Home is where the heart is. It’s an old saying, but I know that it is true. I know my home is back in America, at least for now. But I think, in a way, Thailand has become my home now too. There is no way I can leave this place and not leave part of my heart here.
I think one of my teammates described what I’m feeling right now perfectly when she said “I think growing up means learning how to leave pieces of your heart in different places.” I do miss home a lot, and I have the whole time I’ve been here. But at the same time the thought of leaving this place soon makes me so sad.
We are halfway through our last full week of ministry and the reality is beginning to hit that we will be leaving Phuket soon. I am no longer ministering to bar girls and street vendors; I’m ministering to my friends. These are friends that I care deeply about and am going to be extremely sad to leave.
As sad as I am to leave the women in these bars, I know that God’s sorrow for them is so much more than mine could ever be. He is jealous for them, and He will continue to work in their lives in order to draw them back to Himself… long after my team is gone. God is so much bigger than what is happening on Bangla, and He has already declared His victory over that place.
I know that even though they may be in the same spot physically, they are not in the same place spiritually. God has planted so many seeds while we have been here and He has tilled the soil to make it ready for the harvest. I will take comfort in that. I have a God who can move mountains and who continuously pursues us, even when we run away from Him. He will continue to work in the lives of my beautiful friends until the day they finally see that they are His.
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made. All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.”
-Psalm 145:8-13
That is the God I serve. He is faithful to His promises, and He has promised to bring His children back to Him. He has a plan for them, and His timing is perfect. As we prepare to leave Thailand, I will rest in the promises He has made.
