going away party

Rachel and Mary will be heading back to the states on July 4th.

All of the girls we've made friends with in the pool bars have already expressed how much they're going to miss them.

But, it makes for a good excuse to try to get some of our friends from the pool bars to come see Beginnings!

We're having a going away party/lunch for them next week on Friday. We're saying it's "for Rachel and Mary", but really... it's all about the girls that we're hoping will be able to come. It's going to be from 10:00am-4:30pm (it's a come and go thing so that hopefully it will be able to work with a lot of the girls schedules for them to be able to come). That will be 11:00pm Thursday -5:30am Friday your time. I expect you all to stay up through the night to be in prayer about this. :) I'm joking. But seriously...

This will be an awesome opportunity for the girls to get to see Beginnings and meet Ann and the girls here and to hear what Beginnings it is all about.

Here are a few of the girls that we really hope will be able to come.

Be praying that many of the girls we have invited will be able to come and that their hearts would be open to hearing about Beginnings.

nala

By Megan Smith

This is my beautiful friend Jeab.

We had an instant connection the first time we met and I’ve loved going back to see her almost every day and slowly working through the language barrier to learn more about her each time I see her.

The other day we drew “tattoos” on each other. I asked her what she wanted, and she said for me to draw a rose. Then I told her to write a thai word on my wrist, but I told her to choose what to write.

When I asked her what it said, she said “nala” and smiled. Nala means lovely.

I had to take a minute and remind myself to smile so I wouldn’t cry.

When she looked at me, the word that came to mind was “lovely”.

I couldn’t help but wonder what she sees when she looks at herself.

All I’ve heard from the stories we’ve heard about the girls here is how dirty and used they feel. And if they aren’t feeling that, many of them are choosing to block out all emotion so that they don’t have to feel anything at all.

But, I hope that through our friendship I am able to show her just how loved and “lovely” she is. I hope that I am able to help her to see that she is worth so much more than she’s been taught and experienced that she is worth and that I could show her a glimpse of her worth and beauty.

I hope to be able to help her see herself the way God sees her.

Team 2

It’s time to start praying for team two!

Lyndsey Andler and Janette Marin will be flying out of Charlottesville at 6:10 in the morning on June 30th and will land in Bangkok at 11:20 at night on July 1st.

Keep them in your prayers while they're preparing for the trip and be praying for safe travels for them on the 30^th through the 1st.

Also, keep Mary and Rachel in your prayers, as they will be traveling back on July 4^th.

greater things

By Megan Smith

I feel like there has been so much going on inside of me over the past few days, but it's hard to put it into words.

On Tuesday we went to the pool bars for the first time, and have started going in every afternoon since. I love spending time with the girls. Of course, I love all of the girls that we've met. But, there is one girl in particular that I feel I have a special place in my heart for. I love going in to see her. Just seeing her reaction when she saw us walk in on Friday, made my day. She shouted and jumped up off of the stool she had been sitting on and threw her arms in the air to hug us. Many of the other girls reactions are similar. I love that we can be a bright spot in their day. They certainly brighten ours!

Be praying that our friendships with them will continue to grow.

Every time we see our new friends in the pool bars, I get more and more attached to them. I was talking to Bonita about that and she said it doesn't take long for them to work their way into your heart. It's so true. I just met them on Tuesday and I already have such a deep love for them.

It was really hard for me to leave the last pool bar that we went into on Friday. I just hate knowing that when we leave, they are still there. And it breaks me when I think of what they may face later in the day.

I wanted to share the story behind the song, The God of This City, as it has constantly resonated with my prayers while i have been here this past week.

This song has become an encouragement to me and I find myself singing it in my head as I walk through the bars and praising God for its truth.

You're God of this city

You're the King of these people

You're the Lord of this nation, you are

You're the Light in this darkness

You're the Hope to the hopeless

You're the Peace to the restless, you are

You're the Lord of creation

The creator of all things

You're the King above all kings, you are

You're the Strength in the weakness

You are Love to the broken

You're the Joy in the sadness, you are

For there is no one like our God

there is no one like You, God

Greater things have yet to come

and greater things are still to be done in this city

Greater things have yet to come

and greater things are still to be done here

hope

By Rachel Tiemeyer

Tuesday night I went for my first night of outreach in the bars with Bonita and Wan. I couldn’t help but feel nervous about what to expect. Thankfully, Bonita and Wan provided a sense of safety if I ever felt overwhelmed. Although the environment was unfamiliar and uncomfortable, the purpose of our mission outweighed any uneasiness.

Within seconds of entering a bar, we were met with smiles and genuine excitement and kindness from girls. While sitting in the bar, I felt I was a part of two different worlds at the same time. In front of me, there were girls trapped in a world that appears to be their only means of survival. Yet, when they were talking and smiling and making conversation with Bonita and Wan, I saw beautiful girls who remind me of my friends back home. It was both sad and intriguing to watch their ability to shut “off” their emotions on stage, and back “on” when talking with their friends once they were off the stage. As I sat there, I reminded myself time and time again to keep a smile on my face and not to make any expressions that would further shame them. It makes me sad to know that that is what they have to do every day.
Even though I prepared myself as much as I could for what I would see and experience in the bars, I was still shocked.

Bonita told me that the bar we went into was a good “starter bar” for me. While we were there, there were no customers, and Bonita said that was a rarity. A part of me was relieved and thankful.
I was told it was an unusual night because Ann and Wan both had appointments to meet with girls who had showed interest in Beginnings. It was wonderful to see that Beginnings’ efforts of planting seeds were being sown and girls’ interests were being piqued. Bonita mentioned that the most important thing that we could do in the meantime was to pray, pray, and pray!

When we left the bar we stopped at another because Wan was talking to two girls and Bonita explained to me that one of them was interested in coming to see Beginnings. We paid her bar fine and she came back to Beginnings with us that night. I was excited for her and prayed for her as we walked home. Everybody was welcoming to her when we got to the house. Ann talked with her and shared with her what Beginnings is about. Our job again: pray, pray, pray!

When Bonita told us about the appointments that Ann and Wan had with the girls who were interested in Beginnings, she had warned us to be hopeful, but also realistic. She had seen the excitement in our eyes when she told us about the girls wanting to learn more about Beginnings, and while this was something to praise and pray about, she did not want us to crumble with disappointment if they did not come and stay. Unfortunately, the reality is that many will not be able to at this time. I smile at how God has blessed us with this opportunity to be here and to minister to these girls. Tuesday night I experienced a very dark place but, in the midst of that, I saw hope. That is why we are here. Even if it is one meeting at a time, one friendship blossomed at a time, one seed planted at a time, one bar fine at a time, and one welcomed girl at a time, it is still one HOPE at a time. Thank you for your care and prayers.

new creations

By Megan Smith

Psalm 139:13-14

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Since I was a child I have had those truths instilled in me. My parents were always intentional about making sure I knew how much they loved me, and how valuable I am to them. But even more importantly, they made sure I knew how much God loves me, and how valuable I am to Him.

These girls were never taught that. They were told that their worth comes from bringing honor to their family, and that they will honor their family by providing for them. Because of a lack of means to be able to provide for their family in any other way, they turn to the sex trade.

I have so much to be thankful for.

Last night I went with Bonita and Nit for my first night of outreach. We went into the gogo bars, and it was all I could do to hold myself together. I had prayed that God would break my heart for the girls the way that His is broken for them, so it was no surprise that it was difficult.

The girls would rotate on the bars, they would dance for a few songs and then switch and a different group of girls would go up to dance. While they were dancing, their blank stares broke my heart. You could see the disconnect from themselves and what they were doing.

When they were able to take a break, we would talk to them and there was an immediate transition in their demeanor. They were so friendly, and their smiles were contagious. It was refreshing to see them be able to enjoy themselves for even just a few minutes.But as soon as they had to go back to dancing, the mask went right back up.

I can't wait to be able to build relationships with these girls and I pray that God would be able to use me to show them His love.

When we got home, one of the girls from Beginnings opened the gate to let us in and I couldn't help but be amazed at God and what He does. A few of the girls here were prevention cases, but many of them were bar girls. It's just beautiful to see how far God has brought them from that. When I look at them I see a perfect picture of 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!

Isaiah 43:9-10

By Megan Smith

Please be praying. Tonight will be the first night of outreach. Bonita talked with us today about what we can expect when we go into the bars. She told us that there is nothing to be afraid of as far as our physical safety in the bars, but that we are very emotionally unsafe.

I feel like I have been preparing for this for so long through prayer and by reading and hearing about it, but I know that seeing it first hand is going to have a completely different impact on me.

Bonita is going to take Mary, Rachel and I each individually, along with one of the girls from Beginnings for our first night of outreach. I will be going tonight and Rachel and Mary will each go over the next two nights. One of them will go on Tuesday and one of them will go on Wednesday. Please be in prayer for each of us as we go.

It is hard to know how I will react, but I am praying that the Lord will guide my steps and that He will protect my heart and my emotions as I see and process everything.

I'm finding rest in this tonight:

I took you from the ends of the earth,

from its farthest corners I have called you.

I said, 'You are my servant';

I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:9-10

My Prayer

By Megan Smith

Yesterday’s emotions ran the full spectrum from being really excited to finally arrive in Bangkok to being a little bit scared of the unknown.
Towards the end of our flight from Tokyo to Bangkok I looked at the monitor on the plane and it said we had an hour and a half until we landed. Cue the second end of the spectrum of emotions. The nerves kicked in. But then I remembered that a good friend of mine had given me a card to read on the flight and I hadn't read it yet. It was exactly what I needed to hear. I want to share part of it because it is my heart and my prayers for this trip and these girls:

"Their story is yours to tell. You have read the book(s), now you enter into the chapters. You will witness first hand their pain, their sorrow, their loneliness and their captivity to their lifestyle. Your emotions will run high and low, they will also run deep. There will be times you will have questions without answers, but remind yourself that you go as his faithful servant. You go to share his love with these girls and maybe be a piece to the puzzle that changes their story forever.
Don't be misguided by how some of them may play the part so well. Deep down we are all girls/women that seek love and respect, not to be bought and sold for empty acts of pleasure. Their honor to their family is strong and all they do is for them, I pray that for you that you will be able to share with them that Christ's love is stronger and deeper than they will ever know.
I pray that you get many opportunities to just sit and talk with these women, to be their friend.
Despite the challenge of the language barrier I pray that the Holy Spirit would fill those voids of words."

We met Bonita today and talked with her about what things will look like for us as far as teaching English here at beginnings and doing outreach in the bars. We won’t start either until Monday.

We covet your prayers as we begin outreach on Monday, as there will be much to process.

My heart has already felt heavy since we’ve been here. The darkness is so pervasive. It’s everywhere. From overhearing explicit conversations on the plane between men discussing the “one reason” they come here, to looking out my window tonight to see a young Thai girl walking hand in hand with an older western man, I have finally seen it firsthand. It is one thing to read the books and hear the stories about everything that goes on here, but it is completely different to be face to face with it.

Arrival in Bangkok

We arrived safely in Bangkok late last night. We got here at 11:20 pm on Thursday.

Yesterday was a long day with almost 24 hours worth of flights. But, we are so glad to be here. We have met several of the girls here at Beginnings and already love them.

Thanks again for your prayers.