by Sammi Jones

It was the most enthralling as well as horrifying experience of my life.  There’s not much I could do to prepare but trust in God and follow His footsteps.  It was Monday evening in Pattaya just before the dark came to envelop the night.  Each member of our team was assigned to team up with a staff member from the Tamar Center to go out together to the bars on the streets of Pattaya to talk to the “bar girls” that are looking for their next desperate & lonely customer for the night.  There was so much to take in.  I’m sure everyone on the team would give you a different story but I thought I would share a little of what I absorbed that night in Pattaya.

The atmosphere would be very hard for anyone with morals to stomach.   But there was something inside of me that took over that was stronger than my defenses.  I felt such compassion for these love-starved people (both the prostitutes & the men) that any smile I received or conversation I had was enough to make my heart dance.   It took my hope and faith in God to a whole new level.  I felt how precious God’s thoughts are toward his children and I desperately wanted to portray that.  Since language is a barrier, I really had to count on showing his love by acts of kindness.  I’m so anxious to see what redemption God has in store for this city.  Which reminds me of a song that is dear to my heart; a promise for Pattaya, Thailand.

“Greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city.”

So I shall hold on to that promise, and the hope that great wonders of God lie ahead.

Praise God for His goodness!

Sammi, signing off…