Linwood House Ministries

The Word From Bangkok: Epilogue

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been just four days since we arrived home from Thailand. Though we are all still thick in the haze of jet lag, the memories of our time and experiences in Bangkok are not far from the surface. Even as I write, it is hard to find the words to really express both the darkness and hope that we were witness to, and everything in between. What I do know for sure is that Jesus is in every corner of every bar of every red light district there. Be assured. And redemption truly is flowing, like a spring in the desert, in the lives of all of our friends at Home for New Beginnings. In the life of one, dancing even right now at Cowboy 2, with a cross hanging off her black boot. In the lives of many more who know Prajow (Jesus), know he loves them and is transforming their pain into dignity and freedom.

Thailand has left us with many lingering issues and thoughts, and it is important to continue the conversation as we process, dig deep and question. We must honestly look at the influence of classism, racism and sexism on the exploitation of the most vulnerable. And as the developed Western world continues to fuel the demand that perpetuates this modern day slavery, we must bear the burdens of Thailand and every other country like it. Thailand has also brought the world's women to us, and we cannot forget the increasing numbers of Eastern European and African women who are trafficked there every day. This journey has been that of a small group of Canadian women, a Home of Thai women, but it is also the journey of every African, South American, Indian and First Nations woman who has ever been exploited and oppressed.

Please continue to educate yourselves, pray, and act in your own communities. I am convinced that every act, no matter how small, changes the fabric of this world and moves us one step closer to peace, healing, dignity and freedom for all.

We cannot express to each and every one of you how grateful we are that you have chosen to take this journey with us. There was never a moment that we didn't feel and know that so many were right there with us, sending love, prayers, and hope, and carrying burdens that were too heavy for just the five of us. Thank you for opening your hearts and allowing Thailand to change you, just as it has changed us.

We are already looking ahead to Thailand 2012! Perhaps you will join us!

With much love and gratitude,

Sue, for Jen, Jacynta, Dina and Skye

Watch for our Thailand photos soon on our Flickr page

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 8

Hi Friends and Family:

We wanted to send you a quick update on our last night in Bangkok. We have just returned to the hotel after a late night dinner at our favourite Lebanese restaurant around the corner. It is 11pm here, we are tired and we need to pack and prepare for leaving tomorrow. But we couldn't end our day without giving you a glimpse into the last 12 hours.

In a past report Jacynta shared with you the song she wrote while here, "New Beginnings". The girls have been learning it in both Thai and English. Late this morning we piled all of the girls from the Home into our hotel room, and Jen recorded Jacynta and the girls singing her song. It was amazing! Talk about singing songs of freedom. I couldn't help but smile thinking about the strains of that song filling the corridor of this hotel, being sung high over the streets of Bangkok, sung for each other, sung for themselves.

After dinner, we gathered back at the Home and shared in an Agape meal together. We cleared out one of the meeting rooms, laid out candles in the shape of a large cross on the floor, and sat in a circle around it. In the centre of the circle was a communion plate and chalice, and several plates of bread and grapes. Jacynta led us in worship, and then by candlelight, each girl chose one other person to speak a word of blessing or encouragement to, and then offered the communion meal to her. We were not sure how open the girls would be with their words to each other, as this culture does not encourage sharing of feelings and emotions. I can only tell you that what happened in that circle tonight was a divinely orchestrated God moment. From the very first words shared, each girl spoke honestly from her heart. There were many tears shed, hugs shared, and hurts acknowledged and soothed. Each of us on the team felt like we were bearing witness to something that was very sacred, and what a privilege it was.

Goodbyes tonight at the Home were sad, but we know that the relationships we share are deeply rooted in each one of us. The journey continues. Tomorrow, we would appreciate your prayers as we send Jacynta off to the next part of her journey in Australia. And pray for Jen, Skye, Dina and me as we travel back to Vancouver and begin the process of reconnecting to home, our families and communities. We will send another report once we are home and settled to give our final thoughts and reflections on this time, but please know that we are so grateful that you have journeyed with us through your love, support and prayers. We could not have done this without you.

Much love & peace to you,

Sue, for Jacynta, Skye, Dina and Jen

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 7

Hello Friends:

I write to you with a heavy heart as we continue to witness the ongoing exploitation of women and children in Thailand. Just today we heard the news of the Pedophile Ring exposing 70,000 perpetrators, many of whom are here in Thailand - but don't be shocked as you read the reports about fellow Canadians and Americans who are listed amongst them. It is not surprising to us as we have seen many different nationalities of men represented here in the bars, which are always packed.

The scenes we are witnessing are still causing reactions of horror, anger and just plain disgust among us. It doesn't matter how many times you see them. One man walked into the bar in torn sweat pants, behaving like a twelve year old, and within minutes was paying for the youngest girl on the stage. We think she was 15. Many of the girls lie about their age to get the job, and some of our friends at the Home were rescued out of the bars at age 12. With over 25 bars on three levels Nana Plaza was hopping last night. Most of these bars are staffed with naked girls dancing, sometimes with just a strip of cloth over their hips, and holding their g-string in their hand with their number on it so that men can purchase them by number, sometimes never asking their name. Sex tourists continue to arrive by the bus load and some men walk into the bars with their suitcases still in tow to begin their vacations with a bang. I wondered what these men were thinking as some of their countries have been devastated by earthquakes, tsunami's and civil wars. I suppose this is an escape for many of them.

Traditions are powerful here as the Mamasans bless the doorways of each bar every night with a wooden falice dipped in water, and then proceed to throw a large bottle of gin across the threshold so that many men will come and drink, buy, and perhaps marry some of the girls. Many of the girls face the Buddhist shrine and say a prayer before dancing, and often will leave a drink for the Buddha, an offering for their good fortune that evening. Something inside of me wonders if this is an act of seeking atonement. If they only knew the one who freely forgives. One thing I have learned about Buddha is that he said, "There is one coming who is greater than I". He was speaking of Jesus.

Our time at the Home has been very fruitful. Yesterday Sue led the girls in a self portrait collage experience to encourage them to share their story in a safe way. In Thai culture it is unheard of for people to share their feelings, hopes or dreams, especially when there is a past filled with shame and pain. But the most beautiful thing happened as each one spoke of their stories openly, and shared deep and vulnerable things. One girl revealed her abusive past with a husband who hurt her. Another talked about being reunited with her family one day, seeing her children and her mother. And another dreams of building her own resort. Fa, the name for Sky in Thai, expressed that she wanted to be a singing doctor--the Patch Adams of Thailand. How beautiful were these stories, and how freely they were shared. Thank you for your prayers for creativity. This Saturday we will close our time here with an Agape Feast (communion) and a time to celebrate hopes and dreams. If you are awake this coming Saturday morning at 5:30 am Vancouver time (we know it's a long shot!) you can join us in prayer with the girls.

Our time is drawing to a close and we are anticipating that goodbye will be difficult. You see, this isn't the kind of mission trip that you build something physical or tangible or rescue those in danger. This is a pilgrimage of sorts, a journey of faith, a building of relationships, a restoring of brokeness. It is a time of sharing stories, for really that is all we can offer one another. And how precious it has been. We will each come away with a renewed spirit, a hopeful heart, a spring feeding our desert hearts. And an awareness of the brokeness of our world. Every second has been worth it.

We do have prayer requests for you: Our little Bebe is back in hospital for another week and will have feeding tubes inserted. She is very dehydrated and desperately needs healing. If you would write Anne and Bebe's names on your heart, we would be grateful. Please also pray for the leaders of the home -  Bonita, Lina, and Anne, as well as Christine, our new friend who is finding courage in our midst. And of course for the 16 girls who live at the Home of New Beginnings who are so precious. We pray for healing, for laughter, and for hope.

Thank you for standing along side us as we journey in to dark corners and expose things that must be placed in the light. You are as much a part of this journey as we are.

Kup-koon-ka, Thank you,

Skye for Jacynta, Dina, Sue and Jen

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 6

Hello All!

My name is Jacynta…or should I say - chen chu Jacynta ka

(This is my first report so I thought I would introduce myself. Now onto business.)

We just returned from what can only be described as a truly beautiful evening. Tonight we witnessed God crossing every language barrier and busting through every cultural barrier to bring women from all around the world into a circle, which, as the night progressed, became a place of high safety for all.

Music has been a large part of my personal contribution to this trip. I love to play guitar and sing and write songs, but I find when I am here with these most incredible overcomers I draw the most joy from teaching them a chord or two, and then watching them turn it into their own, a process that generally turns this “teacher” into the taught. The other day I was sitting with a friend, May, who I first discovered this joy with three years ago. We were sitting playing songs together. May can speak and understand very little English and I’m afraid my Thai comprehension and speaking skills are much worse. As usual though, the universal language of music overcame the language barrier. During this time a new friend, a much younger friend (10 yrs old), Nay, joined the music circle. She brought with her an out-of-tune guitar which was almost the size of her. Nay sat and just watched us with a clear desire to make music with us. After trying to teach her one chord it became obvious that the size of the guitar made it extremely difficult for her to play. I was struck at that moment with a need to make music as easily accessible to these girls as possible. If we have learned anything while here, it is that given the opportunity these girls will move mountains. This brings us back to today! I got the very deep joy of going to the music store today and buying Nay a small, pretty guitar. I also was able to buy new strings for the extra guitar at the home, a guitar tuner so that they can stay in key, some capo’s to make the process a little bit easier and some picks because you simply must have a pick in hand to rock the world.  Also while in the store, I could not bring myself to walk away from a pair of beautiful bongo drums. After all, any musical revolution needs a percussion section. Deep apologies to Ann, Bonita and Lena who will have to endure as the girls discover the beat within.

I was able to give these gifts to the girls tonight. I cannot begin to describe I felt handing these instruments to the girls, especially to Nay, with her complete shock coupled with confusion as she tried to fully understand what was happening. We all need someone to believe in us, to see the unique gifts each one of us possess and call them out with confidence. How blessed are we to be given the chance to call out the gifts that these girls possess. These are moments in time that graft themselves to the soul. The pizza arrived as a few of our friends tested how loud the drums could really get and within minutes we were eating pizza and starting the night.

Oh what a night!!! After pizza we played some games. Can I just say, in all my experiences of musical chairs I have never heard so much screaming and laughing. We moved onto a memory game followed by pass the parcel with instructions for individuals to make fools of themselves doing different things, whether it was singing a pop song or doing the chicken dance. After dressing a couple of the girls up in one of the strangest games I’ve seen and don’t know if It even has a name, we sat for a time of singing together. This was led by me and my friend May. I’m going to take a moment to mention that May has come so far in so many ways it makes my heart jump but she needs as many prayers as possible as she continues to work it all out. There were a few key moments in this time together as one would be hearing both the Thai words and English words being sung together. There is something beautiful when two languages flow together to the same melody. Then May led the girls in what I’m beginning to understand is one of her favourite songs. Seeing the growth from two years ago, she has truly found her voice and sings her song with confidence. It’s beyond beautiful. After some song requests, the girls decided that they wanted me to sing for them a song I had written last week, inspired by the home and the area we are in. Lena had taken on the task of translating the context of the song so the girls could read along, and without Lena’s time and effort the singing circle may not have had the moments it did. So I played the song for the girls, and it was a moving moment. Some of the girls whose English is better, particularly Dik, sang the chorus in English. Sitting across the room from Dik as she beamed while she sang in English was indescribable. After finishing the song it was decided that the girls would sing in Thai and the team would sing in English. We did that and as we repeated the chorus over and over it seemed only appropriate to attempt to sing in Thai, following the girls as they enthusiastically tried to pronunciate the words so I would say them right. It’s hard to describe in words this moment. We are all connected, but to be present in a moment and fully see that connection is an experience that can change lives. There were no individuals in that time, only us, knowing what the other was saying and rejoicing over the same truth, that with new beginnings redemption truly does flow like a fresh spring in a dry and dreary desert.

We finished the night off with ice cream, naturally. As the team left it was clear that everyone’s spirits had been lifted and the joy of the night was shared by all.

There was a storm tonight, loud thunder and lightning and lots of rain. As the storm raged outside we all relished in the joy of relationship, made possible by the existence of the Home For New Beginnings. Once again it was a very clear reminder of the sanctuary and safety that this home has created specifically for the girls but also for anyone who enters. The Home for New Beginnings, a place of high safety.
 

New Beginnings

Chorus:

With new beginnings redemption flows
Like a spring in the desert (X2)

Verse 1:

A kingdom of sex and a kingdom of pain
Where you don’t know my name
A world of blank stares where the dollar reigns
And grief has no place

Verse 2:

What’s been broken You choose not to know
As you cross over that threshold
Everything’s for the taking
What’s being sold
A child more precious than gold

Bridge:

In the distance there is a call
Justice is being brought forth
In the distance there is a call
Love is being brought forth

 

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 5

Hi Friends and Family,

First, we have great news to share with you: Skye and her family have finally heard from her cousin in Japan, and he, his wife, children and extended family are all alive and safe! There are few details at this time, only that her cousin was trapped in the water for three days. Skye is not sure what this means, but the family are together and safe. Skye wanted me to thank each and every one of you who has prayed for a miracle. She and her family are very grateful!

The past few days have been full of highs and lows, and we wanted to give you yet another glimpse into our time here in Bangkok.

As some of us have been struggling with some health issues and others carrying some emotional heaviness, it was to great to start out our week yesterday morning with this reminder:

"...trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track." (Proverbs 3, MSG).

And truly that has kept us focused and on track. Yesterday morning we were back at the Home assisting with English class, and after lunch, we accompanied the girls on a mission trip of their own. It was Bebe's birthday, and she decided that she wanted to use some of her money to take birthday cake and ice cream to the hospital where she has spent so much of her time these past few months. Ann shared with us that there is actually an orphanage at the hospital for babies and young children who are abandoned there by their mothers. Some of them have been born with HIV, some with physical or cognitive disabilities, some even disabled because of failed attempts to be aborted by their mothers while in the womb. When we arrived we were met by close to 40 children, ranging from newborns to 7 year olds, who were happy and very excited to have some new playmates. We spent a wonderful hour playing with the kids and loving on them as much as we could. It was not an easy afternoon, and it felt like we were seeing the effects of poverty, sexual exploitation, and the stigma of HIV that still exists in this country come full circle in the lives and realities of these tiny little children.

After a quick break and dinner, we met up again with our friends to do outreach. It was a typical night for both teams, one in a beer garden that 'employs' several hundred girls, and the other in Nana Plaza. Dina and I spent most of the night in a bar called Mandarin. There we met 2 young women, one 17 years old and only in the bar for 5 days; the other 21, and working there for 18 months. After some conversation we learned that both girls were married and were there working because their husbands had no jobs. Nit, our Thai leader, shook her head and I knew she was conveying the reality that it would be next to impossible to get those girls out of the bar. Bonita shared with us later that gambling among men has become a huge problem in Thailand, and many of the married girls in the bars have been pimped by their husbands to earn money to support their gambling habits.

Jacynta and Skye spent time in the beer garden and talked about seeing rows and rows of men each with one or two Thai girls hanging off them. Their behaviour could only be described as shameless - groping, shoving their hands up the skirts of the women, slapping their behinds, and on several occasions being quite physically rough with the girls.

Some of you have asked us to comment on the men we are seeing here. We can only share with you our observations, and while it may be uncomfortable for some to read, it is the reality and we must speak it out.

There is no doubt that this is a place of some very broken men, and they wear it like a coat. There are the men who sit in the bars, a drink in front of them, their faces frozen in a blank, empty stare. They are not lost in a state of arousal, but instead seem completely zoned out, numbed by the lights and the music and the noise.

There are also the men who strut through the streets, and into the bars, and when given attention by one of the women there, react as if they have just been asked to dance at the grade 7 dance. They convey a sense of pride in themselves, "puffed up" by the attention they're receiving, giddy with the excitement of an adolescent boy.

There are the men who, as I described earlier, seem shameless in their treatment of the women who's names they don't even know. It is very common to see these men call a women off the stage by her number, buy her a drink, and almost immediately grab at her breast or vagina, sit her in his lap, or place her hand between his legs.

There are also the men who are here, doing the things they're doing, because classism, racism and sexism says they can.

"She's poor, and I'm helping her by paying her." 
"That's what Thai women/any women are for."
"I'm a man, I have needs, women are here for my enjoyment."

We know this persists because we too have been the object of leering glances in elevators filled with men, comments made to us on the street, or whistles and noises made in our direction. This happens on every trip without fail. It is in the air here, it is undeniable.

There is no single analysis that will explain the degree of oppression and exploitation here. We sit with more questions than answers. One thing is for certain: These women are being harmed at every possible level - physically, sexually, emotionally and spiritually.

Last night, Skye heard the story of one such woman. Fifteen years ago she was bought by a "farang" - a foreigner. After their encounter, he returned to his home country but she had fallen in love. She described him as her one true love, and has been waiting for him to return ever since. In the meantime, she married two different German men, gave birth to a daughter she conceived during a 'date', and saw both marriages end. Last night, she told Skye that this man, her one true love, had finally returned to the bar to see her. She thought he had come back for her. Of course he had not, and he proceeded to tell her that he was married and had a child of his own. She told Skye she has been heartbroken for 15 years, and was waiting for him to come back to give her a "happy ending, to love me". "I think," she said, "I need to love me first."

Of course there is much distortion about love, relationship, commitment in this woman's heart. But in a country where parental attachment is not always made and where abandonment and rejection is commonplace, is it any surprise that the women here can so quickly make unhealthy attachments to what they perceive as love? The men here can never claim that this is just sex. Emotional exploitation, and the exploitation of some of the deepest vulnerabilities and wounds of these women is a reality that is incomprehensible and far reaching in impact.

What is the role of men in the context of their relationships with each other? We have seen a growing conversation and accountability develop around obvious issues of sexual addiction, pornogrpahy, etc. and this is good. But what about some of the more subtle areas of sexism, power imbalance, dignity and respect, attitudes, what we think is funny on the internet, what jokes we tell around the proverbial water cooler, what we pass around on YouTube, etc. If it degrades one woman, it degrades us all.

So this is where we are... more questions than answers, but so aware of the desperate need for the conversation.

Tonight, we are going to the Home to host a pizza and ice cream party, followed by some games and then a time of worship. Jacynta has been working with one of our Thai friends, May, who has a passion for music and playing the guitar, and they will lead the worship together. May has just returned from treatment for alcohol addiction and is truly singing her own song of freedom. Tomorrow we are looking forward to leading an art circle, as together we will create self portraits. Please continue to pray for these times together.

Also continue to pray for Bebe. She was doing quite well, still waiting on test results, but last night was up vomiting again. She cannot keep any food down, and looks very sick today. Ann has taken her back to the hospital and she may need to be admitted. We had a very emotional prayer time with them this morning before they left, and thoughts and prayers are really needed for healing, comfort, and peace.

Much love and gratitude to all of you for taking this journey with us,

Sue, for Jacynta, Jen, Dina and Skye

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 4

Hi Friends and Family,

Again, thank you so much for all of the prayers, support, encouraging words, inspirations you have been sending us. They mean so much!

I wanted to update you again on some of our experiences over the past 48 hours:

There have been many developments unfolding at the Home. Next Monday, six girls will begin a program at Living Waters here in Bangkok for emotional healing and particularly childhood trauma and family of origin issues. The program runs once a week for 25 weeks. It is nothing short of a miracle, in a culture where there is literally no Thai word for "grief" and pain is never discussed, that these 6 women are taking such a courageous step towards healing. Please pray for Wan, Meaw, Nam, Bai, May and Tik. Also pray for Bonita, Ann, and Leena and the rest of the girls at the Home. Supporting 6 women through this journey will be challenging, and opening wounds for this many women may also prove challenging to the relationships and dynamics between all the girls at the Home. We are believing for freedom and release for our sisters.

Today, three young women will be moving into the Home! One, only 12 years old, is at extreme risk of being trafficked and so it is wonderful that she has been connected to a place of protection and safety at the Home. Another, 15 year old Fa (which means "sky") is from the northern provinces. Her mother has been a recipient of care from Rahab Ministry here in Bangkok and is wanting to see her daughter guided and protected and she cannot afford to keep and care for her. Fa has finished grade 9 and wants to continue her education so she can go to university to become a nurse.

Another young 15 year old girl also showed up at the Home yesterday accompanied by her mother. Gip is currently in school and dreams too of becoming a nurse. However, she has a boyfriend who has convinced her to drop out of school so they can marry. Her mother is desperate for her to come to Home for New Beginnings, to continue her education and create a hopeful life for herself. She has good reason for her concern. If Gip drops out of school and marries her life will take a predictable path. She will be pregnant at 16, and by the time her child is 2 years old, her husband will likely have moved on to another woman. Unable to support herself, she will turn to the bars and sex work. Her child will be sent away to live with her mother or extended family back in the rural province area. This is the pattern that is lived out over and over again here. Bonita, Ann, Leena and one of the residents of the Home spent hours yesterday with Gip and her mother trying to encourage her to stay. It was an exhausting and emotional day for all. As of last night, she was not prepared to move into the Home, and is moving forward with her engagement and marriage on April 10. Please pray for Gip, that she will experience a change of heart and find the courage to take a step towards a full and hopeful life for herself.

Last night we went on outreach again with Jit and Wan. Jen, Jacynta and Dina went to Nana Plaza and were reunited with two friends of ours from last year. Jem was a woman we met at English Camp. She is now working on Soi 4 at a beer bar as a "drinking buddy". She spotted the girls from across the street and it was a great reunion! She asked for me and Skye, remembering us from last year. She is going to come to the Home on Tuesday to visit us. Jacynta was also reunited with her friend Pon, who she met on her first trip here three years ago. They became instant friends and have stayed in contact. Sadly, Pon is now dancing in Hollywood Go Go Bar in Nana Plaza to send money home to her mother and children. She doesn't like it, and told Jacynta she will only dance for three months.

Skye and I went to Soi Cowboy and spent our evening in a go go bar called Cowboy 2. The girls there dance topless, and there were many girls in the bar that night. One girl named Ow came to sit and talk with us, and was instantly friendly. When it was her turn to go up and dance, Skye noticed that hanging from her black high heeled boot was a cross. When her shift was finished she came back to sit with us, and we asked her about it. She told us that she has Jesus in her heart, and that there are at least three other girls at that bar who also know Jesus and go to church together. She then ran to the back room and came back with her bible which she keeps with her and reads while she's working. I have to say that Skye and I felt schooled (read "put in our place") to be reminded yet again that Jesus has gone ahead and is in the desert in very real and transformative ways. It filled us with so much hope amid the darkness to think about how many other women were dancing that very night, knowing Jesus and on a journey with him to dignity and freedom.

As we were preparing to leave we noticed two older Thai women sitting with their young teenage daughters, observing the bar and talking to the mamasans. Jit told us that they were there trying to get jobs for their daughters. Our hearts sank a little, but as they walked out we prayed that no agreements were made, and that those young girls would leave jobless. As we left, Ow took us over to another dancer and lifted the back of her shirt to show us a tattoo of the cross on her back. How amazing that in their circumatances these women themselves are light in the darkness, to each other and to those that come in to that bar.

Our hearts have been with the world as well this past 24 hours as we've been watching events unfold in Japan. Please pray for Skye and her family. Her cousin and his young family live near the epicentre of the earthquake and just a mile from the ocean. There has been no contact with them since the earthquake. Please pray for their protection and safety, and that they will be able to make contact with family soon.

We are spending the next couple of days preparing for our circle times with the girls at the Home next week. On Tuesday we will be hosting a pizza party, followed by games and then some singing. They love games and love to sing and worship, so we're looking forward to a fun evening that will also act as a bit of a welcome for the new girls that will move in this weekend. On Wednesday afternoon we are going to have an art circle where we'll create self portraits using words, images, color, etc. We are hoping that this will be a creative way for the girls to tell parts of their story and learn more about each other. For Saturday night we are working on an evening focused on our hopes and dreams. Please pray as we continue to develop these times that we will be inspired, and that language and culture will all be superceded by love and the spirit.

This scripture has been guiding and inspiring us as we've been going through our days:

"...but then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of Hope." (Hosea 2:14-16, NLT)

Thank you so much for your support and prayers, we are so grateful.

Much love,

Sue, for Dina, Skye, Jen and Jacynta

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 3

Hi Friends and Family,

Thank you so much for your love and prayers to us. We read every note you send back and are so encouraged by every word.

We wanted to send you some glimpses into our time over the last 24 hours...

Last night was a difficult night of outreach. Jacynta and Skye went to Nana Plaza; Dina and I went to Soi Cowboy. We spent most of the night in one bar where the girls dance completely naked. We watched as the girls instinctively tried to cover parts of themselves while at the same time trying to dance seductively for the men there. My heart broke, and anger simmered as I watched the man beside me grope two young girls, one not more than 16 yrs old. Money was exchanged, the bar fine settled and he walked out with one of the girls.

We have talked about digging deep for the wellspring in the desert. Last night, we felt the heat and sting and danger and isolation of the desert. It felt hopeless. As we processed together last night, we prayed for cleansing and peace for ourselves and protection and freedom for every girl we saw. This morning God drew us to Isaiah 43:16-23, and we were reminded that God does make a way. He has already gone ahead, He is there in the desert. Our job is to "be alert, be present". What does hope in the desert look like? It looks like the Home for New Beginnings, the relationships being deepened between the outreach team and the women trapped in the red light districts, light and love always shining brighter in the darkness. We continue to pray that God will show us what that hope looks like, and that we will continue to be alert, trusting that He is already there.

This morning at the Home we helped with the English lessons, and learned about the dreams of the girls preparing to enter university. Nun wants to be a doctor, Bai a teacher of autistic children, Kwan a textile designer, Som a chemical engineer, Tik a lawyer who will focus on women's issues in Thailand. These women are full of dreams, hope for their futures and hope for their sisters and their country. It is inspiring.

Last night we met a woman named Poi. She had just come back from a 'date' and told one of the team that she had had a terrible date. When asked why, she said, "I think it's because my God doesn't want me to do this." "Who is your God?" she was asked. "Prajow", she said. Jesus. He is in the desert.

Tonight we will be going into the bars again. Please pray for all of the women enslaved in the red light district, pray for freedom, hope, and dignity restored through loving relationships with sisters who are ready to take the journey of healing with them.

We are also beginning to plan some creative story telling circles with the girls at the Home, to help them identify and tell parts of their story and to also deepen unity and relationship between them. Please pray for creative inspiration for all of us as we plan.

Thank you again for your love, support and prayers, and for journeying with us. We are so very grateful.

Much love & peace,

Sue, for Skye, Jacynta, Dina and Jen
 

NOTE: Same as yesterday, all funds donated today will go towards furthering the work of our partners at the Home of New Beginnings in Bangkok.

 

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 2

Editor's Note: As we celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day, Skye, who is on her second trip to Bangkok, gives us an excellent summary of their reunion with friends at the Home For New Beginnings, educates us on the 'hierarchy' of the various sex bars found in Bangkok, and sets the tone for the work the team will be immersed in for the next two weeks.

Thanks to those who have sent encouraging notes. They're all passed on, and they mean a great deal to the team, so please keep it up! (Leave a comment here or send a note via mike (at) linwoodhouseministries.org)

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Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

Sawadee-ka

This is Skye reporting live from Bangkok!

There is much to tell and much to absorb, so to give some perspective to what we are experiencing I will share a glimpse of the many things that have stirred our hearts since we first arrived. Monday was a sweet reunion at the Home of New Beginnings. We were greeted with warm Thai smiles and loving embraces from old friends and new faces. We met with Bonita, visionary for the mission of New Beginnings, to hear what has been going on in the home and in the red light districts. Things have returned to normal after the Red Shirt Protests we witnessed last year, the bars are packed, and the streets are busy. Life is normal again … but how normal is it?

Bonita shared about the demand for sex from foreigners and the many levels of exploitation and abuse that women and young girls continue to suffer from. The exploitation we are seeing begins on the street with freelancers, pimped out by a boyfriend, husband or traffickers. Also on the street we see mutilated women holding infants and children to earn money which will go back to gangs. There are beer bars and massage parlours where anyone can just waltz in and pay for a sexual service. There are GoGo bars which have young dancing girls who are often wearing little or nothing and can be purchased for sex for around $30, after their bar fine is paid. It is in these places we will do most of our outreach. There are show bars which we will not attempt to work in because it is far too difficult to reach the women who have years of experience. Similarly the Sex on the Spot bars we cannot access. There are many underground brothels that foreign men can access, and just recently one of these warehouses burned to the ground and they found remains of about twenty young girls chained to their beds. There is an expectation of Thai Women to serve Thai Men, and many men have more than one wife. The complexity of the religion, Buddism, combined with the culture here gives no chance for women to have a life of freedom. They are told they were born to satisfy the pleasure of Men, and believe that this is what they were made for. They never have the chance to dream and are handcuffed to a life of bondage.

On our first evening of outreach we divided into teams and covered both of the Red Light Districts, Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza. Between them there are about twenty thousand girls. We were surprized to see the age drop to girls who looked to be 14 or 15 years old. We accompanied Jit and Won who are amazing women with heartbreaking stories who live at the Home, and now after finding freedom in Christ, are able to return and minister to the women in the bars. We followed their lead to make new connections and invite women to the Home for English classes, and an opportunity for them to hear that they have a way out. Earlier in the day we heard that one of the Mama Sans (usually an older woman with experience who coordinates money for services between the girls and the men) who came to English Camp last year had died. I had a personal connection with Pawn, and remember that she held my hand and called me “Daughter”. I asked her what her dream was, and she said that there is no such thing in Thailand. I asked her if she would like to come to Canada, and she said she must stay here and work to pay off her daughter’s university fees. She lived above the bar for many years, and was like a mother to many of the girls who worked there. When we entered the bar where she had worked, the new Mama San immediately asked us if we knew her. Yes, I told her as I felt the sadness rise up in me. She showed me pictures and told me that she died in her sleep a month ago. I sensed the grief and sorrow her loss has caused for the girls in that bar. It made me wonder what our impact is while we are here. Is there anything that we can do for these women to ease their pain and suffering? No I don’t think anything will be enough. It is I whose life is changed by the interactions we have here with these women.

There are 10 girls living at the home and just today as we arrived there were two new arrivals, one of them 12 years old who had been abandoned by her family and has been living on her own. The other has just graduated High School and works in the bars each summer to pay for her expenses as her grandmother, who had been her caregiver, can no longer support her. They will move in on Saturday! The cost of supporting each of the girls is approximately $500/US per girl each month, including a stipend that they send back to their family in rural hill tribes. This is critical, as it is often family debts which send the girls to the bars in the first place. One girl was sold for a bag of rice to feed her family. The poverty is extreme.

This morning we shared a powerful time of prayer, a beautiful opportunity to bless our friends at the home who don’t often get the prayer support they need in this country, which is only 1% Christian. On behalf of the home and our team we invite you to join and pray with same hearts for our dear friend Ann, the house mother at the home, and her 11 year old daughter. Ann adopted her from an orphanage in Phuket after the tsunami. Bebe has been very sick since October and there is yet to be a diagnosis, but it is suspected that she could have a rare parasite or lupus. She is already a tiny soul but has lost a lot of weight and looks very ill. Combining the two diseases is devastating, especially for our beloved Bebe who is clearly not her bubbly self. This little one clearly has a mountain of faith, as she has asked the doctors to pray with her before doing tests and has actually had a miracle happen because of her faith. Now we ask you to pray for another miracle for Bebe, who will go tomorrow for results. We are desperately praying for healing, for negative results for lupus, and in fact a miraculous recovery for her birthday party this Thursday. Would you join with us in prayer for Bebe today? We will be sure to update you soon as we know her results.

In closing, I leave you with this prayer that has laid the foundation for our time in Bangkok. It has reminded us as we peel back the layers which hide darkness, and enter new territory each day, that God is certainly with us, granting us all that we need. Pray for us to hear, to see, to understand and to embrace each day with this in mind:

On each threshold, Wisdom
At every doorway, Love
Through every entry, Grace
With each beginning, Peace

Peace to you from Bangkok.

Skye, for Jacynta, Dina, Sue and Jen

NOTE: All funds donated today and tomorrow (March 8 & 9) will go towards furthering the work of our partners at the Home of New Beginnings in Bangkok.

The Word From Bangkok: Chapter 1

Hello Friends and Family:

We are in Bangkok! We arrived safely after an uneventful and smooth trip. At our send-off on Friday night, our friend Karen Reed prayed that God would surprise us on this trip. We couldn't have been more surprised to board our flight from Vancouver to Taipei and see that the plane was three quarters empty. For those of you who have flown long haul flights, you know that only means one thing: rows and rows of seats to stretch out on and actually lie down to sleep! While not everyone was able to sleep, most of us did and it was a great way to start off the trip. Thanks Karen!

We've just come back from our traditional welcome dinner with Roy and Bonita, and we also got to meet their intern Christine, who is the unofficial English teacher. We will have the chance to get to know her as we help with English classes over the next two weeks. Roy and Bonita are great, and it was a fantastic reunion as always.

We are very excited to get to the Home of New Beginnings tomorrow. They currently have 12 girls in residence, and anticipate being at full capacity by the end of April. Many of our friends are still there, and some who had left have returned, so I know it will be a great reunion with them tomorrow. We will be at the Home by 10am to be brought up to speed on the English program, will spend some time in orientation with Bonita, and then will likely prayer walk through Nana Plaza in the afternoon in preparation for outreach tomorrow night.

The longest part of our trip so far was probably the one hour wait to go through Thai immigration. As we stood in line, we couldn't help but notice the group of young Eastern European women ahead of us. Some of them were clearly intoxicated. At least twice, a young man came to the front of the line to check in on the group, saying something to them in their language, and then stood off to the side, watching to make sure they got through immigration. It became very clear to us that what we were witnessing was yet another chapter in the tragedy of human trafficking. Bonita confirmed for us at dinner that since our visit less than a year ago, they are seeing increasing numbers of Eastern European and African women being trafficked into Thailand for the purposes of sexual exploitation. One of the newest go-go bars here is a "farang" bar - a bar staffed with foreign women only. The building that houses it used to have windows; they have since been filled in with bricks and no one can see in or out.

It was a harsh reminder to all of us that Thailand is a destination, as well as a source country for this modern day slavery. The needs of women here are great, and they are not just Thai women. They are the women of the world.

Tonight we are very tired, have been quickly confronted with the stark reality of this place, but are excited for what is ahead. Pray for rest, health, and a wonderful reunion with our friends tomorrow. We know we are on a very significant journey, and we feel humbled and privileged to be here. Thank you so much for your love, support and prayers.

Much love and peace to you all,

Sue, for Skye, Dina, Jen and Jacynta

Do You Want to Hear From Our Team in Thailand?

As always, we'll receive email communication from our team in Bangkok as often as we can. We'll post a few of them here, but if you would like to be added to the email distribution list leave a comment here or send a note to mike (at) linwoodhouseministries.org.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers of behalf of Sue, Jen, Skye, Jacynta and Dina.