Scriptures that very much so describe Christ's leading in our life in terms of missions. The first is tied in to our very own daughter's name because it is the great commission of our life as for us all as followers of Jesus.
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Romans 15:20-21
It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would
not be building on someone else's foundation. Rather, as it is written:
"Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."
God lead us to Thailand in a way that speaks very highly to His divine mystery... showing us again how perfect His plan is, despite even where we thought He had been leading. We had been in pursuit of Uganda as our mission field for over a year, but continued to watch God close doors. Through much prayer, we in time accepted that it was not spiritual warfare holding us back, but God's will and plan for us to be somewhere different.
Months before we even knew God was leading to South East Asia... I happened to read the story of Somaly Mam, “The Road of Lost Innocence.” This tale of her own life, having been kidnapped and sold into prostitution at only ten years old, opened my eyes and broke my heart in a way so deep I knew I would never recover. I was grateful for that, to know that burden, and though I had known of Human Trafficking and felt a deep burden which led me to this story, hearing it from the heart of someone who lived it, and will always live WITH it, takes you to a new level of understanding God's own heart in this. After which, it is something that will never let you go.
God then revealed to us South East Asia... This is a place where Human Trafficking is a prominent and thriving industry, and yet with as “out there” as some parts of it may be... still so much is covered up and hidden in how deep the horror goes. The more Jonathan and I both sought out to know in our pursuit after some understanding of all of this, the more we felt God leading us onto a role in whatever way He would allow to bring Christ's light to this dark place. From our time here in Thailand we see it every where... whether it be the many bars where girls are selling themselves, the many foreign men walking with a Thai woman on their arm, or the horrible instances where we have even come face to face with it.
In one instance, Jonathan was going to a different part of the city to set up our Internet, and was approached by a man who carried a “menu” of girls, and tried fervently to get Jonathan to come with him, insisting he would like it because the girls were, “Very young!” The parts of it that we do not see, where children are victimized and left voiceless and defenseless, are the parts we need to seek out and find... searching out Jesus who dwells in these dark places with them, who wants to see them saved.
Then there are the faces of the girls with whom we have been so blessed to be alongside whenever
we visited the incredible organization Servantworks, serving girls who have been rescued from this vicious cycle and are now are working to make new lives in the Lord. You would never guess or be able to imagine what these girls have seen and endured, when all they project is joy, laughter, and an eagerness to share the beauty of what they are, in ways they would never even know they are doing it. But it will be a daily struggle for them, in this shame based culture, where they have lived a time in their life where they believed in the lies that they were nothing of value... to allow themselves to keep on hoping, keep on believing and keep on trusting in how beautiful Christ thinks they are.
There are children being sold; virgins who are prostituted against their will to increase prosperity in a mans life. There are stories so terrible that you want to curl up in a ball and hide away, and there are parts of this ministry that will test us beyond belief to truly hold onto God's strength, because we cannot do it without Him. Our hope and prayer, is to be people who listen for His voice and act on what He says... and move forward with great conviction and strength, believing He can break down these terrible barriers and strongholds and make His Kingdom of glory and grace upon the places the broken hearted have been trampled into the ground. God will prevail... and we see His working here in Thailand, and we see what He is desiring to do. The fact that we only have a small concept of that, but get to be a part of Him revealing His will slowly over time, is the greatest honor we can know.
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing,
and forceful men lay hold of it.”
and forceful men lay hold of it.”
In Christ, Jonathan and Juliet
