OUTREACH - what happens?

Several people have asked me to explain what happens on outreach...what is a typical night like on the streets and in the bars?

We do outreach every Tuesday and Friday night, sometimes other times as well if there is a special woman we are trying to contact. Beginning at 6:30 we gather at the NightLight office for about an hour of prayer. This is our time to prepare emotionally and spiritually for what we are going to experience. Realizing we are going into darkness we spend time "cleaning house" and asking for God's covering and protection. We also pray for wisdom and discernment as to what bars/go-go clubs to go into that night. Invariably God leads us to go where we need to make connections with women. Sometimes it is one of the women we already have a relationship with that is in trouble and has been waiting for us...sometimes we find a new girl who is desperate, afraid and needs to be rescued. If we are fortunate, she may not have had to go with a customer yet. That is what we really celebrate!

Last Friday night was a little different. Actually every night is a "little different." On Friday afternoon we received a report that a customer had murdered one of the girls and jumped out of the window of the hotel with her body killing himself as well. Annie and I decided that we needed to go to this area instead of the regular clubs up the street. So three of us left the larger group and found the area where this all took place. It turned out to be a unique opportunity to talk with people on the streets who were haunted by what had taken place. The three of us prayed over the area as we reversed the curses associated with this tragedy and I poured oil in the shape of the cross on the sidewalk in a prophetic declaration of breaking the power of death and fear. Does this seem strange? Perhaps. But this is what I was led to do and I am learning to be obedient and willing to appear strange! We did feel the spiritual heaviness lift and will continue to take back territory from the enemy every time we tread the streets.

After that the three of us went into a beer bar across the street where we never go and had a lively conversation with two women who like everyone in the area were upset by what had happened across the street. I believe one of the women will probably be coming to NightLight. She is older, 37, with two teenage sons. She really wants a different life but had no other way to make money after her husband died ten years ago in a car accident. She is illiterate, can neither read or write. But you don't need to read or write to make beautiful jewelry. I hope we see her soon.

Please pray that we have the resources and support to expand the business. We are at capacity and can no longer take in new women, except in emergency cases. If we had the resources we could rent more space and divide NightLight Design into smaller entities, hire the needed staff and be able to pay their salaries. SInce only a third of the salaries is supported by sales we need to sell a lot more jewelry and expand our donations base. All of this could be overwhelming but I know that God is BIG and He wants these women rescued and restored!

An immediate need - NightLight USA needs an office NOW! Pray for provision in a church or business that has some extra space they would donate or rent. It has to be moved out of Charity's apartment where all the jewelry distribution and daily business takes place. They need much more space, John and Charity need their privacy, and starting this summer NightLight will be traning interns from Fuller Seminary and other area colleges/universities. It is time for a REAL OFFICE.

How can you help...PRAY! NightLight Design is in the process of making major marketing and design decisions as well as seeking new supporters, distributors and markets. The more jewelry we sell the more women we can rescue. The more jewelry we sell the more people find out about NightLight Ministries and importantly begin to understand the huge issues surrounding sexual exploitation globally and in their own context. An important part of the mission is to increase awareness of the prevalence of sexual exploitation, trafficking and slavery as we advocate for the victims. Pray for a 21st Century abolitionist movement that sweeps the earth and brings an end to these crimes against humanity...men, women and children who are enslaved, abused, tortured, bought and sold with no regard for their dignity and worth. Join the movement!

EVERYDAY MIRACLES and CHALLENGES

Every day is filled with miracles. On a "normal" day we see God bring healing physically, emotionally and spiritually. There is power in prayer, especially when people have no doubt that God is the Healer. God truly is Jehovah Rapha, our healer.

Every day is filled with incredible new challenges. On our last outreach, another woman asked us for help to go home. Pray about this! The team also met five women from Africa who were trafficked into Bangkok. Several of them are desperate mothers who have no other way to feed their children. We in the West have little concept of how incredibly difficult life can get...so difficult that you will come all the way to Bangkok and sell your body to keep your family alive.

As you can see I have new Benji pictures. What a miracle she is! Her mom is growing in the Lord and as she said several days ago...she is so thankful to God for saving her and her little angel!

The other pictures are of Charity, her friend Do and I celebrating her birthday at a favorite Thai restaurant - MK. It was great fun to cook our own meal in the hot pot. That explains the steamy picture. Charity and Do were here for six days on NightLight business. They are both back in LA and I miss them! It is very quiet here at the house tonight.

BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL FROM BKK - Susan

PRAY FOR BURMA and CHINA

I have had several people send me emails to ask if I was ok. I am fine but like many of you, I am very concerned for the suffering people in Burma and China. The Thai people are close to their neighbors with many Burmese refugees living in exile in Thailand. So this is all very difficult for this nation who so desperately wants to help with the relief effort but are kept from fully engaging in Burma like the rest of the world.

The earthquake in China...the newspaper said buildings swayed in Bangkok but I didn't feel it. We contacted our future daughter-in-law, Beth, who is teaching in China, and she did not feel the quake either and she was much closer to the epicenter.

With all the volcanoes erupting, wild weather, and violence everywhere I will quote my daughter Charity - "the earth is groaning."

All is well here in Bangkok. However, it has been raining like crazy, hot and very humid. This is definitely not my favorite weather. Tonight by the time we had walked to dinner I was soaked all the way through my poncho. The only good thing was everyone else looked like a "drowned rat" too!

BLESSINGS FROM BKK - Susan

MY FIRST WEEK BACK IN BANGKOK

Hello to all my faithful bloggers! I am finally settled in my room at the volunteer house and busy with prayer ministry at NightLight. Those of you who were with me on my last trip know all about Goi and her beautiful baby Benji. You can find her story in the blog archives. I can't begin to explain the joy I have in seeing them both again. Not only is Benji the cutest little girl I have ever seen...but her mom is just growing in the Lord by leaps and bounds. She is even part of the worship team at NightLight!

GOD IS SO GOOD! Please pray for me as the intensity of the challenges here grows each day. In the past week I have already had four deliverance sessions which are very exhausting. I am so blessed that God uses me to bless these women and bring healing in mind, body and spirit. The demonic has such a hold on this culture and particularly women who have been prostituted and trafficked. Part of the control their "bosses" use is built on Satanic rituals and witchcraft perfomed on them by mediums, shamans or temple monks or priests. Daily I find myself amazed with what we confront in the spiritual realm. But...GOD ALWAYS SHOWS UP and HE IS THE DELIVERER and HEALER!

F.Y.I. - I will try to make a new posting each weekend. BLESSINGS FROM BKK - SUSAN