First Night Out

Hello Everyone!
Well, we have just finished our first full day of being at SHE! We are filled with a whole variety of emotions. From excitment to sorrow to joy to exhaustion.
This morning we woke up to do a devotion with the ladies. We then had some time to start getting to know the ladies already working here at SHE. We spent our time sampling bread (SHE is just starting to make bread and often needs taste testers!), making jewelry (you all should visit SHE's website, they have such beautiful jewelry) or going to the grocery store.

We then spent the afternoon going to Bangla Road. This is the section of Phuket that houses about 200 bars each with about 6 different "waitresses" (do the math - there are about 1200 girls working here in the bars in one night). When we first arrived, some of us got some Starbucks while the rest of us had some ice cream. I must say the Green Tea ice cream is MIGHTY tasty!!!! We then spent about 2 hours going up and down the side streets prayer walking. This was a pretty tough time. We all really felt a lot of evil lurking. The bars are all closed and vacant except for the occasional bar owner setting up for business that night. It was a great time of prayer as we really opened our hearts and mind to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

We then came back to SHE, had dinner, then spent about 30 minutes in praise and worship. We then got our things and hit the road back to Bangla Road. This time, things we a lot more lively on Bangla Road. There were tons of tourists and tons of girls walking the streets asking us to come to their bars. They were pleading... Everytime we walked down a different side street, we were consumed thai women yelling at us.

We split up in to a few groups with each going to different bars and side streets. We spent time speaking with the girls and playing games. It isn't too hard initiate a conversation with the girls since they have it in their job description to speak to us! We even learned a few new games. One I won't even attempt to describe, the other was a game where you and some friends gather around a tree trunk slab and hammer in a nail. You then pass around these pointed hammers and take turns hitting your nail in an attempt to get it into the wood first. I didn't really do too well at this...not that I expected to, though! Overall, I think I can say that we had a really good time, well, as good of a time as we can have while seeing such tough things. We got to tell a few girls about SHE and hopefully some of them will come to lunch with us here at the centre.


Prayer Requests:
Pray for us as we learn to adjust to this heat and humidity - its a little tough!
Pray for a discerning spirit as we walk through these bars that we may speak to right girls at the right times.
Pray for open doors as we go out.
Pray for us to continue to grow as a united group as we experience new things together
Pray for energy. Our schdule is pretty crazy. We try to get naps in, but still...
Pray for a protection to come over our minds. We are seeing some very tough stuff.
Pray for our health. A few of us are not really feeling too well.

PRAISE:
Safe travels - Thailand is a bit dangerous when it comes to the crazy motorists!
The Prayer Warriors we have! - We are feeling all your prayers. They come at the right time and we really feel them!
New relationships - Thank the Lord for the relationships that we have begun!

Love you all!