see you all. Keep Thailand in your prays as the floods are quite bad. 350+ lost their lives in the floods, millions upon millions of dollars damage in a nation already ridden with poverty. There have been several thousand crocodiles escape from the farms and are roaming the cities. So pray for protection to these people, that food and water will be available and that the people will turn to God for their help.

JD

How He Loves Us

Since being here, I've been reminded so many times that there is a tidal wave of Grace and Love available to each person here on this earth. You don't see genuine forms of love out on the streets of Pattaya too often, but it's there. Most of the "love" you see is predatory and aggressive entitlement to what some of these men think is theirs... but it's not theirs and it's not love.

One of the songs that has been marinading in my heart is "How He Loves Us" by the David Crowder Band. I randomly came across this video and was very impacted by it's message. Please take a look:

The Brainwashing Begins

Technically, I’m staying in a village in Khorat. The house I’m staying in is far nicer and more stylish than other houses (see previous post). During a relaxing morning, Poo and I took a stroll around the village. She was able to tell me that this village seemed a lot better than other villages, particularly her village. People seem happy, there are many brick houses, and people are friendly with each other. Of course, I’m thinking to myself, “How do people live like this?” but they do and they are happy. Unfortunately, the love of money and material goods has swept even this village.


As we were walking around we saw this group of women sitting under an overhang. Since I stick out like a sore thumb, the group of women asked Poo why I was here and where I was from. I don’t know when was the last time they saw some white girl just strolling around their village. They had a 3 month old baby (so stinking cute with her big cheeks) to whom I gave may complements and coos.

After I complemented their baby, the apparent mother looked at the baby and said, “Don’t you want a foreign boyfriend? You want a foreign boyfriend, don’t you.” If I had not had someone interpreting, I would have thought she was cooing to her baby as I was. Instead, the brainwashing begins. Never would I look at my little baby girl (if/when I have children) and say, “ohh don’t you want a rich boyfriend! You want a rich boyfriend someday, don’t you!” That’s basically what they are saying. They aren’t even brainwashing her to want a HUSBAND. Someone who will be committed to providing and protecting them. Someone they can count on in sickness and in health. No. They are being brainwashed to want a boyfriend. Someone who may or may not stick around, be faithful, or honest.


When I was a young child, I was rarely, if ever, told by my parents that I was “pretty”. They always told me how smart I was, how kind I am, or even how talented I am. I don’t ever remember hearing from my parents telling me that I had to get married or even have a boyfriend. I do, however, remember my parents telling me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. They told me that with an education, drive, and a dream, I could do ANYTHING. No boyfriend. No husband. No one else is holding me back from my success. This, I understand, is a very “American” mindset, but I believe this is a big part of who I am today. Don’t get me wrong, when my partner comes along (whoever he is), I’ll be thrilled, but until then I am okay. Being content in singleness is a gift. These girls who are brainwashed that they need a man to take care of them are robbed of fully understanding that gift. It’s wonderful to understand that you can go out and pursue God’s plan for your life without having to consider anyone else, not have your heart elsewhere, and being able to be fully present in your current location.


What do you all think? Would you tell your little one that someday, a foreigner white knight will come and sweep them off their feet? Maybe I’m just too idealistic…

The One Month Mark

I have been in Pattaya for one month. Four weeks ago, I got of the plane in Bangkok after over 24 hours of travel. I had just moved out of my apartment, distributed my things, said goodbye to my family and friends, and left the love of my life: My puppy dog Raleigh. I knew that I was supposed to come and that it was a giant leap of faith to get on that plane in Seattle. It didn't make it any less shocking, though. I've stepped foot into the Bangkok airport many times before, but this was my first time being completely alone (and with too many bags). There I was, about to step into this new adventure complete with it's ups and downs.

As expected, I've experienced a wide range of emotions since being here. I've been overwhelmed with excitement, homesick, sad, happy, doubtful, and proud. I have really good days and I have really bad days. There are days where I feel like I am right where I'm supposed to be and other days where I feel like it's impossible to get anything right. I am a loud woman with a huge personality, so that must often be suppressed in this very polite and quite country. Pattaya, however, offers a lot of grace due to the enormous volume of "farangs" (foreigners) here who are, well, even less aware than I am. The good news is that the food here is fantastic and fairly inexpensive. There is always that to count on.

It is often uncomfortably warm and I'm constantly reminded that I am a foreigner and will never be a native. This is difficult for me, because even in America, I feel like a foreigner. I never really feel like I fit into a particular geographical culture. I am German by blood, Californian by upbringing, Mexican by proximity (and food), Italian by extended family, Seattleite by the Lord's calling, and most importantly daddy's little girl to the God who created the universe. Where do I belong? The feeling of being the black sheep or even the ugly duckling comes up sometimes, but I remind myself that when you are following God's call, you shouldn't fit in with "the world".  Also, a wise woman once told me; "When you're dead you should stink. You're either dead to the world and alive in Christ or dead in spirit and alive in the world. Nowhere in the middle, but either way you will stink."  I guess this is all about my journey of learning my way as this "foreigner of the world". I used to think of myself as a citizen of the world (due to my trans-global travels), but since being here, I feel more like a foreigner than a citizen. Or maybe I'll feel this way until one day I find my place: my citio. I don't know, but I'll probably know if I get there. Until that happens, I'll be enjoying the ride. :)

One month down, unknown amount of months to go :)

Blessings by Short-Term Teams

I'm so happy and excited to welcome our first short-term mission team here in Pattaya. It's my first time showing the city around (to the best of my knowledge) and seeing it through brand-new eyes. I remember the first time I came here and how much emotion filled me as I watched injustice happen at almost every street corner. It's refreshing to see their reactions and also affirming that there is still so much work to be done here.

I'm exhausted from a full day around the city but I feel compelled to express the wonderful blessing that short-term teams can bring. They get the rare opportunity to serve the servant and affirm their journey. It's such a blessing to be around such supportive people. It lifts me up!

One of the things that I love most about short-term teams is that they are only here for a little while, but the memory of what goes on here is burned into their hearts forever. Once they see the state of the city, they will pray for God's Kingdom to come, on earth as it is in Heaven. They will pray for the servants and pray for divine appointments that will turn the city and it's people around. That is one more person who is praying for God to majorly claim the ground as His.

This last three weeks has been a roller coaster, but I feel so privileged to ride it because I know this is what the Lord has for me. It's a beautiful thing to see God's beautiful creation painted in front of you and you get the opportunity to connect the dots. What an HONOR! :)

The Best is Yet to Come

"Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not even believe even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5

The world is such a mess right now. Children orphaned by the largest pandemic to strike die from dirty water and malnutrition on one side of the world while the other is too caught up with "Keeping up with the Kardashians" to even notice. Even in the same western city, one family can have more than they could ever ask for while another struggles to even have food on the table once a day... if they even have a table. People are more concerned with the fluctuating stock market than a civil war that is forcing young children to be soldiers. The things that matter most aren't the issues making the daily headlines. Violence fills the streets, deception is in the darkness, and justice never seems to prevail. There is still hope in these dark places though. I believe in fighting for that beauty and loving those people who are hurt and destroyed back to life. It's becoming even more obvious as I'm here that Jesus really is the only answer to each of these problems. In the book of Habakkuk, this "minor" profit is complaining about the state of the world. Interestingly enough, the kind of world he is describing sounds awfully familiar and God's answer remains true today. He will perform works that we can not even imagine. All we are asked to do is be obedient to His will.

Before I left Seattle, I heard a beautiful quote:

"Where your talent and the world's need meet, there is your calling."

We are all asked to participate in His work. God could swoop down and make everything that is wrong right again, but he allows us to be apart of his work. He wants our participation. All it takes is our obedience.

Modern-Day Slavery: Thailand Update

Are you wondering what Pattaya really looks like? It's hard to picture thousands of girls living in sexual servitude, and to be honest, a video doesn't do it much justice either... but it's a start. Please see what most of my time goes toward and what I'm most passionate about.


Modern Day Slavery in Thailand from Global Breakthrough on Vimeo.

Slave labor still lives right next door

You might think that the Emancipation Proclamation ended the argument for human beings to be enslaved in the United States, but it's been going on in plain sight for years ever since. Human trafficking is a VERY profitable business, so profitable that many drug traffickers are switching over to human trafficking. Unlike drugs, humans are a reusable resource and can be sold many times over then thrown away.


A friend sent this news story to me that is sadly not shocking. A group of 20+ girls were flown from West Africa to Newark, New Jersey and promised an education, instead they were bound to modern day slavery. The truth is that slavery could be right before your eyes. I look back to my life growing up in Southern California where my parents hired landscapers from Mexico to care for our lawn. My mom always had kind conversations with the organizer and leader of the group. She gave them water, food, lemonade and tried to make their day as enjoyable as possible. It wasn't clear that these men were being held against their will and/or not given the money they deserved. Anything could have been possible (and I'm not even getting into the possibility that they emigrated themselves into the USA illegally on their own will). It irks me that there is a slight possibility those men might have been slave laborers. My family works hard to promote social justice and doing what's right, but if you don't know the right questions to ask, you cold be supporting slave labor without even knowing about it. Who knows if those men were trafficked and it's my prayer that they weren't, but the thought of it is disturbing.


Please watch this short video of slave labor in a hair salon in New Jersey. I guarantee it will make you think twice about who you are paying for services and if they are actually getting money from it or not.

Sex Slavery Lives in the Land of the Free

We generally don't like to think about the evils of the world... probably because it's uncomfortable and disturbing. I understand, but I also encourage you to look beyond your own comforts and realize that these terrible things like sex slavery happens in our own country with our own adult citizens exploiting own children. Turning a blind eye hasn't done anything to help this situation, but it has allowed the pimps to do their work under the cloak of darkness, shame, and pain. By not educating yourself on this, you're exacerbating the issue. I encourage you to look under that cloak and see the seedy underbelly of our failed social services, foster programs, poverty, and abuse. None of these issues will go away if we simply ignore them, but with some passion, education, and a spirit of hope, we can help change the way things are and improve the lives of thousands. It's a long and challenging road, but the way I see it is that there isn't any other road to travel. As long as a child is being manipulated, sexually abused, and robbed of their innocence, personal comfort shouldn't be your priority. These girls don't have the luxury of comfort or innocence because of their circumstance. I encourage you to FIGHT for them and say NO to crimes committed against them. This is a call to action. Be an advocate for the invisible, voiceless, and powerless.

Wenesday night in Pattaya

It was my final night of teaching (and I rocked it)! Yay! We wanted to go see our friends at the bar and invite them to Pattaya Praise tomorrow night. We are paying them to go (thank you for donating ministry money) and hopefully encouraging them to make a change in their life. We have a rehab set up for them, so we hope they will accept our help. Please keep us in your prayers.

Also we are going to an orphanage tomorrow... so I'm going to see how to adopt a little thai girl... for the future of course :) I just heard they are really hard to get, so I'd like to see how this might work. :)

I'll be posting some videos for our updates... stay tuned!!

Much love my friends! God is MOVING here!

Click here to view these pictures larger

Quick update

I'm so sorry I've been so bad at updating this, but we have literally been going non-stop since we got here. Everything is going really well and our first night of teaching went well. I'm impressed at the level of enthusiasm from our students! So many possibilities! I'm so excited to be apart of this journey! More updates to come.

Today we are meeting with the Nelsons (OCCs missionaries here in Thailand) and going into the slums... i might just try to smuggle a little Thai baby back, they are so cute! Raleigh could be a big brother! haha!

Anyway, thanks for the love and the prayers! Blessings!

First night in Pattaya

The first night, we went to Walking Street, which is kind of like the hub of Sex Trafficking in the city of Pattaya. We walked down the street with prayerful hearts that God's glory would shine upon the city. There is so much to be sad for in Pattaya, but what gives me hope is the possibility of salvation, restoration, and renewal with the love of Jesus. If you have a heart time understand Grace, please look at these photos with the understanding that each of these people in the pictures can be redeemed through Christ's love, not becasue they deserve it or they have earned it, but becasue God has given us Grace.

Click here to view these pictures larger

There is much more to come... stay tuned :)

Human beings are the 2nd most lucrative commodity after drugs...

I unfortunately missed the Larry King Live special on Modern day slavery, but I did find this clip. As soon as I find a way to share the whole episode, I'll post it. This should serve as a wake-up call that gender inequality lives and thrives in most societies today, but are perceived differently. Most human trafficking victims are women because they are usually more venerable than boys the same age (strength, gullibility, lack of confidence, etc.). The trafficking of boys is also an issue, but I'm going to concentrate on the girls for now. Please watch this clip and tell me how it affects you.

I leave in two weeks for Pattaya, Thailand. The city itself is an attack to the senses. Ever where you look you can see sexual positions to be ordered, girls to be bought, and the robbery of innocence. It's such a sharp juxtaposition against the beautiful nature that exists in Pattaya (an otherwise beautiful place to be). As I prepare for my trip, I want to arm my readers with the reasons why I am fighting this fight. This is just the beginning...

Oh and here is a wonderful protest a friend brought to my attention: Israeli models protest women being sold as commodities.

Help me fundraise for Thailand!

The Governator strikes again!

California gets it! WOO HOO! Finally! Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking STRIDES in California to make it financially inconvenient to traffic individuals... alright, we have 49 more states to go! Read here about how this new law will affect traffickers.

Why I love George Clooney even more now...

Human Trafficking is an issue that affects all of us... even here in America. I encourage you to watch this trailer and think about how none of us should have the luxury to divert our eyes. It is our responsibility to speak up for those who don't have a voice. The reason this issue has gone this far is because not enough people have stood up and said, "No, this is NOT okay." This could be your little neighbor girl, the boy down the street, the kid walking to school alone. Millions of children are trafficked inside the boarders of our FREE country everyday... How could that NOT make you angry? Lets convert that energy into advocacy for change. Together we can speak up against this attrocity, but first, you have to educate yourself.

Some other great resources are below:

http://www.globalbreakthough.net/

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

http://www.sharedhope.org/

http://www.slaverymap.org/

http://www.seattleagainstslavery.org/

http://www.ijm.org/

www.polarisproject.org

Post Thailand Letter

Dear Family and Friends  

I followed God’s call to the Northwest about three years ago.  I’m still not certain the kind of work God has called me to do here vs. any other city in the country or for that matter in the world.  Last Christmas 2009,  I was making my plans to move to Austin to pursue my MBA at the University of Texas in Austin.  I hadn’t secured admission nor had I taken my GMAT yet.  I began feeling desperate in the Northwest as my days began to run together into one big mush resulting in minor impact in the end.  Still uncertain if I should stay or if I should go, I moved into a temporary living situation with a friend. This would at least give me until May to listen and better understand God’s call on my life.  During this time of reflection God effectively rocked my world.  In March I went to Thailand and by May I found greater purpose in life.   God has shown me my call is to help end Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia.

I have been back from Pattaya, Thailand for almost four months.  I would have written this sooner, but I honestly didn’t have the words to bring this together.  I’ve needed this much time to process all that has happened.  I was sick with a bad cold when we left Seattle on Friday,  March 12^th, 2010. I was determined God wanted me to be in Pattaya at this time.  I persevered through nearly 22 hours of travel time.  Many of you have had the pleasure of traveling while being sick, so I’m sure you know the joy that I experienced.  Honestly, it was joy! I had joy that I was on my way to a new adventure God had for me if I persevered through the discomfort and the pain, that God would meet me and use me the way that He wanted to.  

I fixed my eyes on James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  We arrived in Pattaya on Sunday afternoon and headed straight to church.  I felt like all I wanted to do was collapse in bed and sleep the sickness away, but I persevered… at least until after dinner.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go down the famous

Walking Street

with my group on the first night because I decided it would be better for me to get a good nights sleep.  Hopefully I would wake up refreshed and without sickness in the morning.  Glory be to God I did wake up a new woman on Monday morning!

The first few days, the team and I got a feel of the city.  We met with the missionaries that have been living there for many years doing Gods work.  All of them filled us with hope when they shared their stories of the kind of change that has already occurred in the past five years; yet Pattaya still has far to go. The main missionaries are a married couple that head up Bridges to the Nations in Pattaya, Thailand.  They told us of their first outreach to the women and men working as sex slaves in Pattaya.  They held a banquet for what was expected to be about 50 people.  Their plan was to treat the women with dignity while treating them to good food.  While they were hosting the meal they told their captive audience how much God loves them.  A little over 150 women came to the event.  At the end of the night, the pastor gave the women an opportunity to hand their lives over to Jesus Christ at which time every person stood up to do it. The pastor said, “Oh no, no. You must not understand the impact this has.”  So he explained again and offered another opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Again every woman stood up.  He assumed they still must not understand, so he told them to all sit down and he explained again the impact of making Jesus their personal savior. They all stood up one last time.  Each and every woman accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.  This was about 5 years ago.  As the missionaries were telling us this story, I realized how thirsty these people are for the Living Water that Jesus provides for us all.

While I was in Pattaya, I felt so close to God.  While in this closeness I finally figured out what Jesus is all about. We visited the slums, which were surprisingly clean!  The slums I’ve been to in the past were in Mexico and they were putrid.  The only way people could work was to go into the dumps and find recycled goods.  The slums in Thailand (although I’m sure there are more that are worse off) were actually a happy place.  There were kids running around with white powder on their faces to keep the bugs off, old women supervising the children’s playtime and young men getting ready to go to their jobs.  All in all, it didn’t seem so bad.  Sure, they didn’t have the comfort of air conditioning, a memory foam mattress, or even clean clothes, but they were full of joy.  They were beautiful. They welcomed you with open arms despite what you were wearing or how your hair was done.  This is such a far cry from our warped Western world where many make judgments on the types of shoes you wear, how your hair looks, or even if you have nice teeth.  In the slums, they received you however you are.  They met me where I was at. 

Don’t get me wrong, there are many reasons why it’s not healthy for people to live in the slums.  Poverty is by no means glorious, but like everything else, there are two sides to the coin.  This became apparent to me when I saw some young girls, no older than 10 years old.  They were beautiful and just coming into their developing bodies. They were prey to be swallowed by this city.  It’s not uncommon for “bar managers” to come into the slums and recruit girls to come with them to the city for a job.  These slums weren’t even 15 min away from

Walking Street

(the street that encompasses all that is evil in Pattaya).  It was as if they are sitting ducks.  In the next few years, they will unfortunately and most likely find out what this once sleepy fishing village has turned into.  

If I were one of these girls I would go into the city as well.   Simply because I wouldn’t know anything different then the promise of money so that I could buy my parents a more secure house.  The sound of the bar manager’s offer would sound worth it.  That is until the damage is done when they are robbed of their innocence.  I can understand why these girls have chosen this life for themselves.  When I was there age, I would have done the same exact thing.  The only difference between me an them is that I was lucky enough to be born into a family that was not only able to protect me from such evil, they educate me and empowered me to be an advocate for “the least of these”.

For the first half of the trip, I was filled with such despair for the city.  I HATED the white men that were there proliferating the pain that these girls felt.  Literally, everywhere you looked, there was a fat, disgusting white man with a beautiful little Thai girl on his arm.  I prayed for God to show me what my purpose was for the city and asked Him why he had sent me to a place that seemed so far gone.  It took me some time, but in the end I realized that these men are just as hurt as the women they are hurting.  What’s the saying? Hurt people hurt people!

In America, Europe, Russia, wherever these men are from, they are a simple Mr. Joe Shmo, no one important. Maybe they are married, maybe they are single.  I have grown to understand that more likely then not they don’t feel like kings in their everyday life.  When they come down to Pattaya and buy a beautiful girl who is excited to get taken care of, he probably feels like a king! It takes very little money to entertain himself and his girl he purchased. The girl feels like she is going to be taken care of for at least a day or two… if not forever (or at least that’s they hope).  I can see how the man feels like a MAN!  He is able to PROVIDE for this girl and make her smile.  Who knows if this is possible in his everyday life.  Most likely it is not.  It was with this realization that I started to see little glimmers of hope for the city.

There were many places of impact that I saw throughout this trip, but the impact I feel worthy of noting in this letter is how invaluable it was for me to go on this mission team vs. the business team at this time. From a business perspective, I could see how so many models were malfunctioning and abusive in Pattaya.  All it would take is a little capital and someone with business sense to come in and fix it all.  I learned that a fix isn't a fix unless God is in the center of it.  It's so easy for me to take God out of the picture when it comes to business because the only business I’ve experience has been on very secular level.  

I've been on fire for Microfinance for a few years, but I haven't really taken into consideration that God should be in the center of that process for there to be real hope.  I’m not suggesting instituting a prostilization aspect of microfinance in Pattaya.  What I am suggesting is exhibiting an unconditional love for these people who have so much potential that goes far beyond business is business.  Jesus hung out with the prostitutes, the money lenders, the tax collectors, those who were “unclean”.  Whether each of those people eventually came to accept him is unknown.  What is known is that he LOVED on them in a way they’ve never been loved before.  Those people were accepted with all their pain, hurt, scars and everything else.  This trip altered my prospective from, “here, let me fix this for you” to “okay God, do your work here and let me be your hands.”  I have grown to realize when God is at the center, the most important and influential thing is Love.  They will see Jesus’ love in their lives and hopefully come to know Him and his redemptive power.  The people rescued will have their hope restored, but most importantly, they have the promise of redemption through Jesus.

These women and men who have been exploited for money have such deep wounds that can only be healed through God's love and redemption through Jesus' blood.  This all became apparent to me when our group visited a hair salon owned by the Tamar Center (the center reaches out to the girls and boys in the bars, offering them a different way to make money) on Soy 6.  It was being run by two women who were rescued out of the bars Pim and Kay.  They shared their story and deep pain with our group.  Each of them opened up their hearts to us and showed us their pain.  Each had tears in their eyes.  Each shared the new hope they have found in Jesus.  I was filled with hope for the city again.  They each ended their stories with praise to the Lord that they have a new life.  Kay said it so well when she said, "I'll never go back to my old life.  God is all I need.  God is enough."  My heart was full.

I’m now preparing for my second trip to Thailand.  In the past four months, I’ve been working with a business team to construct a business education/training center in Pattaya.  We have constructed a business plan, financing plan, curriculum, and a secure model that will hopefully be able to be planted anywhere in the world.  Realistically this has been my second job outside of Costco, and it has been my joy to work with this team.  I am only 24 years old and I’ve never created a business, much less written a business plan, curriculum, or planned a major fundraising event.  It’s all happening and it’s all of God’s handiwork.  He has put such an amazing team together who tirelessly has been working on this project ever since we returned  to American. Glory to God!

I want to thank you for your support.  Many of you have been praying for me on my new journey and some have even provided me financial support.  For this I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I’m going on for another mission trip November 4-14^th.  I ask for your prayers again as I prepare for this next trip.  I will be sending out a formal “fundraising” letter, so if you feel prompted to give, please let me know.  All financial gifts are tax-deductible and will go toward my airfare, travel, hotel, and food.  I’m planning on hosting some fundraising events in the future, so if you would like to participate in them, please let me know as well.  

Additionally, my group is hosting a fundraising dinner Saturday, October 2^nd, 2010 at the Hollywood Hills School House in Woodinville.  I will be sending more information about this event later.  If this is something you would like to participate in, I would love to see you there.  The money raised through this fundraiser will go toward the business center.  I know that God wants me to return to Thailand and I know that God will provide the finances, strength and health however He sees fit to provide.  What is most important to me are your prayers on my behalf.

Thank you again for your love and support!  God has truly blessed me by allowing me to be in each of your lives. Thank you again!

In His Unconditional love and Peace,

Collyn Leigh Eppel