A few weeks ago(before this Thailand gig) I attempted to write out my "dream summary"-a.k.a: answer to that forsaken question of what I want to do with my life.
I was brainstorming as I wrote-" Africa, writing, traveling, music…." The next sentence= the kicker, and I quote(from my few weeks ago self):
" Probably in Africa, maybe in Latin America, definitely not in Asia."
"Definitely not in Asia" was the one and only concrete definite…and lo and behold, here I am writing from Asian invasion Thailand. Never say never.
Wasn't expecting what this place (Phuket+ SHE ministries). I had a few expectations that have been met indeed- i.e.: Thai tea is just as delicious. Thai language is just as obnoxious. Thai weather is just as hades hot.
What I didn't expect was the ministry we're doing for the next four months- bar ministry on Bangla Road( mega human trafficking/red light district in Thailand)
Let's just say this street puts Sin City to shame(stick that in your pipe and smoke it Vegas). It makes Sodom and Gomorrah look like a nunnery. This road is like Dante's Inferno (that classic book about the layers of hell )condensed on one block. It's every appetite and sin known to man magnified more times than you‘ve heard Justin Beiber's name in the past year. The main objective of the over 200 bar ridden street= the 1200+ girls entice customers to buy drinks and hopefully take them home for the night.
I think we've all heard about this kinda thing- we've all seen that kickin' Liam Neeson movie "Taken"- but walking around in it is indescribably heavy and dark.
I also think we've all been down this road in one way or another- all struggled with filling some type of emptiness with anything that can satisfy, but it always ends. Bangla Road=tangible, front and center condensed version of the darkest parts of me…and humanity in general…and now I'm here with a team of seven other crazies to stop it.
(By crazies I mean really inspiring 18-22 year olds actually doing something. They are being the generation rising up(all you Christian Hillsong fans)…or for the pagan secular types- they’re not the generation John Mayer gripes about "Waiting on the World to Change." They're acting on what God cares about,making eternal differences, kickin' butt+takin' names-it's just really cool to get to be a part of.)
What I'm learning: This thing= way bigger than me, bigger than us, bigger than humans- seriously, there isn't enough money, government, resources,alcohol, sex, etc. that can fix this. The only thing that's capable of filling every place Bangla Road attempts to=God's love.
"…how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ."-Ephesians 3:18
Here’s to never saying never and getting the honor to see God move not only in my team but also on the darkest street I’ve ever experienced. Thankful to be here and that my “definitely‘s” aren’t always definite.
