jim larson's thoughts

Just the beginning

Our family went to Buriram Sunday-Tuesday, over the Thai Songran holiday.  At The Well Center 4, Prang blew us away yet one more time with her servant heart.  This time she and her team had put together an event to bless senior adults in her village.  It was completely the team's own initiative and expense--nothing came from The Well's budget.  The Center 4 team served a meal, gave a short presentation about the love of Jesus, gave me an opportunity to talk about that topic as well, then gave each honored guest a blessing with water in the Songkran tradition, a shirt or vest that the team had sewn, and a small cash gift. 

This is what we started The Well for, to see women bringing Jesus to their communities.  It made me feel like our 3 1/2 years so far in Thailand were just an introduction, that the real thing is just beginning. 

Prang and team sing a song.

Judy and I bless some folks with water.
 

As cool as Michaela is, she's no match for this grandma modeling her new vest.

Culture shock

Pear has been gone for a week now.  Apparently she had been planning her escape for some time, and has covered her tracks well.  No one seems to know where she is.  She did show up briefly at her mother's on Tuesday, but rather than grabbing Pear and sitting on her, her mom just asked if she was going to call me and casually let her go. 

The other day Bpon and her little brother helped me look for Pear.  We walked up On Nut Soi 10, Pear's childhood hangout.  Soi 10 is a busy narrow street with absolutely no sidewalks--more like an alley.  I was carrying my computer bag, and had to hold it in front or behind to keep it from being bumped by a passing car.  I am not kidding.  I thought to myself, “What kind of culture builds streets like this?”

We found Pear's father's home.  His landlord was there, said he had not seen Pear.  Then her father walked up, sporting a fresh tattoo on his lower left leg, so we asked him.  He was defensive, as if we were accusing him of hiding her, which we weren't.  Pear's relationship with her father had soured very quickly after she discovered his childish self-centeredness, so it was very unlikely that she would stay with him, but would maybe ask him for a little money.

From there we dodged cars for a couple hundred more yards to a computer game room where we figured we could find some of Pear's friends.  We ran into Mai, about her age, who also said Pear had not been around for quite a while, although she had stopped in a while back to say she was leaving.  

Walking back a different way, we called a couple of Pear's other friends, who both thought she must be with a guy who worked at Soi 15.  He used to call my phone every once in a while, asking for her in slurred speech I could hardly understand.  I pondered about getting the police involved, wondering if they would do anything.  “What kind of culture is this,” I thought, “that lets kids just fall between the cracks and throw their lives away?”

We found Bek, the guy everyone thought Pear was with, on Soi 15.  A homely, unimpressive young man about 20, he was working at a small machine shop.  He looked bewildered and said he hadn't seen Pear either.  He could have been lying.  Maybe if we told the police about him they would find out. Or maybe they wouldn't bother.

That night lying in bed I worried out loud about Pear.  Her mother had said repeatedly to wait until after the Songkran holiday, Thailand's biggest annual festival.  I figured that if we had no word by then we could get her mom to submit a report to the women's and children's police division.  “They won't do anything,” Judy said.  “Don't say that!” I retorted, raising my voice.  “Everyone says that!” 

“Why are you mad at me,” Judy wondered?  I had to apologize.  “I'm sorry, it's not you.  I'm angry at the situation.”

This sort of thing happens to cross-cultural workers from time to time, and it wasn't the first time for me.  Something in the host culture gets to us, and we get mad.  Sometimes it's right, sometimes it's wrong, and I'm not so self-righteous as to think mine was purely motivated.  I do love Thai people dearly and to me most aspects of Thai culture make us as Americans feel loud, rude and disrespectful.  But sometimes problems like this make me angry.  

This sort of laissez faire attitude is not unique to Thailand. It can be found anywhere including America, where many times in our inner-city work I felt incredibly frustrated at the lack of action to prevent kids from gunning each other down.  When we look at any culture through the lens of God's love and justice we will be shocked.  We do have to be careful not to judge or blame, whether another culture or our own, but if we compare the standard of light to darkness, as John does for instance in his first letter, we will be appalled and cry in horror.  People do what they know, and what humanity knows is selfishness.  Individuals, families and social groups will love themselves and little more.  It is God's people who must set a different standard, loving our neighbor just as much as we love ourselves, even if it's a broken kid that many might say is too far gone to help.  

I keep praying for a phone call, or maybe a voice calling from outside at 3am to open the door.

Not forgotten

Usually when I don't get a post up in a while it's not because there's nothing to tell, rather too much.  Besides that, when there's too much to tell it also means I've been busy.  When you deal with the poor, there's always a crisis somewhere.  Here are a few of the issues that have come our way in the last couple of weeks.

1. Pear ran away again.  I am so bummed.  She was to go on a 3-day excursion with her mom.  We sent her to her mom's home Friday night, but on Saturday found out they didn't go because her mom couldn't get off work, and that Pear had gone.

2. A young couple we married a month ago had a major fight right at one of our centers, that included her chasing him with a scissors.  Afterwards she said she really wanted to kill him.  We're still working through that one.  

3. A 19 year-old single mom has a loan shark debt that her ex-boyfriend got into, that requires her to pay about $5 a day for 120 days on a loan of a bit over $200.  It works out to nearly 500% annual interest.  We are talking directly with the gang leaders and asked if we refinanced it for her would they reduce the amount, but were denied.  We're not sure what to do next besides pray for lightning to strike.

4. It's getting to be Songkran time, Thailand's biggest holiday that could be called "National Water Fight".  The water fighting is fun, the drinking, craziness and what it has done to some of our students in past years is not.  We're trying to prepare our students and ourselves, but it seems that already Songkran-related problems are stirring.

I did make it through my Thai sermon last week with nobody laughing at the wrong time.

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sallipod
Posts: 18

n
Reply #18 on : Fri January 29, 2010, 01:48:08

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<a href=http://www.google.com> http://www.google.com </a>

John
Posts: 18

Bangkok Prostition on the Rise
Reply #17 on : Tue January 20, 2009, 20:39:34

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As a foreign teacher in Thailand I came here to help children to improve their education in a developing nation but of late I have become increasingly concerned at the massive increase in prostitution especially in the tourist areas of Bangkok. It has clearly been here a long time but recently I have been totally stunned to see the massive increase in the number of girls stretching themselves in desperation to get money by any means possible. I have witnessed thousands upon thousands of women in these areas, especially Nana and the Sukhumvit around the Arab quarter, desperate to survive.
Forget the nonsense about stereotypical crack whore - oh no, these are Tesco girls, salon workers, beauticians, florists, fat girls, older women, short women, tattooed girls, ladyboys; every walk of life, desperate for money for a multitude of reasons. But nearly always the same basic reason - desperate for money and usually not themselves but their family. The price that many young girls pay, especially from Isan, is extremely high; attempting to live out the dream of coming to Bangkok to earn money for a desperate family is just all too familiar. The credit crisis really hits home here at the bottom of the pile-so many poor suffer for gross negligence of governments and big business. The human suffering at the other end has to be seen to be believed.
I find it incredible just to see bars filled to overflowing with women of all ages and less farangs than ever, as many tourists have cancelled flights (although the numbers of Arabs and other non-Anglo Saxon groups seems to be stable). Definitely less money from tourism, even if sex-industry based, increases the need for money for others as many poor lose whatever income they had and inflation continues. The money flow slows and causes a knock on effect for so many others. The result is a deep psychological impact on women.
I reject their claims of "oh it's just a job, or just don't think about it too much". Especially in highly conservative Thai society, these girls must suffer greatly. Yes it MUST be shameful to them when others find out, whilst they attempt to keep everything a secret to everyone else. If you push these girls to speak truthfully, then all the emotion comes out -none of them really want to do this work, they just hope they will get enough to overcome whatever problem they have. But the real problem appears for the long term effects especially in standards of their mental health and social status. Once they get used to the cash for “big” money (big by their standards, real cheap by farang standards) they get locked into a cycle.
Now the answer; well there is no quick fix! A police crack down is definitely not the answer and is open to all forms of corruption in any developing nation. No it has to be a combination of cultural change and governmental initiatives. The reality is until the Thai government manages to stabilize its long term political instability, improves rights and standards for low class workers, increases their leadership to look for visionaries not just bureaucrats, and then looks at improved fiscal policies with long term job improvement schemes; the poor, most of all will suffer. Combined with no real welfare system, it’s fairly obvious where especially desperate women will end up. I therefore applaud the actions of outreach workers who at least aim to assist in the interim and I can only wish them the best as my heart is heavy when I see Thailand going backwards in this area and hope the suffering of these women will truly one day be less.

Jeremy
Posts: 18

Project Rescue
Reply #16 on : Mon May 26, 2008, 08:33:14

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Ever heard of Project Rescue? I just heard about it from a friend who went to college with the founders' daughter. Seems very similar to what servantworks is doing!

http://www.projectrescue.com/frontpage.php

Earn
Posts: 18

the latest postcard
Reply #15 on : Tue April 01, 2008, 13:12:41

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I'm Thai and support The well a ministry of servant works through my pray, money. I am really appreciated what you are doing for those who have no opportunity in their live and live in the darkness. I am still support your ministries. But one of my concern and it is bothering me a lot is the latest postcard which I just received couple weeks ago. I truely understand what happen in Thailand about women and teenager. Of course they are disrespect to their body, mind, soul and God by exchange it through sex for money. Can you use another word instead of Thailand's sex workers. It's sound harsh and it is hurtful. I understand that you want to wake people up through this postcard but I think there is some way else to do it.
One more thing, in the picture I see young innocent teen. I don't know who they are. They can be one of them who exchange their body with money or may not. But if it is, they already have a poor live and why you make it worse by put their picture openly!! What going to happen when they grow up? We are adult suppose to protect them, aren't we?

Jan
Posts: 18

Concerns
Reply #14 on : Sun March 30, 2008, 13:18:43

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Hi

My name is Jan. I'd like to thank God and you all( The Well ministry) for a wonderful work for Thai woman and children who are from dysfunctional families. I've been supporting The Well for the past 2 years, and also had a chance to visit The Well in Bangkok twice.

However, I have a concern. I have received 2 postcards of the Well Ministry. I came to my mails couple weeks ago. The first time I saw the card, I did not feel anything much. But the second time I received the same post card, there is the thought that came to my mind. I saw the picture of a mother with her two beautiful daughters. They are beautiful children. Then I read the card...Thailand sex workers! I know the intention of this postcard is good. However, I think the language is too strong. Although, it is the truth for most cases. I am concerned about these children in the picture. Unfortunately, the children have to suffer from parents' poor choices and decisions. They've already been damaged and wounded. We should try to protect them. I don't think the language is appropriate, especially when there is a picture of children on it. If they can read and understand English, I can't imagine how much damage it can do to them emotinally and psychologically.

Blessings,
Jan

alan
Posts: 18

God of this city...
Reply #13 on : Wed March 12, 2008, 11:32:09

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hey buddy,
have you heard the new song, "God of this city"?

see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d61LamkXfwk&feature=related

for u-tube version of tomlin singing it...the band Bluetree from Ireland was actually in Pattaya not too long ago, and they somehow were invited to perform in a brothel...while they were doing a 2 hr. worship set, they said God gave them this song. it is POWERful!

miss ya dude,
alan

edwin
Posts: 18

awsome comiing
Reply #12 on : Tue March 04, 2008, 20:26:18

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im with ya Jessica!
i really wanna be involved! i hate being lazy!!!

jessica
Posts: 18

hopefully coming
Reply #11 on : Tue March 04, 2008, 00:46:56

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My name is Jessica Wood my sister and I are in contact with servantworks about coming to bangkok this summer. Thanks for all your hard work and the genuine way you approach people... I lay awake at night thinking about this stuff....i really think God wakes me up so I will pay attention to his prompting for me to do something or say something for those trapped in the sex trade...i want to help and not just so that I can sleep easy..but because there is no other option..and becuase i deeply loves Christ and believe he sets people free....anyways just wanted to show encouragement and introduce myself

Edwin
Posts: 18

Re: jim larson's thoughts
Reply #10 on : Sun January 13, 2008, 13:54:02

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for "Win"

you are more than right..... those that follow Christ's really lay themselves low for other people... that is LOVE!

*hugs*

win
Posts: 18

=
Reply #9 on : Tue January 01, 2008, 03:40:30

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i'm da random...n i'm a thai gurl,,n i saw ur friends or sumone who knows u post bout wt u did in thailand..it's gd mannn...


i donno wt to say bt i never heard bout whites do stuff for helping ppl who isn't white b4


most of them jt drop sum shit here destroy enviorment...


anyway keep it