It Is Well With My Soul.

Hello dear friends and loved ones:). I pray you all are doing well and that life is good. I am loving Thailand and the people here more and more everyday. We started helping with the English classes yesterday and the girls are absolutely precious. They use the English classes here as a way to get the girls from the bars to come in to not only learn English, but to also be exposed to Beginnings and what it is all about. There were 5 girls yesterday and they were so sweet and eager to learn. We practiced basic conversation skills with them. Some are more outspoken with their english as some of the others were very shy, but all in all they did a great job. 

Today was probably the first difficult day I've had while being here. We will start going into the bars this week, so we met with Bonita this afternoon to go over some things to expect to see while we are in the bars. I won't go into detail about our discussion, but I will say that it was very grim. But I was so thankful to Bonita for sharing with us, and not holding anything back so we have time to process it all before we go in. Bonita told us that when we go into the bars there is no need to feel physically unsafe, but that it is very emotionally unsafe. This immediately made so much sense to me. The whole time I have been here I have never once felt physically unsafe, but I have had to keep my emotions in check on a daily basis. I am so so thankful for Janette, Martha, Tiffany, and Courtney for being that emotional outlet if I feel the need to cry or vent the emotions I'm feeling whether it be sadness, anger, heartbreak, etc. I want to be strong for these girls in the bars. To let them know I am there to be there friend and love them. Janette was saying tonight how usually you don't want to put on a mask and be something you're not, but in this situation, you have to put on a mask and not show emotions or shock in front of these girls. We are not there to feel sympathy for them. We are there to show them love and friendship and trust. Not showing that kind of emotion is a lot easier said than done. And it's a lot harder than I thought it would be. But I know God will be with me and be my strength. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness." - Isaiah 41:10

One more thought for the night and then I promise I'm done:). I have been thinking a lot lately the past couple of days of my favorite hymn, It Is Well With My Soul. Being able to interact and watch the girls that we live with in the house has been so encouraging. To know what torture and unspeakable things they have come from, and then to see them on Sunday at church worshipping the Lord in song. To walk downstairs in the mornings and see one of them reading their Bible on the couch and praying. They have truly found Christ's saving grace. This hymn speaks to the eternal hope that all believers have, no matter what pain and grief befall them on earth....

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Refrain

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

Refrain

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

Refrain

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

a few pictures thus far...

So a few of you have been asking to see some pics of our time here so far. Here are a few, and I'll be putting more up later on. Enjoy!....

Ann took us out tonight for shopping and dinner. It was a blast..especially bartering with the people.

This is where we eat meals with the girls. The food is different but soo good.

Every Thai house has an indoor kitchen and an outdoor kitchen. This is

the outdoor kitchen. It's really nice, except for the alien bugs that like

to hang out in it.

The delectable fruit. I swear it's nectar of the gods.

I cannot even begin to describe how good the fruit is here. I don't even know what half of it is called and I don't care. It's delicious.

 

Martha, Janette, and I all partook in some tasty bug goodness today. Surprisingly they tasted quite good. 

monsooning:)

So I had heard stories of the rain in Thailand, but we finally got to experience it tonight, and I am still currently experiencing it. It has probably been downpouring for the last hour, with no signs of letting up and some of the most beautiful lightning I've seen in a while. Needless to say I'm gonna sleep real good tonight with all of that going on outside my window:). 

Today has been an extremely chill Saturday. Bonita and Roy went out of town, and Ann (the house mom) had to go out of town for the day as well, so it was just the girls and us. In the short time we've been here I've already come to love just sitting with the girls and talking, or at least acting out what we're trying to get across in our different languages. They are so open to learning English and so open to helping us learn Thai. These girls are precious. 

Janette and I were talking today about how the culture here is so different in that the people don't feel like they have to constantly be on the go all day. They embrace just sitting, or sewing, or reading. I am definitely guilty of feeling that if I'm just sitting at home I need to be doing something, or go somewhere. In the few short days that we've been here, I've been trying to learn to just sit still and that it's ok. So many times when we're constantly going, we just need to sit still and listen. Just to talk to God, and then sit still and let him answer. It's a two way conversation. And it has brought me so much peace. I have found so much comfort in the quietness and stillness. Psalm 46:10.

Anywho, that's my thought for today. I pray you all are well and I miss you all very much, but not enough to come back quite yet:). Till next time I am off to fall asleep to the sweet lullaby of the rain and thunder outside. Love. Love.

shout out:)

...also I wanted to give a shout out to my girls Martha and Janette. First off, for Martha being AMAZING on her first flight, much less a flight across the world. I am so blessed to be serving with these girls, and I know God sent the 3 of us here together for a purpose. I love you girls and thank you for your constant friendship, peace, sense of humor, and your reflection of Christ...

We're Here:)

We are finally in Bangkok! It's about 8:30 in the morning here on Friday. We arrived here late Thursday night and can I just say it was quite the adventure. From D.C. to Detroit to Tokyo to Bangkok I was completely turned around and I can only figure that the reason I am wide awake and have so much energy right now is from the Lord and my excitement for being here. Tiffany and Courtney, from Lynchburg, are here as well, and it was so refreshing to see familiar faces. 

As we got off the plane, and went through customs, and the craziness that is baggage claim, I was praying the entire time for the Lord to give me strength. I never for a moment did not feel safe because I could feel Him right beside me. Tiffany was waiting for us after baggage claim along with the taxi driver to take us to Beginnings. Before we left, Christine had told us of some things we might see just from the airport to Beginnings, but I don't think anything really prepared me for what we were going to see. We turned down a street and instantly I felt heavy and the presence of evil. There were too many girls to even count lined up along the street, and it seemed there were just as many cars of men driving alongside as well. As we drove down the street and I saw these girls, my heart just broke. They were all so young. All I could think of is who were these girls? Whose daughter, sister, niece, friend are they? I felt such oppression and sadness and immediately began praying. I know God is here. And I know he loves these girls so much and wants to show them His everlasting love.

I was reading before bed last night and thank you Jesus for showing me this verse. Deuteronomy 31:6  says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

I pray you all are well wherever you may be and please continue praying. Love.

Counting down the hours...

Good evening my dear friends and loved ones. This whole blogging thing is new to me, but I wanted to be able to share what the Lord is doing through Martha, Janette, and I while we're in Thailand ministering to the girls who have found freedom, and also the girls who have not yet found it, and have you be a part of that. To see how God has orchestrated this trip and put everything in its place has been absolutely amazing. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am for the prayers, responses, and support you all have given. I never once doubted God's faithfulness and I knew if He wanted me going to minister to these beautiful girls He would make a way. And He did:). God's faithfulness never ceases to amaze me. 

The past couple of weeks preparing to leave seem like they've been a whirlwind of emotions, which has been kind of difficult as I am not a very emotional person. But God is my Rock and I know His love never fails me. I am ready to be there, loving on these girls. We love because He first loved us. - 1 John 4:19.

We fly out Wednesday morning for Bangkok and I am beyond eager to be there, serving alongside Bonita and Roy (the founders of Beginnings), Martha, and Janette. Greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city.

I cannot tell you how much your prayers mean to me and how much they will be felt while we are in Thailand. I pray to somehow make a difference in these girls lives, but more than anything just to show them Christ and how worthy of His love they are. I love you all and look so forward to sharing with you what God does through us once we are there! 

In Christ I Stand, Lyndsey