Jesus washed their feet...

In Thailand feet are considered an unclean part of a person's body. For this reason, it is considered rude to point your feet towards another while seated, to use your feet to move an object or to step over a person.

After a full day of work and a night of walking the streets, visiting the bars of Bangkok, it's easy to see why FEET are considered unclean! Even though I was wearing sandals, the bottoms of my feet were black! This adds to my understanding of what it must have been like for Jesus to wash all the feet of His disciples- one of His last acts of service before He was ushered away to be crucified.

Satan is the ultimate PIMP!

We live in the redlight district, so it is not unusual to see many things that grieve our spirits. However we have noticed something different in the past few days. As there has been an increase of worship, praise and declarations of God's intentions over our future outreach center, we noticed something else increasing!

There has been an obvious increase from the opposing side! The schemes and intentions of the enemy are literally being posted all around us. As we stand on our roof top and gaze to the left, we noticed a large new sign! The name of the Club is SIN- that's an interesting name! Do you think it's a coincidence?

In addition, directly across from our building, a local bar owner has been remolding. Today we have the "unveiling" of the new owner's dream! This enormous banner is now on display as a blatant contrast to everything we are committed to for this area. Satan is the ultimate Pimp! He is the ultimate abuser and exploiter of women.

In the spiritual realm, I see this as stake in the ground! The forces of darkness have "posted notice" directly across from the very location we have claimed for the Kingdom of Heaven. Their banner is visible from every window, from every floor of our future outreach center! No this is not a coincidence!



As you can see, it's not a beer commercial, or an advertisement to stay at a nearby Hotel. It is a massive billboard that celebrates the exploitation of women. It is an obvious declaration of what the forces of darkness hope to accomplish. We are in a war zone! The battle is over the souls of many. We war not with flesh and blood but invisible forces and principalities that are in direct opposition to the heart of the Heavenly Father.

We will continue to rejoice, knowing that our God is might to accomplish His purposes... even when the forces of darkness press in from all sides! Our God is the ultimate lover of people. WE believe He has targeted the women in our area to become precious daughters of the King of Kings!

Hey, we have company...again!

In between everything else that happens here at NightLight, we also have a lot of visitors! Bethel Redding has blessed us with intercessors, and a children's ministry team. We also have had Annalynn McCord, from 90210 and her dear friend Jessica with us for the past few days.

Don't believe everything you hear about celebrities. Annalynn was a delight. I truly enjoyed meeting and spending time with her. She and Jess were able to joined our teams for worship, outreach, prayer and even participated in game time with our NL girls!

Although Annalynn and Jessica live very public lives, there is still a tenderness about them. They are amazing young women, friendly, generous, creative and compassionate. Like the rest of us, they are not perfect, their private and professional lives are very challenging, but they are determined to make a difference in the world.

There original motivation for visiting NL was to connect with Annie and see where, when and how things work. They expected to come and support our team, but God had another idea. He determined to make THEM the target of His affection! God saturated them both in His gentle love, kindness and peace. They weren't expecting such an intimate encounter with their Heavenly Father! God is so good. He loves us all so much!

We will continue to pray for God's continual blessings and protection over Annalynn and Jessica as they return to their busy lives in Hollywood and New York.

Jeannie Mai, another friend of Annie's and a celebrity in the fashion industry, stopped by a week ago for a short visit. We all enjoyed lunch together (It was Annie's Birthday) and everyone had a good time eating, listening to stories and laughing. Jeannie Mai radiates energy and she beams when she smiles! It is obvious she loves Jesus and she's always looking for opportunities to bring the issue of Human Trafficking before the public whenever she can.

We have had multiple teams from Bethel Church in Redding California come to encourage us. They come in like Holy Spirit waves, one after another! Intercession, healing, worship and joy seem to linger here long after their ministry teams leave. Almost all of our NL girls have received significant personal prayer time with Bethel's intercessors and their students from the . Plenty of prophetic words and encouragement for everyone!



Randy Clark was in our neighborhood a few weeks ago! He and is team held a conference just around the corner from our main office. How cool is that! It was great to see so many Thai people eager to learn more about Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit. We will continue to pray for a great mobilization of Thai Believers. We look forward to the day when the Kinddom of Thailand is no longer considered a "Unreached" nation!

Currently we have visitors from Expression 58 in LA and from Iris Ministries Sudan. What a blessing to be connect in such unique ways to so many amazing people! We have a massive extended family through Christ! I continue to learn and grow from each group that comes to minister along side us. I love hearing and sharing testimonies of the miraculous work God is doing! When the glory and power of Jesus shows up, the blind see, the lame walk and demons are sent fleeing. What a mighty God we serve.

It's all very Normal!

What is normal? I consider this thought while sitting here listening to a Michael Jackson’s song (Billy Jean) being sung by a Thai- very interesting…

Recently a dear friend asked, “What is a normal day like for you?” My days here are never the same. Taking one step at a time seems to be the key, or I become overwhelmed by the whole process.

In the listed below, one of my activities is NOT TRUE. Can you guess which thing I made-up

• In the last week (7 days)
  
• I helped with a deliverance on a young Thai girl who was controlled by demonic spirits that manifesting as an ancient monk, a mute, then a tiger!
  
• I was the special guest of an opera singer – attended her opening performance in downtown Bangkok.
• I ate ice cream in a hotdog bun!
  
• I was a spectator at a "Red Shirt parade" (political protesters)
  
• I refinished a desk
  
• I picked up my laundry- one week for $1. 50.
  
• I followed two men around (at a safe distance) who were trying to negotiate a price for women working in prostitution near my home
  
  
• I was scolded by a Cambodian street beggar because I wouldn't give him any money

• I ate at my favorite little Lebanese restaurant!

I have a strange but satisfying life. It is a life that forces me to be completely dependent on the power, grace and love of Jesus. Your fervent prayers and financial support are vital part of this amazing adventure with God. You are greatly appreciated!

Question: What was the ONE thing which was NOT TRUE?

Answer: It was all true, except they didn't happen in 7 days- but during this last weekend!

The power of blessing greater than the power of a curse!

The streets are quieter today after a few days of very intense political protesting in Bangkok. GALLONS of blood and cult rituals/sorcery/spells and curses have been performed all around town, in fact just a few blocks from were I am living.

Thousands of (Red Shirts- protesters) have descended into the heart of Thailand. They are displeased with many things in this Kingdom and so they have rallied together to curse their own nation and it's leaders with death spells, blood covenants, cult rituals and sorcery.

2000 years ago another bloody sacrifice took place. It wasn't the blood of THOUSANDS, those filled with striving or selfish ambitions that was spilled to the ground that day, but the blood of ONE. It was the sacrificial blood of JESUS that was poured out for our benefit. Believe it or not, this was God's idea. An offering would be made once and for all to cancel the curse of death, and eternal destruction for all of mankind! Jesus, the Son of God, was the only one qualified to to fulfill such an extravagant act of love. His blood set us free that we might have abundant life!

Although there has been plenty of darkness and cursing in Bangkok this week, we continue to celebrate God's goodness towards people. In the past few days, more Thai girls from NightLight have professed faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Four more women left the bars and began working for NightLight Design, and three others received deliverance from sorcery, witchcraft and demonic influences! Our God is mightier than any curses or demonic powers!

To be Thai is to be Buddhist, so when these 12 young Thai women recently made public commitments to follow after Jesus, it was a huge decision. Some believe that becoming a Christian, is equal to turn your back on your people or culture. They are misinformed. God's love does not rob people of their identity, but empowers and celebrates the uniqueness of each people group. Jesus came to set people free, by redeeming them and their cultures. He desires salvation to all the nations, to all the people of the earth.

God's love heals the broken hearted and restores hope to the hopeless. Many of these women were victims of sexual abuse as well as cult or ritual abuse for many years. Today we witnessed the power of the ONE TRUE GOD as He took the ashes of their lives and in exchange, He offered them a garland of praise! May the fragrance of God's grace, healing and forgiveness linger on them forever.

Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,

for the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted

and to proclaim that captives will be released

and prisoners will be freed.

He has sent me to tell those who mourn

that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,

and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

To all who mourn in Israel,

He will give a crown of beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning,

festive praise instead of despair.

In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks

that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

Did you want that ironed?

There is no washers or dyers where I live, my laundry is done in a small sink and hung on the roof to dry. Sometimes I take laundry to the Thai ladies down the road who have set up their own little business outside in (what we would call) a garage.

We always exchange pleasant smiles and chat for a little while when I drop off laundry. They never ask for a name, or write down any instructions or information about what items I've left with them. Some how, four or five days later when I return to pick up my things, they always know right where all my clothes are and who I am. That fascinates me! With all the people they do laundry for, how do they keep everything straight without writing things down?

It was Plato who warned us that writing everything down would eventually causes people to lose the keen ability to remember and store data internally! He was convinced that shifting from oral communications, to recording data in writing would cause us to be less interactive with one another and weaken our memory. I think Plato was correct!

During Plato's time, oral communications were considered a superior means of transferring or recording most everything from a simple poem or greetings from a relative, to elaborate dissertations. Large portions of information were committed to memory and then passed on to the next listener. We on the other hand, have become very dependent on our notes etc. to remember even the simplest facts!

Who are the real victims here?

I was wondering?

You may have heard that there is a shortage of men back in the US. Hey, I think I located some of them!

You would have to be blind not to notice the preponderance of business class, approximately 50yrs to 65yrs old, white males that continually linger in the Nana. Are we really to believe that this mass surplus of western males are all unmarried, unattached to anyone, anywhere?

I wonder what would happen if I were to go out on the street and begin shooting photos of these men and their 20-ish year old Thai “escorts” in their teeny-tiny skirts and 3 inch heels? I wonder what these men’s wives, girlfriends or grandchildren back home would say?

It's really is quite a sight to see so many men, mostly white, mostly overweight and many with balding heads that glistening in the sun from perspiration. They strut around with smiles on their faces and women draped on their arms. Many of these women are young enough to be their daughters or granddaughters! Are there really that many lonely, broken or desperation men who need to feel loved, significant, affirmed or in control?

For many weeks now I have watched the men in my neighborhood interacting with women on the streets, or groping at their mostly naked bodies in the bars. I believe it is both (the men and the women) who are the victims here. Each person, male and female, willing to exploit the other for their own personal gain. Genuine affection and companionship can never be found in the elaborate fantasy which oozes forth from these dark bars, night after night. It’s all an illusion.

I wonder if the man across the room from me is aware that... the beautiful Asian…the one he just bought a drink for... the one in the tight sexy dress… the one with long flowing jet black hair… may not be a female at all! I was just wondering?

“Khanom” American style!

My language classmates are from Korea and Europe. ALL of them can speak at least 4 languages, and most speak more. I have met some that speak 7 or 8 languages. For them knowing multiple languages is a normal and expected part of their everyday life. Then there is me! Language Classes were only offered as an elective instead of art, typing or auto shop! Why aren’t we as Americans taught multiple languages from Kindergarten through High School?

Struggling through anything has a way of bonding people together. In language class we laughed, shared funny stories and have grown quite fond of each other during these weeks. We only have a few more days of this Language Module left before it ends. Unfortunately, all my classmates will move forward to the next module, except me. I don’t mind repeating a module (as this is my first serious attempt at learning a second language) but I will really miss my new friends. It would be nice to do something special for them! Although my budget is limited, I came up with a plan.

Someone told me about a great bakery in one of the fancy Hotels near by. They sell all their baked items at half price after 6:00pm. Oh goodie, yummy things at half price! So I ventured over to see what they had on display. A beautiful Black Forest cake, complete with whipped cream and cherries caught my attention. It was perfect and only a few dollars! I had to buy it. I will pack up my American style “dessert” and take it to school along with a few little gifts for my classmates and teacher. I think it will be a fun surprise for them!