We take a train seven hours from Bangkok in the dark to arrive to a small village at daybreak. The village is named Krasang and a woman we are partnering with is named Jo.
Jo is a mighty woman with a contagious laugh. We bond instantly. I met her a few weeks ago when she came to Samaritan Creations. We went on an adventure to a market to buy material. We prayed for the unbelieving woman who sold us material and a woman who called Jo while we were at the market.
Jo handed me the phone, “Please pray for my sick friend.”
(In a thick Thai accent.)
I believe God heals.
I believe God is the God of the impossible.
In that moment I prayed- but nothing that I felt moved mountains. I couldn’t even tell you the words that came out of my mouth. But I prayed and concluded, “In Jesus name AMEN.”
When we got to Jo’s village reality of the culture sinks in. We see houses that are shanties and houses that are mini mansions. Amongst the simplicity of village life there is an underlining factor.
The shanties belong to families that do not have girls at the bars, or refuse to send them.
The mansions belong to the families that rely on the sending of their daughters to the bars. They are told to just serve drinks but the real money comes with doing more.
It is expected in Thai culture for the oldest daughter to financially provide while the oldest son assumes spiritual responsibility as a monk.
The people in the village greet us with smiles.
They live in a state of forgotten.
They are lonely.
They only want to be acknowledged and known.
In the midst of the village lives Jo, a woman who was saved out of prostitution. She was saved out of utter darkness and now gives her life to the very village that once ridiculed her. Her heart is to see her family and her village comes into the very love she has received through Jesus.
We pray house to house for her neighbors. We talk to them about Jesus. None of them know who He is but constantly are crying out to the gods of their community. We sit in their homes cross-legged on their floor sharing stories. Then we arrive to the last house.
Jo is persistent that we not miss this house. We sit and wait. Then a young woman enters and asks for me by name. I am shocked and stand up. She then explains that a few weeks ago she called Jo and needed prayer, an English woman answers prays for her and she is healed.
Seriously?
We sat on the ground under a tree in her yard and prayed for her again. We prayed blessings over her. We sang songs and we lingered with her in the presence of Jesus. It was one of those sweet moments that you only could believe if you were there yourself. It was a reminder that God uses us, if we will just say yes, even when we don’t know it.
This woman is a Christian. There are only five Christians in this little village. It was beautiful to see God encourage her and Jo through that small encounter. I wept as I sat in a circle with my team. I get to be a part of what He is doing and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
It’s those moments that are precious. It’s those moments that if we get wrapped up in life we can miss. You may not be in a small village in Thailand but right where you are at, right now, you could take the moment to listen to what God is doing and partner with Him.
I encourage you to step out in boldness and have a “SERIOUSLY?” moment.
You are loved,
<3
Ash
www.ashnicolowens.com
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