The ants came marching one by one...smash...there is no time for hurray.

OK so this is part one of about 10 blogs...So sorry it's been so long. We only have one computer between all of us now that we are at Abba House and our days are so full and I spend most of my breaks sleeping. Speaking of sleeping...I've never slept this much in my life (and you all thought it was bad when I fell asleep during staff meetings and prayer...), every second I get a break I just want to sleep. I'm blaming the heat...and the ants. They stress me out 24/7. At Abba house they are everywhere!!! Speaking of ants...5 just arrogantly walked across my pillow. What nerve. Everyday I have to pray for grace and mercy on them so I don't just crush them and plot to sweep them off the second floor. So I've moved from Mosquitoes to ants... I'm not even going to talk about the swarm of fire ants I rescued the trashcan from...

Anyway... This post is going to be a recap of our time at Lighthouse. Wow. I don't even know where to start. We lived at Lighthouse for 4 lovely weeks. We made amazing friends with the World Race team and I might even have a business partner out of it. :) We finally got to meet P'Emmi, the woman who founded Lighthouse. She got back from visiting the states the day before we left so we got to here her story which is incredible. She is from a hill tribe, her parents died, and then her family disowned her b/c they thought she was cursed and the reason for her mother's death. So she lived with her a different grandfather, but he hurt himself badly and couldn't take care of her so he brought her to a Christian orphanage. Meanwhile, her other family sold her to one of the pimps that come from the city to the tribes. When he came to collect and she wasn't there (and the family had already spent the money) he came looking for her. The orphanage was able to raise the money to pay him back and she was able to stay. She went to college and started making a lot of bad choices, her mother from the orphanage came and sat her down and told her straight to her face, "If you continue running from God and living your life this way, you will end up in Hell." I was like wow that was harsh, but she said because it came from the one person that had cared about her, the one person that had loved her all these years, she knew it was because she loved her and she knew it was true. So she decided to turn her life around. She got a scholarship to come to the US, and when she came back she felt called to start this ministry and the coffee shop Wongen. She is soooo incredible and hilarious. But what I love most about her and her testimony is that she gives God the glory for all of it.

So we were able to be a small part of her story and Lighthouses future. :) Now I want you to meet my friend Hong. Hong is 29 years old and works at Kat's Bar (haha I was right at home). She is half Chinese and half Thai. She speaks both languages fluently, and is so much fun. I first got connected with Hong one night at the bar when we were playing pool with some of the other girls. She told me I had a "baby face" (patted it) and then told me I had the voice to match. LOL One thing I learned from Hong is honesty. The next week she told Brynn that she looked like a boy and asked if she had showered. (Ps. Brynn smelled fine.) One thing you learn really quick about Thai culture is never to be offended. They tell you you are fat one second and the next thing out of their mouth is that they love you.

One night we decided to bring art supplies to the bar and we sat down outside the bar at a table and asked if anyone would like to paint. Hong sat down with a few others and began to paint. It turns out that she is incredibly talented. We came back early the next night before customers got there and painted again. She came running in holding sketches for us to paint. We were able to paint and talk. She asked us what we thought of all the American men that came and about the ones that were 60, 70, 80. We told her it made us sad and asked her what she thought. She said she thinks it is really sad, and most of the older ones just want companionship, someone just to talk to and pay attention to them. It was so sad. I wanted to cry.

The next night we showed up to paint, but her boss said that we couldn't (it was distracting her from the customers). It turned out to be a huge blessing because she suggested we meet up in the afternoon. So Brynn, Rachel, Boy, and I met her at Burger King. We painted and she did our make up (remember how she called Brynn a boy...she thought this was much better...I'll post pictures soon). You know how some make up looks better depending on eye shape, skin color etc. For example, Estrella can wear bright colors on her eyes and she looks incredible...but then you transfer that to me...well let's just say the boys would be starring alright... Well the same goes for Asian makeup. By the end we had eyeliner to our ears and caterpillars for eye brows and fabulous red lips. Hong looked fabulous, but let me tell you we were a bunch of lookers. Let's just say the look didn't transfer quite as well...but we sure had a fun Burger King photo shoot. The next day she invited us to get the look ourselves and took us makeup shopping and to the market. It was really fun and she kept just putting everything we could imagine in our hands saying, "This is good, This is good." It was so hilarious and awesome.

The next night we met her to go to the mall and shopping. We had to have a team meeting before we left (some issues that needed to be dealt with came up). So we were 2 hours late. I was disappointed we were so late, but the meeting was really good and brought us together as a team and was so impacting in our functioning as a team. Unfortunately that doesn't translate well when you are the one waiting for 2 hours and can't figure out were we are...Hong was a bit annoyed (remember she likes to point things out lol) and only got to eat with us before she had to leave to go get ready for work, but she had brought Fon another friend from the bar, so we got to hang out with her and watch the movie. Then Fon took us shopping (don't worry I only bought two pairs of shoes for under $10 put together). Fon is really really sweet and we had a lot of fun with her. She also came to the market with us the day before. Her English is really good and she is so sweet and generous.

That night was our last night at the bars. I walked in and the first thing Hong does is poke me under the eyes and says, you need to go to sleep (I told you it wasn't just me!), go home. She is sooo funny. We stayed for about two hours and every time she walked by she poked me in the eyes and told me to go home..."you need sleep." And then would show anyone near the bags under my eyes lol.

Brynn and I for the first time weren't having a great night conversation wise, so we decided to pray. Wow it was so humbling. Julie and Boy went and prayer walked as well. Someone famous said, "Prayer is not preparation for the greater work, prayer is the greater work." It is so true...thank you famous, wise man. Everyone else started having amazing conversations and the evening turned out to be one of the best. It was so hard to leave. These women have become my friends. They have taught me a lot about life and joy. I'll miss them dearly. I hope God has plans for our paths to cross again. I keep finding business possibilities. Hong speaks Chinese and if her English improves she would be great working with manufactures and she is a beautiful artist and could work in design. Plus she's a go-getter. Nothing holds her back, and she is not afraid to be blunt. :) Jeremiah 29 has been a huge theme while over here. I know God has great plans for their lives. I hope one day they will get to know Jesus better and surrender their lives to him.

Well we will see what God has in store with these relationships. I hope to one day see the fruit, but if not I know there will be a harvest. We got to love on so many girls. Every night they would tell us we were different, that we weren't the same as the rest. They saw Christ in us. We got to love them and not ask for anything in return. It was truly a life changing experience. My views changed on people. Anyone can be your friend. I now hate the word prostitute. All it leaves you with is a profession and takes all your humanity. These women are warm, loving, and full of joy. They have hopes and dreams. Most are just tying to support their families. Some are doing it so their siblings can go to school and not have to end up in the bars. No one has any right to look down at them. Yes what they are doing isn't right, but they are just trying to survive. They make anywhere from 2,000 baht to 10,000 a week. Minimum wage is like 1,000 baht a week. This is why it is so appealing.

Everyone needs the Gospel. These women, but even those closest to you that you don't want to offend. If I could love these girls in the bars with Christ's love and bring them his gospel, than why can't I do the same in my life back in the states? We all need Jesus. What are you going to say when we stand before God and they turn around and ask, "Why didn't you tell me?" "Why didn't you try harder?" Jesus died and then came back with a message (I'm guessing it's important if he came all the way back from the dead to tell us :) ), He said go and make disciples of every nation. Every nation. That includes our work, our family, but also Africa, Russia, Europe...every nation. This is what God has been teaching me over here :). I'm reading Radical by David Platt. It is so good...but will mess you up and convict you. So read it but prepare yourself for craziness!! :)

OK here is an opportunity for those that want to make a difference in the bars. A girl from the world race team, met a few girls that want rescued out. Here is the final part of the 7 part blog that tells about the story. It is incredible! We prayed for a harvest and here is way! http://emilytuttle.theworldrace.org/?filename=help-wanted-maes-story-part-4 But As you will read, these girls are here illegally, and will need housing and a job. So lighthouse needs to raise $2,000 immediately to make them legal and provide for them...in less than a week. And continually funding for their futures. So if you can give, please do. Give up your Starbucks for the day. :) This will be able to put them in recovery and into a discipleship program and give them a new life!!! Hopefully this is just 2 of many to come. :) I hope you read the story from the beginning. It's powerful. And I hope you can give. Thank you friends! God blesses us so we can bless others :). xx

Well I'm off to teach English! Yes they let me teach people to spell... scary. They also gave me a pulpit...that will come in the next post :) hahaha

Lots of love!
KL