Dancing on Injustice

Here are the May 3rd and 6th communications from the team in Bangkok:

May 3rd
Hello to everyone!

Wow, it is hard to believe that we as a team have only been in Bangkok for two days now as so much has already happened! The past two days have been filled with orientation at the Centre, outreach in the various local bars, English lessons, lots of sharing, talking, praying with the team, and, of course, some amazing Thai food!

God has been so good to set up some divine connections. On Wednesday, after we had morning and afternoon orientation with Roy and Bonita at the Centre, in the evening, we as a team split off into teams of three and went to the local "Go-go bars" to do outreach. We all had mixed emotions walking into these places, and I know for me personally, I felt such a sadness as I looked at these girls going through the motions simply because it was their only means of making money. Through translators we were able to start up simple conversations with them, asking questions such as "What is your name?" How old are you? How long have you worked here? etc. A few times we were able ask "Do you like working here?" and the answer was always a shrug of the shoulders, a shake of the head, and they would say something like "It's so-so". It was easy to read into that this is NOT at all where they want to be. Then we would invite them to a "Party" we are having on May 14 at the Centre and also told them about the English lessons that are available there. We got quite a few good responses so we are praying that those connections we made will continue and that the girls will come to the Centre.

Today we went to the Centre and went on a "English walk" where each girl from our team paired up with a Thai girl and walked around the city for about an hour, pointing out different things and we would teach them the English word for it and they would teach us the Thai word. What a lot of fun that was!! Lots of laughing from both sides! I personally think they were laughing at our pathetic attempts of speaking Thai! :)

In the afternoon we split off again and went in groups of two with a translator to the Massage Palors that line the streets here. Inside we got a hour-long foot massage (I know, foot massages aren't exactly what I would call "suffering on the mission field") but it was great just to talk with the girls, share lots of laughs, find out more of their stories, and invite them to the Centre. Most of the girls who come to the Centre are from these massage parlors, which do the regular foot massages, paint fingernails, etc. in the front, but sadly also "service" men in the back. Again, it is so obvious that this is not what the girls want to be doing and that they have so many dreams of their own, but due to poverty, this is their only way of living. So many of them have dreams of cooking, opening their own restuarant or clothing store, but they think the only way to do that is to marry a foreigner.

After that we had a bit of downtime back at the hotel to take a nap (jet lag is still affecting some of us!), or journal, read, or just chat with each other. Then we went to a wonderful Mediteranean restaurant for dinner and after that it was time for more outreach! This time we went to the Beer bars and I think each of us had a really amazing time connecting with different girls. The places weren't packed with men yet so we had almost a full two hours just to talk with the girls, find out lots about them, tell them about ourselves, and of course, invite them to our party/the Centre. It was a really great time and God is definitely working some divine connections.

So if you are thinking of us, please pray for continued divine connections, and that God would continue to fill us with His love, peace, strength, and wisdom. Each one of have commented how we have felt God's grace upon us so strong so far just to be able to handle all that we are taking in, to not become angry or bitter towards the caucasian men, and to realize that it is a spiritual, not physical, battle that we are fighting. Also, pray that the girls we have encountered so far would sense a drawing towards the Centre and would come to the English classes and the party on May 14.

Well, on behalf of our team, thanks so much for keeping us in your prayers and we will keep you more in touch in the days to come!
God bless,
-Amy Stevens

May 6th
We continue to have an amazing and blessed time here in Bangkok, and we have felt so encouraged by God. On Friday night as we left Soi 7 where we were doing outreach, two women came running out of one of the massage parlours with our Thai leader Anne. They had seen Sue and Jen from the window and remembered them from their first visit back in October. It was a great reunion right there in the middle of the street, but also such an encouragement to us all that every single woman we meet and connect with here is important. We have no idea of the impact of a single conversation, a hug, a smile and no idea of the work that God continues to do in the hearts of these women well after we're gone.

This morning our team divided; Jen, Britni, Jennifer and Christy went with Roy and Bonita to a house church that Roy leads. There are approx. 20 Thai's who go, some new Christians and many still searching but on the journey.

Sue, Melissa, Amy and Lyndsey had their own "hotel church" and got an amazing word from God about our team being "dancers who dance on injustice". Having spent almost a week now with these (our team) young women, Jen and I are constantly laughing about how they skip and twirl and dance everywhere! They all have happy feet. It was an amazing picture then to think of us here in this place where the only dancing is in shame and bondage, dancing in freedom and joy and celebration. There is a song where the chorus says, "Open up the doors and let the music play, let the streets resound with singing; songs that bring Your hope and songs that bring Your joy, dancers who dance upon injustice". God gave us another picture of the doors of every go-go bar, show bar, beer bar and massage parlour opening and the women spilling out into the streets of Bangkok dancing in freedom, their bar fines paid once and for all. On our last night here, we are throwing a party at the centre, and we feel led that this is to be our theme, dancing on injustice, dancing in freedom and joy as friends and daughters of God.

Right now we are at the centre, and we are spending the day hanging out with the women who live here....Anne, Si, Bu, Nit, Jeed and Bibi. We just finished a worship singalong and now Jen is giving Si a guitar lesson, Melissa is in the outdoor kitchen making fudge brownies with Bu, and some of the other girls are sitting watching a movie together. We're looking forward tonight to having dinner together and a chance to share more of our stories with each other.

This week we will be continuing our outreach and English teaching. We have invited many many women to the centre for the party and for the classes and we are praying that we will start to see more of our new friends coming this week. Thank you so much for your love and prayers....we can feel them! Please continue to pray for divine connections, supernatural communication and that we will keep dancing with great joy and freedom around this city. We'll be in touch soon!

Sue