The lost girls of Thailand....

Sports Friends has an Asian base which is located in northern Thailand. Please pray for our staff there as they seek to train and work alongside Thai believers who desire to share the love of Christ through the platform of sports, a terrific relational ministry strategy, during this CHRISTmas season.

Today as I read my advent devotion for the day I was moved by the story of Issan and the Night ministries that takes place in Thailand. Would you consider reading this devotional and having a time of focused prayer for these girls and this cutting edge ministry?

Taken from An SIM advent devotional for Monday, Dec. 6th.

Reading: Isaiah 8:23-9:6

The People have Seen a Great Light

In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:1-2

The first weekend in October I traveled with our production crew to Isaan along with colleagues from Step Ahead Micro Enterprise Development and Night Light Ministries. As among the people of Israel in Isaiah’s time, there are many people in Isaan today who walk in deep darkness: the darkness of poverty, the darkness of spirit worship, the darkness of prostitution (with all its heartbreaking ramifications for the family). Isaan is the main provider of prostitutes to the bars of Bangkok. More than 80% of the girls travel from the northeastern provinces looking for work to help them support their families back home.

Two of the young women on our team had themselves formerly been prostitutes. They know well the darkness and abuse of that lifestyle and the hopelessness of being trapped with no way out. Thanks to the caring and courageous work of Night Light, these two women (and many others) havefound a way out. They have truly seen a great light: the Light of Jesus Christ, who has come into our world, as prophesied by Isaiah in today’s reading. Watching these women give honor to the Lord through a worship dance was nothing less than watching a true miracle of God’s grace. These former prostitutes, both of whom were also “pole dancers” in Bangkok bars, now radiate the Great Light that has changed their lives. On that October weekend, they were going home to tell families, friends and a large group of church leaders about how God has set them free into His Light and Life and Love.

It’s difficult, isn’t it, to imagine what these young women have experienced. We don’t like to think about it. But we all have our own darkness and we are all equally in need of the Light. Whatever hurts have darkened our past, whatever struggles and tears we may face today, whatever fears we may have about the future – God is always near, waiting to shine His Light into our pain, waiting to restore us and to heal our brokenness.

As we look forward during this Advent season to celebrating Christ’s birth once again, let’s grab hold of the joy and peace that God offers each of us. And let’s walk in the light of His love.

Karen Thomson came to Thailand in 1999 and serves as Regional Director for the Christian Broadcasting Network office, CBN Siam. Karen is an American from Pennsylvania.

The Light

The ancients gazed on the light, from afar

Shielding their eyes from the rising dawn, on a future horizon

Looking towards the mounting brightness

That would dispel the great darkness.

With great celebration, the angels heralded the entrance of the Light

Into this earthly arena,

As the Author of light himself, became the tiny fragile vessel,

Bearing the light that could illuminate the deepest recesses of a man’s soul,

Dispelling the darkest shadows.

The light was multiplied and entrusted to those who would pass it on.

Our ancestors took up the torch,

Carrying it high across the globe, down through the centuries.

Sometimes the flame sputtered as the darkness threatened to snuff it out,

But the light could not be extinguished because it springs from the source of all light.

The Light who is Immanuel,

The Light who came so that we who walk in darkness, could experience a glorious new dawn.

The Light who will one day return in triumph, conquering the darkness for ever.

He has come.

He is with us.

He is coming again.

Hallelujah!

Melanie Carey