NAVIGATING THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD

Krista, Kristen and I arrived in Bangkok tonight (Saturday) and took a very speedy taxi to the beach town of Pattaya. Do you know anything about Pattaya? We got a crash lesson while waiting for someone to meet us in the mall at a coffee shop. Men. Mostly western (American and European) men. Often OLD men. Come to Pattaya to find "vacation girlfriends." (that is my phrase)... so... I lost count of the number of old, grey-haired, white men who passed by us with YOUNG thai girls on their arms. Just so I am clear: Men come to Pattaya for sex with young Thai women. So... what is one question you never have to ask an older, white man who is walking around alone in Pattaya? - Why are YOU in Pattaya? ... we tried... we asked this German guy why he was in Pattaya and he laughed... and said "for vacation" with kind of a wink in his eye... so... Am I losing my faith in the male species? A bit. Sorry men who read my blog. I realize if men come here for this that they have serious issues sometimes with sex but often with loneliness and relationships. There is a very high suicide rate here among western men. So... while I realize this is sad, I can't quite see them with grace, yet. I see them and get angry. So... This place is where women (and girls and boys) sell themselves to men for money... out in the open... for everyone to see... they flaunt it... and walk around proud. It just really makes me upset. We met the most WONDERFUL Christian women named Pet who works with these women... reaches out to them... rescues them and gives them hope. We met her through our friends Randy and Edie Nelson who have an amazing ministry to the Thai church out of Bangkok but come to Pattaya regularly to support the outreach minsitries here.

The silly good news? I finally got my Starbucks today! Yep. Grande iced mocha! I was so happy, I can't tell a lie.

The serious good news? We also got to attend the True Friend's Church that reaches out to this community of women... and meet some of them and hear their stories. I got to meet a male prostitute at CHURCH. Isn't that cool? He began working as a prostitute on the beaches when he was 12. Can you believe that? They are helping him find a different kind of work and loving him with the love of Jesus. Isn't that incredible? This church... reaching out to the unreachable... touching the untouchable... reminds me of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus asks us to pick up those who have been battered by life. Help them. Give them hope and a future. This church? It is doing the work of God? These women and men who lead this ministry? They are amazing. It gave me hope. God is here. Even in Pattaya... God is working MIRACLES. Praise Jesus!