| Eyes of Love |
Thailand: Feb 14-March 8, 2010
By Karen Welton
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
-Psalm 96:3
Bangkok ˜ Pattaya ˜ Ubon Ratathchani ˜ Chiang Mai ˜ Om Koi
On February 14th, 2010, Valentines Day, I flew to Bangkok, Thailand. I was leaving as an ambassador of God's love, to a dark and broken nation. I decided to give my heart, my Valentines Day, and the next three weeks of my life to the Thai people. I learned what it meant to continually give of yourself, yet never feel drained; to live selflessly with all joy; to love extravagantly; believe recklessly; and hope eternally in one of the darkest places in the world.
Ministering in the Red Light Districts of Bangkok and Pattaya
In the cities in Thailand, prostitution is not just prolific, but acceptable. Girls as young as 12 years old sell their bodies in the bars every night. If you walk out on the streets of Bangkok or Pattaya at night the culture of sex tourism is everywhere: neon flashing signs, young Thai girls and older western men walking hand in hand, open-air bars with girls in lingerie or skimpy outfits, bouncers shoving programs in your face with pictures of girls that can be bought for the night or a list of "Ping-Pong" shows, which are not the innocent game of ping pong, they are live sex shows. In the red light districts girls can be seen dancing behind glass windows in the second stories. Inside and outside every bar are dozens of girls selling themselves to anyone who will buy.
In Bangkok we went into one bar with two rows of elevated seating. In the middle of the bar was a stage with about 20 young Thai girls dancing around poles. They were wearing nothing but matching string bikini's or sticker cover-ups and 5-inch long mini-skirts. Each girl had a number pinned on her so that men could buy her for the night or just a few hours, whatever they wanted. Some looked like they could be 15 or 16 years old. However, Thai women look younger than they really are, so it is hard to tell.
Sitting in the bar were several old, large, Western men, or "Johns" as the girls call them, who were drinking and watching the girls on the stage. Some foreign men were playfully putting money in their skirts while the girls laughed and giggled, but the other old men just looked hardened and broken inside. Although I was repulsed by most of these men, at the same time, my heart broke for them. I thought, how much rejection and pain must these men have experienced in life to fly across the world to the one place they knew they would be accepted? Their eyes looked empty, and many times I could see the demonic lust in them. My spiritual discernment was heightened on this trip more than I have ever experienced. We were in one of the darkest places on earth, but we came as light and hope. Night Light ministry calls it "presence" evangelism. Being in the bars in the midst of darkness, next to men filled with lust, offering a moment of love and peace to the prostitutes…that is sometimes a miracle in and of itself.
Upon coming to Thailand, I had the impression we would be rescuing girls out of prostitution. You know… the idea of swooping in undercover, smuggling victims out through dark alleys and bringing them to safety… I mean, that's what's in all the Hollywood movies about human trafficking, right? However, the reality I discovered in Bangkok and Pattaya was different. Most of the prostitutes that work in the bars have not been trafficked there against their will. Although human trafficking is a serious problem, especially in southeast Asia, I learned that the human trafficking you see in the movies only makes up about 5% of the prostitution we see on the streets. The girls we talked to in the bars were not chained there. Most of them were from the poor, rural Isaan region of Thailand, and they came down to the cities in hopes of making more money and got caught up in prostitution. For some, it is their only hope of survival if their families are buried in debt or if a family member gets sick. Many prostitutes send money home every month to their parents or grandparents. Many also have small children and no father to help raise them. None of them like what they do, but they feel they have no other options. Some prostitutes und up owing the bars money (If you don't service a certain number of clients each month, they can become indebted to the bars). In Bangkok and Pattaya, there are ministries that help the girls pay off their debts, get out of the bars, provide safe-houses, teach them new trades, and disciple them. Many own their own buildings in the heart of the red light districts. We came alongside these ministries to do outreach on the streets.
Meeting a "John" on the streets of Bangkok
Annie and I prayed for one Western man in the red light district. He was American, 300+ pounds, and sweating profusely in the hot, humid Bangkok air. Annie started telling him things about his life and specific words about health conditions. She prophesied how Father God loves him just like he loves his earthly son. Then Annie, said, Karen is going to pray for you now (eek!). I told him to hold out his hand. He didn't trust us at first, but he did. I prayed that the power of God would come and touch him. He then felt heat in his hand, arm, across his shoulders and all the way down his other arm. Within minutes, he was a weeping, sweating, rejoicing, and thanking us profusely for showing him love he had never felt before! He had an encounter with God in the Red Light District.
Prophesying Over Former Prostitutes
We spent the two days at Night Light prophesying over former prostitutes and staff members at Night Light. I saw girl after girl come into the room with shame, bowed head, not looking us in the eyes. Then we spoke God's destiny and identity over her life, and they would light up with joy. We saw God take away their burdens and shame and give them hope and confidence. It reminds me of the verse, "I will turn your ashes into beauty".
The bars in Pattaya are very different than in Bangkok. The city is about 10% beach town and 90% red light district. Pattaya was originally a rest and relaxation port for American soldiers during the Vietnam war. Since then, it has grown into the sex-tourism capital of the world. Walking Street is a stretch of gogo bars, clubs and restaurants that stretches a couple of kilometers along the beach street. There are side streets along Walking Street that seem to specialize. One road may cater to those looking for Russian or eastern European women and the next street may cater to the gay crowd. Pattaya is a resort city with beautiful beaches. Most bars are open-air bars right next to the sidewalk with roofs but no front walls. The Soi streets have about 60 or 70 bars on each street. Walking street is one of the most famous streets in Pattaya. It is so busy at night with all the bars and go-go clubs, that police close the street to any cars so that it is only tourists walking.
At first I felt like a fish out of water. I was intimidated to talk to a prostitute. How would I relate to them? What would I say? Would they understand me? What if I didn't get a word of knowledge for them? I felt unequipped and unanointed. Then a team member shared with me stories healings and salvations she saw among the prostitutes. "It was almost too easy!" she said. "That's Pattaya," The missionaries remarked. "It is that easy. I'm surprised more people don't come here long-term!"
To my surprise, the prostitutes were very open and friendly. You can sit down at a bar and talk with them. They will share their hopes, dreams, struggles and fears if they trust you. They crave real love and affection, but don't understand what it is. They work there for the money. They don't like what they do, but they think it is the only option for them. I was told that 95% of the bar prostitutes come from the Isaan region in northeast Thailand that is extremely poor and rural. Many people come to the big cities to find better paying jobs but get caught up in riskier work. Sometimes a friend or relative convinces them to work in the bars because the money is good. One prostitute told us, on a bad month, she might make 4,000 baht ($120), and on a good month she can make 20,000 baht ($500).
What if no one got healed, saved, or felt God's power? I realized I had been idolizing the gathering of testimonies on this trip and God said to me," I just want you to love them and listen to their story." That freed me. It was so powerful. "Love them with your eyes. Love them with your smile. Love them with your touch. Listen. Learn. Love." I could do that!
I talked to one prostitute who was 28 years old and had been doing this for 6 years. She had a young son. She and was raised by her grandparents and she was from the Isaan region. I asked her if she liked working in the bars. She said, not really. Then she told me about her boyfriend from Norway who was coming on the 18th of the month. She is hoping her boyfriend will take care of her and her son so she doesn't have to work in the bars anymore. Almost all the prostitutes are hoping for their "knight in shining armor", a rich western man to marry them and take care of them and their families. It happens just enough that all girls in the bars idolize it.
She wasn't open to prayer when I had been talking, but at the end, when Linda prayed for the ladyboy, three prostitutes, including the girl I was talking too bowed their heads on the bar and gripped our hands as we laid our hands on them. We prayed that they would understand the deep love God has for them in a real way. She could have been talking to another guy that wanted to buy her for the night. Instead, we were there to represent the love of Jesus with a smile, and open ear and the message of unconditional love. It was an honor. And that seed was watered once again.
I learned what the Kingdom of God was like the next week. Everywhere we went we saw God touch people with whatever they needed: healing, joy, peace, love. We were truly the hands, feet, and eyes of Jesus. We went to the slums of Pattaya to pray for people. It seemed like everyone we prayed for was healed, or at least powerfully touched by God. One old woman I prayed for could not life her arm above her shoulder. Afterwards she was able to lift her arm straight up in the air and her face lit up with joy. Another woman couldn't walk more than a couple steps without falling. Team members prayed through some pain and loss in her life, then she started walking all around the slums, and wouldn't stop walking! Several other people were healed. When we left the slums, the people were rejoicing and smiling and laughing! We saw the Kingdom of God invade one of the most disparaging places with joy, love, and hope!
Gay Beach
We ministered at a church plant on a Gay Beach in Pattaya. Most of the people there were old, western men in Speedos. The Tamar House has church plant here. Many people of all backgrounds come to their healing meetings right on the street because so many of them have AIDs, so they welcome any kind of blessing and prayer for healing. In fact, they will tell all their friends and bring more people! We talked to many people, pouring out God's love. Several were healed, including one man who was deaf.
During the first week of my trip, I was with a team of 5 supernatural ministry students, led by Annie Byrne. We took a one hour flight from the fluorescent lights and clamor of Bangkok to the poor, rural town of Ubon Ratatchani for 5 days. We partnered with American missionaries who were working in Ubon for 4-10 year terms. God did so much in heart this week, and we saw so many miracles. These are a few that deeply touched my heart.
The missionaries brought us to Don Gaul village, a poor, rural village with stick huts and metal roofs. I was excited because I had never been to a real village before. We stopped at a restaurant, which was, actually a shack with a tin roof by the side of the road. We came to bless "Tea," the owner of the restaurant who was a 77 year old Thai man with a hunched back and a beautiful smile. He lived alone and had been a Christian for one year. As soon as I saw him, my heart broke; I felt the love of Jesus for him and tears formed in my eyes.
After a few minutes, Tea got up, and said, "I have a gift for you". As he walked slowly, hunched over, to his house and came back with two huge bags of fruit, I began to weep. The missionaries pointed out that grapes which filled one bag was one of the most expensive foods to buy in Thailand. This poor, old man who didn't even know us, gave us one of his most valuable possessions! As we laid our hands on him to bless him, I was trying to hold back tears. I contemplated running behind his shack so I could cry my eyes without everyone noticing.
I fell in love with the people in Thailand. They carry such humility, grace, purity and simplicity. When I looked at them I saw kings and priests. To the world, Tea was just an insignificant, feeble, man… but to Jesus, he was a King. I could see the crown on his bald head, as I too, bowed my head to this King. Although he stood hunched over at 77 years old, in the spirit, he stood higher in stature than all of us. I did not feel guilty of my class or prosperity, because in the Kingdom of God, he was one of the richest men I knew. God says, "man looks at outward appearances, but I see the heart." God was teaching me to see with his eyes. We came to Don Gaul to bless him, but he blessed us more than I can express. God called me to live higher, selflessly, like Tea.
Our next stop was to a village hospital. We walked past a room full of sick people on cots and around the corner to pray for Ying, a beautiful 18 year old girl who lives at the hospital. Ying, however, looks like a 6 or 7 year old in her size and weight with sunken cheekbones and stick-like arms and legs. She was born with HIV/AIDS. Both her parents died from AIDS when she was 4. Again, God began to break my heart.
She sat on her bed as we sat in small stools surrounding her. Annie asked her questions about her hopes and dreams. She told us how she wanted to be a singer or a nurse so she could help people in the hospital. She explained that she did not want to get married because she has seen too much pain and brokenness in families, like her own. We asked her if she had ever felt true love before, like from Jesus. She knew of Jesus because she had read a booklet about him that the missionaries gave her. She told us how he had disciples and did miracles and healed people then she asked, "Does Jesus still send disciples to heal people? Can he heal me?" We told her yes. We prayed with her and we prayed for her to feel the love of Jesus in her heart, which she did. She asked, "How do I invite Jesus into my heart?" So our translator prayed with her to give her life to Jesus.
At the end, I asked if I could pray for her one more time to be healed. I had seen a picture in my mind of her lying flat on her bed, so I had her lie down this time. We prayed for 7 or 8 minutes. She felt heat and power all over her body. She said, I have never been able to lie down flat for more than one or two minutes without coughing uncontrollably! When I sleep, I have to sleep sitting up with many pillows under me so I don't cough." We asked her if she believed Jesus was healing her. She replied, "I believe He already has healed me!"
The missionaries report that she has been sleeping flat since then. We are still waiting for an AIDs test, but I believe God is doing a miracle in her body. She also keeps a picture of Jesus under her pillow. In Thailand, people keep the idols that they worship under their pillow. Now, that place belongs to Jesus!
This was one of those encounters on a trip when you think, if I came here, and Ying was the only person I prayed for, it would have all been worth it!
Woman with Paralyzed Leg
Monk Healed of Arthritis
We talked to a monk at his house near the temple for an hour and a half (it is very unusual for western females to converse with a monk for any length of time). Jesus healed him of Arthritic pain all over his body. We had a conversation about how he can't sleep at night, has night terrors, hears tapping on his window and voices, has headaches, confusion and forgetfulness. We received words of knowledge about all these things, which opened him up to have a spiritual discussion with us. We told him that the Jesus that healed him has a spirit. That spirit is more powerful than any other spirit, including yours or mine. We call him the Holy Spirit, and when he comes, he brings peace. Next time you are tormented by evil spirits, and you walk around the temple to meditate, instead of meditating on nothingness, try meditating on the Holy Spirit and He will give you peace. What a wild opportunity!
Baptism of Love on a Witch Doctor's Property
We prayed for one woman to be baptized by the love of God on the property of a witch doctor. She said she had never felt anything like that before. We explained that our God does not require any sacrifices or spells, He gives his love freely to all who ask.
One of the missionaries, Silk, had a dream before our team arrived, that we went to get massages and a place in town where blind people work. The last day, we all received massages from blind people. After they were done, Silk explained, "You have so graciously laid your hands on us. Now we would like to lay our hands on you to receive sight."
About 20 blind people lines up for prayer. We laid our hands and prayed for them all. One woman who was blind since birth received her sight back! She was in such shock, that she did not even know how to describe what she was seeing (having never seen with her eyes before!). She saw colors, faces, and numbers.
Another man, who was blinded at 9 years old when 200 liters of gasoline fell on his head, received his sight back. He began reading a sign on a building that was over 20 feet away! As we were leaving he ran outside, smiling ear to ear, to see us goodbye. Several others received partial sight back as well.
Supernatural Gifts Training
On Saturday, we taught at an all day training seminar for local pastors, leaders and missionaries. Our heart was not just to fly in, see God do incredible miracles, then leave. We wanted to train the people in Thailand to do the same things we did because they are the ones who will stay long after we are gone. So we each taught sessions on: Prophecy, how to hear God's voice, how to pray for the sick, how to get words of knowledge, and then prayed for impartation for everyone. Many people were touched, some called into the ministry, and many pastors received a powerful impartation from God.
Mountain Hill Tribe People
The tribe at Om Koi has been in revival for many years. For about 400 years they have never had idols, so they have a spiritual open heaven there. Their story is in written in the classic book, "Eternity In Their Hearts." We visited them on Sunday morning for church. When I walked into the church I immediately could feel the heavy presence of God among the 1,500 that were there worshipping. Young children were having heavenly encounters during worship. At one point Randy called us all forward, and the whole church stretched out their hands to pray for us. Many of us bent over in tears with the intensity of their prayers. Just before we had to leave, I asked a little girl to pray for me for impartation through a translator. She gripped my hands and started praying furiously! I immediately felt the power of God and began falling over. Then I saw my team leaving and tried to leave, but she wouldn't stop praying! A missionary told me they are taught to pray until something happens. Outside several old ladies came up to me in the dirt and asked me to pray for them. One wrapped her arms around me and hugged me without letting go. I knew I have received what God wanted me to receive there.
This three week trip has changed me forever. Thank you all for your prayers, love and support.
-Karen Welton