Ladies and gentlemen- outreach. has. BEGUN.

 This weeks blog is brought to you by our dearest Stephanie Gray!  If you want to hear some crazyyyyy things, read on:

 "Outreach has begun and God is moving!!"

Last night was CRAZY!

   ~Last night Amy, Rachel, and I took the new World Race team out to Bangla Road to introduce them to bar ministry and just show them the ropes. But before I tell you what happened last night I need to rewind a bit. 

     Since the worship night that we lead on Bangla Road and we saw God move and turn the power off a whole half of Soi Sea Dragon, we have been praying big prayers of faith. We've been asking God to turn the power off on whole streets and asking Him to make the foundations of these streets crack, for the bars to crumble and the walls to crack and for the different streets to be destroyed and in ruin. We've been praying for rain and bad weather to drive out customers. We've been praying for bankruptcy and financial ruin on the bars. We've been praying for less and less tourists to come. We've been praying for favor upon the teams that go there and for us to be in the right place at the right time. And we've been praying for signs and wonders to happen to sober people up and turn their eyes to God. Well God answered!

     One of our last nights on Bangla Road we saw the power go out on Soi Sea Dragon and Soi Eric. The bar owners have been telling us how business is going down and going down quick. Despite the fact that this is the peak of the tourist season, Bangla Road has been fairly empty. It's been raining on Bangla Road, forcing people to leave early. All of these prayers are being answered, but we did not expect the answer that we got last night. 

What Soi Lion looked like before

     As I was taking the team up and down Bangla Road I pointed out Soi Tiger and Soi Lion, telling them that those are two of the more spiritually intense streets and to probably wait a while before going on those. I pointed them out but didn't notice Soi Lion so I figured maybe I just forgot where it was, that I mixed up where it usually is. Not like it can move or anything. So when we came back down Bangla Road I was telling them something about Soi Lion and I had to do a double take.......Where's Soi Lion?! I told the girls to hold on I had to go check something. So I walk to where Soi Lion normally would be and I don't see it! I'm thinking, "Did God just up a whole soi and no one is noticing but me right now?" But then I saw it; Soi Lion the most popular and wicked street, the street that no team has ever seen a girl come out of was CLOSED!!!!! Not just closed off, it was in shambles! It looked like a hurricane had gone through that street and had left it a ghost town. The roof was caving in, there were cracks in the walls, there was trash everywhere, water damage, things were falling off and barely hanging onto the walls. The poles where girls once danced, gone. The bar counters where there stood on, destroyed. It wasn't a demolition by man but by God! There's no reason for such a popular street to be closed and put out of business, especially not the WHOLE STREET!!!! Not when bar owners are loosing money and not during the peak of the tourist season. God answered our prayers. I was so excited and was trying to explain to the girls what a miracle this was, how we had been praying for this, etc. So I found Rachel and I took her back to show her the street and she couldn't believe it either. I've yet to be so happy on Bangla Road but the biggest miracle was waiting for us when we got back. 

     We get back and Amy's team is all red and glossy-eyed from crying and they're jumping up and down with excitement. They had finished for the night and were calling it a night when they felt God was telling them to walk around and pray. So they did and they came up and found a girl crying hysterically and just collapsed into her friend's arms. They all kind of stopped and were watching, trying to figure out what was going on. And then all of the sudden the girl begins to convulse and shake, falling to the ground; one of the World Race girls was there to catch her head. They said her eyes were rolled into the back of her head and her body was just in panic mode. Her friend was shaking and slapping her when the girl stopped and went limp. For about 30 seconds to a minute the girl was dead; she died right there in front of them and in their arms; eyes still open. They were praying the whole time, without realizing that they were; claiming healing in the Name of Jesus. Two of the World Race girls had their hands on her; one holding her leg and the other still holding her head. And then the girl gasps for air and sits up. They all weren't sure what they saw at that moment but they did in fact see a girl raised from the dead! 

                              Take that Bangla Road!!!!

     

     The World Race team had such an anointing on them and it was only their first night out. There were girls getting invited up to the bar girls rooms and people opening up like crazy to them. The favor of God was so heavily upon them and is still. 

   

     Now you might think that seeing all that God was doing through the World Race team would make us jealous but it didn't in the least. For one thing we know what we've been praying for and we don't care who sees the answer because it's all for Him anyways. And the fact of the matter is that He did answer! It was so encouraging for us to see the favor of God on them because it encouraged us that we're not meant to be on Bangla Road; God has not given us the anointing to be there. It has made us all so excited to pioneer this new area and to work in the Burmese refugee camp because we now know what the favor and anointing of God looks like when it's upon a team in a dark place. We were so encouraged to know that Bangla Road wasn't just ridiculously hard because we weren't cut out for it or that doors were just closed, people were just cold, or that it's just too hard but because we're not supposed to be there; that God has other plans for us. It put an amazing kick in the butt to our unbelief and we spent the night worshiping and praising God together.

     God's got AMAZING things in store! All the little details of confirmation and words spoken over people coming true, are just incredible. I feel like outreach has begun!

A light in the darkness.

Well, we are off break now and back in action! (que superhero theme music) Monday night was a particularly awesome night. Not only did we finally get to catch up with some of the girls there, but Stephanie and Robert, along with one of the leaders from YWAM Denver who were staying with us, got to play a little gig at one of the bars. And by gig, I mean, music. And by music, I mean worship. Say what? WORSHIP music in a BAR?? Oh yeah. A while ago, a group staying at SHE asked Mark (the owner of SHE) if he could maybe find them a bar to play worship at. Well, Mark found one. The owner said he'd give them one shot-if they did good, they could come back. If not, he'd kick them off. Long story short, he loved them and even asked them back again. He even suggested them to another bar owner, who's the one we played for on Monday. God has totally had his hand on the situation. It's crazy. There's just something so powerful about music, talking about and praising Jesus, being played in the midst of such darkness. Then to top it off, all the electricity went out in the bars on the other side of the street. Aka-everyone from that side had to come over to our side. Some people had actually prayed for that earlier in the evening. God definitely answered that prayer. It was amazing.

     One thing we do ask you all to be praying for is Stephanie. She has been feeling a bit sick the last few days and finally went to the doctors today. They gave her some medicine and hopefully she'll start feeling better soon. But please keep her in your prayers! 

รอยยิ้มสดใสของที่ดิน -The Land of Smiles (and monkeys and elephants)

Well, here we are again. It's been about 15 days since we first arrived in the Land of Smiles and I think it's safe to say we are all loving it. The first night we were at SHE we got thrown right into action: Mark (the owner of SHE, along with his wife Sharon) took us out to the bars in Patang to start getting a feeling for what we will be doing the next 3 months. For the next week or so, we continued to go out to the bars almost every night and almost instantly, starting getting to know and make friends with some of the girls working there. So first few nights, we all had different, individual reactions to the things that we saw while out there. Some felt a spiritual darkness and heaviness like they've never felt before. Some felt absolutely broken for the all people they saw around them. Some weren't quite as phased at first and were able to just concentrate on what it was we were there for. And others just didn't know what to make of the place- blown away by the bright lights, loud music, strange sights and smells.

       Here's an map of the area we walk down every night. Each offshoot that starts with Soi ("street" in Thai) is not a bar or building, but an alleyway, which have about 20+ open-air bars EACH. In the walking distance between each soi is at least one or two other bars..however many they can seem to fit in. The other side of the street is packed with bars as well. It's over-whelming, whether you're just a tourist there for fun or you intend to go into each of those streets and get to individually know and love all the girls in there.
      How exactly do we go about doing that? Around 9pm, after a time of worship and intercession at SHE, we head out to Patong, where earlier that day a few of us have gone for a prayer walk. Upon arrival we break into teams of 4. Then, taking time pray and carefully listen to what soi and which bar God is calling us to go to. From there we usually break into 2's, so as not to "mob" one single bar. Typically, as soon as we sit down, we have girls asking us what we'd like to drink, how we are, etc. A common thing is to play games with the girls, such as connect-four, jenga, or jackpot. We order a soda or juice (no alcohol for obvious reasons) then ask a girl to play one of those games with us. (We all expect to be master-minds at connect-four and jenga by the time we get home...and also have an stomach ulcer from all the soda...) While playing, conversations just flow naturally, well, when there isn't too much of a language barrier. We just ask them normal, get to know you questions like "what's your name?", "Do you have kids?", "Where's your hometown?", "How long have you been here?" and so on. Depending on how talkative and open they are, or how well we've gotten to know them over the last few days, we'll start to ask them about their job at the bars, like what exactly they do and whether they like it or not. Some say they do in fact like it (and there's many, many different reasons behind each of those answers), others will just straight up tell you they don't like it at all, but they have no other way to make money. Many of them are supporting children, parents, or their brother's college tuitions.

Wat Chalong- Largest Buddhist Temple in Phuket

         Within only the few days we've been out there, we've heard some heart-breaking stories. But we've also heard hopeful ones. And every night we SEE heart-breaking things. Every night we see the same stories played out again and again. Men, who very likely have a family back home, with young Thai girls hanging off them. Fathers who have brought their 14-16 yr. old sons here for their "initiation." Men sitting by themselves in bars, head hung, with an empty and lost look on their faces. And most breaking of all, the girl you've just been talking to, who's been telling you how much she doesn't like her job with a sad face, then has to turn around with a huge fake smile and loud, flirtatious comments to serve the male customer that just sat down. It's not easy. But the hope that even one of these girls lives can be rescued keeps us going. Satan's stronghold on this place is strong, but God is even stronger, and His love more powerful than anything that lives in that place.

On a lighter (and completely out of place) note, we've actually been on Christmas break the last 5 or 6 days. It's been a much needed break from the darkness of Patong. We've checked out a few of the local beaches and toured some of Phuket, including pineapple/rubber plantations, cashew nut factories, a tour of the largest Buddhist temple in Phuket (I'm convinced all the idols are made out of plastic), kayaking in the mangroves, being mobbed by wild monkeys, hiking in the jungle to a secluded waterfall, riding horses on the beach, and flexibility tests, sorry, I mean Thai "massages"..and getting our feet fish-a-fied, as I like to call it. (aka-cleaned by fish. It's a unique experience.)

Ready, set, Sawadee Khah?

Here we are! In Thailand. It's been a crazy last 3 months in New Zealand while we completed our "lecture phase" of the Justice DTS. And we're expecting just as amazing of a time these next 3 months of outreach in Thailand.

We are a group of 8 drawn together by the drive and determination to fight for hope, for love, for happiness, for freedom for those without.

     

        We arrived in the largest airport in the world- Bangkok Airport, on Dec. 15, 12 hours after we had departed from what had been our home for the last 3 months- Auckland, NZ. We finally met up with our YWAM contacts and took our first steps outside into the HUMID as all get out air of Thailand. After being driven to the National Thailand YWAM base (open air in the back of a pick-up truck going 70 mph on the free way anyone?), getting some much needed sleep, having some of our first Thailand grocery shopping experiences, and taking some much needed showers, we had our YWAM orientation, where we learned all about the different ministries and contacts YWAM has going on in Thailand. But, we already knew who our contacts were and where we were heading SOOO we jumped on a 12 hr. overnight bus ride to the touristy, beautiful island of Phuket. Around 9am we arrived at what would be our home for the next 3 months...SHE- Self-Help and Empowerment. We quickly discovered that Phuket is MUCH prettier, greener, and happier than Bangkok. Over the next 3 months we will be working along side the girls here, helping them with their new lives and jobs, as well as, heading down to a part of Phuket called Patong, a tourist-infested section of town with 200+ bars on the one tiny street of Bangla road alone. In this blog are our adventures, our discoveries, successes, struggles, and accounts of how lives (ours and others) were changed over this time.

       But, without further ado, may I have the pleasure of introducing to you the lovely members of our Team Thailand: 

 

Josie Smith, our lovely leader.

Born in: South Africa

Lives in: Auckland, New Zealand

Interesting fact: She's been part
of YWAM for 10+ years.

                                                                         

   

Lauren Lee LaPierre
Born and lives in: Long Beach, CA. USA
Age: 23
Interesting fact: Has a major in
sociology and just got her nose
pierced!

                                           

  Sam Tindall  Born in: Minneapolis, MN
  Lives in: Lindstrom, MN
  Age: 23
  Interesting fact: Went to
  school for screen-writing.                                            
  Loves to film things.

Becca Floyd
Born and lives in: Virginia
Age: 22
Interesting fact: Absolutely loves dogs
and she can make a noise that sounds
exactly like a chicken.






 Stephanie Grey
 Lives and born in:
 Gainsville, FL. USA
 Age: 20
 Interesting fact: Has a
 "little man" that lives in her
  mouth. Loves to tell all
  her crazy stories.                                                                              
                                          
  


Amy Archer
Born and lives in: Truckee, CA. USA
Age: 19
Interesting fact: Graduated high
school at 16. Loves photography                                  
and trying to learn Thai.                                                                      



 
Rachel Benningfield

Born and lives in: 

Peoria, IL. USA

Age: 18

Interesting fact: After
seeing her with her dark

brown hair, you would 

never guess she's actually
a natural blonde.

 

Robert Lee

Born in: Silverspring, MD. USA

Lives in: Rockville, MD. USA

Age: 18

Interesting fact: His middle name is 

Bruce, meaning we, in fact, have 

Bruce Lee on our team. He also has

a very nice camera.

            And that's our team folks. Please be praying God does amazing things during these 3 months