Thailand

Welcome to a terribly delayed tour of the adventure God took me on in Thailand! I find myself thrilled to finally sit and share this experience with you. Jesus placed a love for south-east Asia in my heart since early middle school. What a gift to enter this region for the second time in my life (our family went to Freedom in Christ conference in Malaysia when I was a young teenager)!

I went to Thailand on an internship with the ministry Project Rescue (Project Rescue). They reach out with Christ's love, the Gospel and practical aid to individuals hurt by human trafficking. The ministry started in India; since then, God has grown them to over a dozen locations around the world!

Project Rescue wisely gathered us nine interns for a time of training and spiritual preparation before sending us to the field. They hosted us at their base in Missouri for three days. Several missionaries, psychologists, and Project Rescue workers spoke to us. They equipped us with practical knowledge, invited us into prayerful examination of our own heart condition before God, and prayed over the journey on which God was guiding us. Between sessions, we got to spend sweet time hearing each others' stories or hanging out local restaurants. 

Chloe, Cassidy (two other interns) and I made it safely to Thailand! When we arrived, Shelby and Chyenne- two missionaries on the Project Rescue team- welcomed us. The Thailand branch of Project Rescue is Sealed.Life (sealed.life), headed by Bridgette with the aid of a small, close-knit team.

The proven rule of transitioning to a time zone across the world: stay awake for the full day. Shelby and Chyenne kept us up through a fun day of exploring from five in the morning (when we landed) until nine at night (after a missionary prayer meeting).

Some sights around Bangkok... I found it fascinating how often I was reminded of Uganda. However, dozens of new phenomena infiltrated my senses as well!

Although Thailand is a Buddhist nation, animistic beliefs intertwine with the Buddhist practice. One consistent reminder of this appears in the spirit houses on every property. These small shrines house an idol (or several), and a member of the property owner's family must feed the spirit each morning. 

The prevalent presence of temples, spirit houses and massive idols on the roadside prove physical evidence of dark atmosphere pervading the country. I felt a tangible weight of darkness soon after arriving, and often throughout the trip. Although Thailand is an open country, welcoming in hundreds of tourists, business personnel and refugees, the enemy certainly works overtime to keep the locals' hearts closed to the Gospel! To be Thai is to be Buddhist. Following Christ requires an entirely new identity at the cost of death to an entire way of life, worldview, and dozens of community connections. To further complicate the situation, Thailand's culture rests on an honor-shame system. One must honor their family and community at all costs. Every Thai strives to "save face" for themselves and any person they encounter. This appears in the even-keeled emotional presence (no negative or exuberant positive emotions) or lying to prevent embarrassment.

Jesus said in Luke 14:26-27 "If anyone comes to me, but does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sister- yes, even his own life- he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."

The cost proves immense. BUT the gain vastly greater! Paul says in Philippians, "Whatever my gain, I now consider loss for the sake of knowing Christ." Please join me in continual prayer that Christ unveils the eyes of thousands of Thais, both this year and the following ones, then gives them divine strength to cling to Him despite the cost. Pray that whole families give their lives to Christ so that they can stand together in the change. Pray for Thai pastors to have wisdom and endurance as they shepherd new believers in the Narrow Way. Pray that the Holy Spirit will raise up workers- international and local- fashioned to harvest those whom He knows are ready to run Home!

Dozens of motorcycles, much like Uganda.

Bangkok is a massive city, sprawling kilometers out on every side. Sky scrapers extend as far as the eye can see.

Charred

cooled

ashes

waiting

for rekindling

flames

awoken

burning,

living

light

Street-side food lines sidewalks. Most vendors set up early in the morning, disappear during the afternoon, then another round of vendors emerge for the night life crowd.

The Buddhist temple next door to the international church (more on this soon!).

Buddhist monk

Our home for six weeks! We lived in Thai Ping Towers, tower B. Most Thai apartments can be described as miniscule. However, God graciously provided for the Sealed.Life team in this spacious dwelling.

Bridgette wears multiple hats, allowing us interns to experience a diverse missionary life! Bridgette and her husband pastor ICA Bangkok (https://www.icathailand.com/), an international church in the heart of the city. Under ICA Bangkok, the Banner Language center offers English classes for both Thais and internationals. Alongside the church, Bridgette heads Sealed.Life which opened a business as missions drink and study lounge; Lasso Lounge (https://www.lassothailand.com/) financially supports the work of Sealed.Life. 

The picture above shows a view from ICA Bangkok, located on the 11th floor of the building. On the fifth floor, Lasso Lounge, ICA Bangkok youth/kids ministry and Banner Language Center share the space.

Although initially disappointed about the focus being shared, rather than spent entirely on ministry to those affected by human trafficking, I soon saw God's wisdom in this diversity. I got to experience the crucial role of an English teacher, which is the degree I am pursuing in college. Additionally, it proved an indescribable privilege to meet Christians from around the world, even persecuted nations. 

Why contain the Lord's work to a single box? He moves dynamically!

Street food outside the church.

Waiting for teams to arrive in the airport.

The team (from left to right): Chyenne, Kae, Bridgette, Dana (Bridgette's husband), Chloe, Josiah (another intern), and Shelby. Chyenne's boyfrined, Koby, often joined us as well.

More of the team! On the left side of the table, behind Chyenne, is Hope, Art, and Pi Su. Art and Pi Su work as a pastor and secretary, respectively, at ICA. Hope, Art's niece, works in the Lasso Lounge.

Culture and language class with Dan and Diana! They titled the class "Smiles and Somtom." Thailand is known as the land of smiles! Additionally, somtom proves a beloved local dish.

Somtom includes unripe papaya, tomatoes, dried shrimp, nuts, limes, hot peppers, and a tart sauce. One eats the dish with sticky rice, raw green beans and lettuce.

Hanging out in the Lasso Lounge.

Friday prayer nights with the ICA Bangkok community. I deeply appreciated this time of prayer. We started with worship, then the pastor led us through a passage of Scripture, stopping to pray after a verse or two. Other times, prayer points for the church staff, families or children were soaked with Scripture.

Praying with believers from dozens of nations across five continents!

What a gift to pray with church members at the end of the Sunday morning service! Open altar quickly became the most meaningful part of worship as I either fell on my knees before the Lord or was invited to stand as part of the prayer team. Prayer connects us as a Body of Christ in His presence, dependent upon Him.

Food court in the basement of the next-door high-rise.

Boat noodles

Travelling out to Korat, another region in Thailand just north of Bangkok. The roadside featured several massive idols.

In Korat a small ICA church meets regularly despite lacking a pastor. Once a month, a team from Bangkok comes to offer in-person preaching, kid's ministry, and fellowship.

Corleen (left) and her husband, Kevin, oversee the small congregation. They are both teachers at the area's international school where their three children attend.

I received the gift of teaching children's church in Korat my first and last Sundays in country. I cannot explain the joy of pouring into missionary kids (Kevin and Corleen's family is from South Africa) like young women who had given their time to me several times throughout my childhood.

The children of the congregation included Corleen's three kids and the daughter of a Thai congregant. We had fun getting a Bible lesson done amidst tons of wiggles!

The BTS, Bangkok's sky train. We took the train to malls, ministry in the red light district, and for a cultural experience! The train cars contain little noise until our group walks on :)

The red light district where Sealed.Life ministers.

Once a month, the Sealed team goes out for adult ministry. They pray through the red light district in the morning, then return in the evening laden with gifts which include Scripture and invitations to the Lasso Academy, an English and trade school the team is beginning. While handing out the gifts, the team seeks to bring Jesus' love and joy to the people they encounter. Relationships are slowly formed as the team repeatedly encounters both victims and perpetrators of exploitation. Sealed seeks to build friendships to receive the trust needed to effectively share the gospel and hope of physical freedom.

Another Saturday of the month, the team goes back to the red light district for Sealed Kids Club. The children of vendors in the night market get to come for over an hour of fun, Bible lesson and snacks. Not only are these children at risk of being sucked into the trafficking world, but they also may never hear the Gospel from another source if we fail to share it. We meet at a church in the middle of the red light district. The children have shown interest in Jesus; while I was there, one girl asked how we pray, because as a Muslim her prayers must be scripted, not personal.

Please pray for committed, courageous, gentle, Christ-adoring team members to join Sealed! They want to go to the district with greater regularity, but lack the personnel.

water flowing on dry ground

streams impossible interrupting 

harsh desert sands prohibiting

life, growth, abundance

Living Water satiating

desperate, fatal thirst

I cannot pretend this work proved easy. We pleaded for the Lord's covering each time we entered this space. Only by His Love pouring through us in spite of our flesh could we approach those trapped in darkness with the joy and hope of Light. I saw realities I wish I could erase from existence. I felt the suffocating atmosphere of chains fiercely guarded by the blood-thirsty prince of this world. I stood in the face of lustful selfishness, the talons of God's enemy shredding the beauty of His masterpiece.

Yet I hoped in the Lord with faith not produced by my reasoning or strength, but through the promise of our Lord who knew the suffering of exposure, exploitation, abuse, abandonment, loneliness... The Man of Sorrows grieved in the agony of darkness before leaving the confines of the grave. Only in the Resurrection Himself can I enter this battlefield. Without Him, I have nothing.

In Him rests victory, securely.

His eyes

see

not gawking

but knowing

intimately

in purity

selfless,

sacrificing

love

giving

never stealing

protecting

safe, gentle

hands

carrying

rather than

clawing

scarred hands

holding

beauty

dignity

a crown

pieces of

her

left with

hundreds,

men

bound

to evil,

yet

whole

complete

radiant

He sees

her

One Wednesday, the ladies on our team took the women from a visiting group on a day-long prayer walk through red light districts in the area. We got to visit two safe homes/trade schools, hear what their teams do, and pray over them.

Another Friday night, we returned as a Sealed team, alongside a handful of ICA members, to one of the safe homes to join them for worship. A member of the Sealed team shared her testimony of how God redeemed her from severe abuse and exploitation, freeing her to live as a child of the King. 

I have no words to capture the sacred gift of worshipping Jesus alongside women who have courageously left exploitive situations to walk in spiritual and physical freedom! The Holy Spirit moved powerfully through the room, and voices joined in song akin to angelic worship before God's throne. In the middle of a bustling red light district, God's children praised Him from an upper room.

The Lasso Lounge rents out space for conferences. The first conference took place during my internship. I got to sit in as this group of Christians who had fled persecution in their home country sang vibrantly in their language. Hope and I, the only visitors among the crowd, shed tears at the beauty of the heavenly sound radiating through such worship.

Please pray for this community as they navigate life in a new country, often without their entire family (several have family members in yet another country or stuck back home).

As I mentioned earlier, Thailand opens its doors for internationals to easily enter for business, school or tourism. Christians may worship together freely, so long as they do not try to convert Thais. God put a prayer on my heart as I prepared to go on the internship: what if the church in Thailand grew- both locals and those from other countries- until it burst through the seams of the country into the surrounding closed nations?

Excitement exploded inside of me when Art told me that God was guiding her to begin a ministry to train Thai Christians for evangelization, and international Christians to effectively share the Gospel with Thais. As an ICA pastoral team (plus interns) we got to commission Art for this journey through a time of prayer. Tears of joy were shed and prophecies declared; God put it on my heart to wash Art's feet as a symbol of anointing upon her to go wash the feet of Christ's bride. Please keep Art in your prayers as she takes hold of Jesus' hand and follows Him along this untrodden road.

Pastor Art also leads ICA's homeless ministry. Every Thursday afternoon, members from ICA gather to prepare a meal, worship and pray. In the evening, we took the meals to an area where a large population of those without homes stayed. While the crowd lined up to receive food, a team would sing in worship to Jesus, then someone would share their testimony, followed by a brief message from Scripture. A group from the church stood at the end of the food line, offering free Bibles and prayer.

I loved watching ICA work alongside a local Thai church- the Body of Christ coming together to serve those who need to know the Provider just as we need Him!

Studying a gospel tract he got from the team :)

While a team from the States visited, Banner Language Center hosted a cowboy themed English camp for the children of ICA Bangkok.

I got to staff the kitchen station where the kids made mud pies for the first time. We had fun asking them about their favorite characteristic of Jesus, hobbies and school while we "cooked."

After the camp, the church's youth and young adults gathered to watch a new cartoon portraying the life of Christ from a child's eyes. Us interns had to watch the film beforehand in order to prepare a speech and worksheet. I found myself weeping as I watched the tenderness of Christ amidst His Sovereign power, so clearly seen through a child's faith.

I got to encourage the youth to imagine themselves as the child, walking through life with Jesus. How would it have transformed them to experience His life on earth? More so, how does His presence alive in us transform their worldview, heart and mind?

Although Thailand regularly experiences rain during the wet season, the road become nearly deserted and finding a taxi proves impossible!

The country highly respects their king. They avoid mentioning him by name, treat money carefully because it bears him image, and give him their allegiance without question. I could not help but contemplate the way such obedience displays the awe our King's glory demands.

Night markets!

A mock floating market in the basement of one of Thailand's most iconic malls, Icon Siam. This structure was built by the princess; it also boasts an indoor waterfall, golden bathroom and magnificent river view!

Coconut dumpling/mini pancakes

Durian! Our family first encountered this fruit in Malaysia. Because of its putrid smell, most hotels and airports prohibit its presence on their premises.

My sweet friend, Hope, and I took a day trip to a seven-tiered waterfall on the western side of the country. We realized a few weeks before that we share a birthday, and this proved the gateway to a deep friendship. Hope taught me to live unafraid of "failure," the power of Holy Spirit transformation, authentic wonder at God's creation, and intelligent curiosity at Scripture.

Using the smooth rocks as a waterslide!

Hope and I spent hours in awe at the detailed, vibrant display of God's artwork throughout the forest. We stopped several times to pray or speak Scripture because the wonders of God's fingerprint brought us into worship.

These waterfalls are considered a sacred location by Hindus. I need no help seeing why! "He has placed eternity in the hearts of men" the author of Ecclesiastes exclaims. Paul adds in Romans, "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made." 

Hope exclaimed in wonder, "Lydia, with the immense beauty of these waterfalls, trees, caves, moss... why would God not choose this as His temple? Yet He chooses us! He decided to live in us! And He did this though it cost Him everything."

Grabbing fruit smoothies before the ride back. At nearly every turn, you find these; vendors pour fresh fruit and ice into a blender for a cheap, cool drink!

Our bus ride from the nearest town to the waterfalls.

Sights around the local town...

We missed our scheduled bus back to Bangkok. Thankfully, one more bus was scheduled to depart. We popped into a restaurant next door where Hope introduced me to a Thai soup. Because we were having such fun, we nearly missed the last bus as well!

I sat down to write a Bible study for youth group and got henna art instead! I loved spending time with the young ladies from church who volunteered at Lasso Lounge. We got to bond over random tasks such as measuring rooms, baking cookies, and making social media content to promote the new business.

Kae surprised me one day with exciting news: our team would have a beach day before I left. I squealed and dancing in a circle like a child; Kae will not quickly forget it :)

(According to the picture above, left to right and front to back) Kae, Kolby, Chyenne, a new intern, Shelby, Chloe, Hope and I drove to the coast where we took a ferry to a popular island on the west side of Thailand.

Surely waters' roar

magnify

Mighty Master

Truly rocks displaying

various vibrant

imprints

point heavenward

Verily expansive skies

declare

immense infinity 

"Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls"

Hope and I contemplated this Scripture on the ferry ride back. Never before had I understood the meaning of this passage, which frustrated me because its poetic richness held a treasure I could not quite grasp. However, now I saw the deep navy blue of ocean waves lapping from the vessel's sides to the horizon whispered of the roar of God's majesty demanded trust.

Dinner at a well-known sea food restaurant afterwards... trying squid covered in its black ink, fish egg salad, and other dishes.

I spent my last weekend in Thailand back in Korat. After a seven hour trip through a beautiful countryside detour, stand-still traffic and rain, Bridgette and I arrived back in Bangkok with just enough time for me to finish packing and say sad good-byes to the team. I wanted to stay! I hope Jesus opens the door for me to return one day to spend time with this lovely piece of His Bride!

Thank you, Bridgette and the team, for discipling me, praying over me, welcoming me into your world! I need multiple books to describe all God taught me through your lives. Thank you for rejoicing in Christ as you work in a place of such darkness. You show the radiance of Christ's presence resulting in the kindness, love and excitement among His body. Thank you for teaching me how to navigate intercultural communities, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, observing as serving, and the power of presence.