I heard this week…
A ladyboy stopped by a new training center, wanting to glean some job skills.
“Are you a Christian center?” she asked.
“Yes,” came the reply.
Dejected. “So you will not take me?”
“Oh, no! I will take you. You come.”
The ladyboy has not come.
Oh, God… What have we done?
My first week in Pattaya, I spent in a little apartment while trying to find a place that would become my “nest” in this city… Preferably one that didn’t come with chickens and roosters as a part of the backyard fowl. Because I really don’t care how cute the babies are, I prefer that chickens be found in my food, not my backyard. I also prefer that alarm clocks, not roosters be the ones to encourage me to get out of bed in the morning. I appreciate it when the water heater on the wall of my shower actually produces hot water for more than a few moments and that my bed does not go thunk, thunk when someone sits on it. I know… I am so spoiled.
So after looking around a bit, I found my nest in Pattaya…
And not only does my apartment have some nice features, it has no chickens (unless you count the ones the vendors in the parking lot cook), is right near quick city transportation and the manager of the building is great. So should you get an inkling to come visit, feel free to call and reserve a room at Eve Place. But you had better tell them that Amy sent you, or you’ll be charged the farang price.
Click here to read about how a drop of God’s love can impact a human heart deeply. Ahh! Can I tell you how much I love God?!?!?!
This morning, like most, I woke up at 7. This is very early for Pattaya, so I actually enjoy going out early, if I can, before the city wakes up. But today, I brewed a cup of coffee at home and did a bit of Thai homework… Not real likely I’d be able to get a good cup of coffee out and about that early anyway. Between writing sentences in phonetics, I was putting up my laundry from the previous day’s washing. A few items were still damp, so I left them to dry… Darn that not being able to get laundry done early around here. Though there’s a laundry place just a few doors down and they say they open at 10, they work on Thai time, which meant after asking around yesterday with my broken Thai I decided to just lug my laundry across Sukhumvit (the highway) to where I knew they’d be open. Oh well, I’ll check into another laundry spot that opens early enough for things to dry before bed (hopefully) another day.
Before I knew it, it was 8:45 and I was running out the door, a little late for my Thai lesson. Doesn’t help with timeliness that songthaews don’t get running regularly super early around here. (I ended up jumping on an already quite full songthaew and standing for a bit of my ride.) Nor did it help that it was a market day on Soi Buakaow and the songthaew I thought would take me to my Thai lesson was content to merely sit and try and pick up more customers. A dirty look at my driver instead of 10 bhat and a quick jog down the street landed me there about 5 minutes late. I hate being late, but here, mai bpen rai (never mind).
A couple of hours later, my head exploding with the Thai Teacher Nit-Noy had tried to cram in, I was walking back down Soi Buakaow at a more leisurely pace. Suddenly I heard my name and my friend, May appeared out of one of the clothing shops with a hug and a kiss on each cheek. I told her I needed to eat and so she came with me and ordered an amazing dish of rice, chicken and vegetables and we shared a quick lunch together.
When I got back to my place, I had enough time to wash my feet with cool water and pack a smaller bag before P’Lai came and picked me up on her motercycle for a day of outreach. After meeting Sherri, one of my teammates from Canada, we visited a spa where a Christian woman’s trying to begin a training program for girls who want to leave the bars and then headed to the beach to prayer walk. We stopped a few times along the way to say hello before settling in with a few women who had gathered to share a meal.
A parade protesting violence against women (or promoting the good treatment of women, depending on how you look at it) was beginning to line up as we were talking and we decided to cross the street before they got going. Sherri needed to stop at a 7-11 (on practically every corner here) for some water and we noticed a foreign guy with his arm in a sling. He was from Hungary and couldn’t speak much English, but we asked him if we could pray for his arm and he let us. He said after we prayed the hair on his arm was standing on end, but the pain wasn’t any better, so we told him that God was going to heal his arm… to just watch. He also seemed interested in more prayer, so we invited him to come to church. It’ll be interesting to see if he comes.
On the way back to the office to do some language study, we stopped by a bar where Patsy and Erika, a couple of ladyboys I know, work. We just chatted for a bit about why I’m here for so long, which led to inviting them to come to church if they ever have a Sunday off. Erika seems so much more open to God than Patsy… In fact, at one point, Erika seemed to accept Jesus or at the very least be very deeply impacted by God’s love. So I stop by when I can and say hello… they seem to like that, as it’s the slow season and they don’t have many customers.
On the way to the office we said hello to a lot of bar girls and smiled a lot, not really stopping to chat as many are preoccupied with their work. Then we spent about an hour at the office exchanging language… Sherri and P’Lai helping with my Thai and Sherri and I helping P’Lai with her English. Somehow, we managed to get some pieces of language exchanged successfully.
Then Sherri and I walked Soi Buakaow, stopping and doing a little shopping on the way. We both needed new shoulder bags and found cute ones that zip closed instead of the open ones you’ll often find here for 98 bhat. As we continued on to where we could catch a songthaew, I found my heart breaking over how many bar girls and ladyboys work that strip. Jesus loves these ones so much!
Sherri and I kept sharing bits of our stories on our way to The Crossing, which is the skateboard ministry just on the other side of the Big C parking lot from where I live. (Big C is kind of like Wal-Mart.) We found ourselves in the middle of a story about one of my ladyboy friends here when we got to The Crossing, so we sat on the curb talking for a while. Sherri occasionally checked in on one of her kids that comes and hangs out there while Craig, her husband, was ministering to the guys that come and skateboard there.
After Sherri and Craig left with their son, I wandered over to Big C and had Phad Thai with chicken and then went back to The Crossing to hang out some more before heading home.
And there you go, a day in my life, though I can’t say whether it’s typical or a-typical here… I don’t know if there is such a thing as a normal day. There’s always new adventures to be had here.
I arrived safely in Pattaya on Friday and have spent the last few days settling in to my apartment and into my new city. Though I’ve been here before there are still many things that surprise me:
1) How much God-lovers stand out in this city. I was at the mall the other night and smiled at a farang (foreigner) and he called me over to ask me where I was from and said he never has Americans smile at him. He shrugged me off a little when I told him that I was working with a church here in Pattaya, but he told his girlfriend that I was “a good Christian girl” and told me to be careful.
2) How many bars there are… Enough said.
3) How much just seeing a ladyboy stirs my heart… How fierce is this love that the Father has for these ones! I’ve seen a couple of the ladyboys I’ve met on previous trips and have begun a friendship with a ladyboy named May who is from Cambodia. May has been attending True Friend Fellowship for the last couple of months, along with another ladyboy named Lisa, whom I haven’t met yet. I’ve also found another ladyboy hangout that I won’t mind frequenting – the gym! A lot of ladyboys gather there to play volleyball.
4) How many different ways there are to worship. I loved joining the Thai in worship on Sunday and was overflowing with joy when I saw that some of the skateboarders were break-dancing during worship! Sanook mak (very fun)!
5) How much just a little love impacts hearts. I saw Kay this Sunday. She’s one of the girls I met last year and she was so excited to see me because I had poured just a tiny bit into her life. It’s good to see that the Lord’s moving in her life, continually bringing her into a deeper relationship with Himself. Friendships are easy to build here because just a tiny bit of genuine love breaks down walls.
Despite how much I love this city, I’m finding that I miss everyone at home so much. Love to all!
I’m leaving in just a few minutes for my first flight from DEN to LAX and then on to Thailand, so I thought I’d just make a quick list of some of my favorite things about Northern Colorado. (No particular order)
1) The mountains and lakes around the area… best enjoyed with friends. 🙂
2) The great coffee shops that I get to spend time with friends at.
3) The wildflowers.
4) The many lovely parks. Best enjoyed with small children with a large sense of adventure.
5) My friends and family. Love you all dearly.
I will miss you all so much. Thanks for standing beside me in this adventure.
Quick Update: I am so excited to report that I received my visa and will be departing for Thailand on June 15. Thank you to each of you for your faithfulness in prayers and loving support. But most of all, thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph. Looking forward to sharing with you what He does in my life through my six months in Pattaya!
This week at small group we talked about keeping love alive within us for the lost, the prostitutes, the drug dealers, the broken. We talked about how love for others stems from the place of knowing God’s love for us. It was a very timely message for me as I purchased tickets to Bangkok this week and the reality of this adventure is upon me! I’m departing on June 15 and will be spending six months among the most broken people I have ever met. It almost seems surreal that I will soon be back in Pattaya. After my arrival, I will be going through orientation with Bridges to the Nations, going to bars and loving on the bar girls and ladyboys, worshipping at and loving on Dongtan Beach, and spending time at the Pattaya House of Prayer, all while doing what He leads to raise up a generation of God lovers. God has been so faithful to sustain me, provide for me, and prepare my heart to do this work. Though there’s much my heart longs to see change, my highest aim is to love. If I can leave the mark of love on each person I meet, I will call it a success.
My desire to love well has been solidified over the last month through hearing godly men and women share about living kingdom by choosing to be laid-down lovers. I want to be a laid down lover. At times it seems much gets in the way of that. The reality is that so little does other than me. My Papa God created me for love. To give love. To receive love. Really being a laid down lover is simply about giving and receiving love and not loving my life so much as to shrink from death to my own desires and plans. It’s about living the kingdom lifestyle. The kingdom is upside-down and backwards from the way that makes sense to me. In this kingdom I die to live. I lose to gain. I lay down my life so I can take it up again.
In this season of transition from what is comfortable and familiar to a place that is only vaguely known to me it seems as though I’m laying down much: An amazing group of friends in Northern Colorado that I am very sad to leave. My family. A prayer group I’ve been a part of for the last three years. A small group on Spirit-led evangelism that I have grown to love over the last few months. The church I grew up in. The many fellowships I have been a part of since college… Not to mention a culture in which I know the ways and customs and language. And yet, there is joy in laying down my life for this season and walking out into this new place.
I’m grateful for the ways each of you have enabled me to go through your prayers, your encouragement, and your loving support. Thanks for standing beside me faithfully. Most of all, thanks be to God! Though the next three weeks will be busy in making preparations, you are an important part of this preparation time. I want to connect with you before I go if possible!
Joy in the Journey,
Amy
Prayer Points:
Pray that the relationships that have already been formed between myself and ladyboys in Pattaya will be quickly rekindled when I return.
Thank God that the tensions in Thailand have been eased and peace has been restored.
Pray that a long term solution will be found for the situations that created unrest.
Pray for my transition:
The right place to live
Friendships and fellowship
My new team
The ability to learn Thai quickly
Hello friends!
February is drawing to a close. I hope this month has been an opportunity for you to encounter the Love of Christ in a fresh way. It has been such a month for me; it has also been an amazing opportunity for me to see God’s faithfulness. I am now at a total of 70% of the funds that I need for my first year of ministry in Thailand! Thank you to each of you who have been a part of seeing this increase. I am still in need of 23 individuals who will partner with me at $30 a month before I can depart for Thailand. Because of this need and because of a visa issue that has arisen, my team and I have decided to postpone my departure until May 1, pending the finances coming in. Thank you to each of you for your faithfulness to partner with this work in the midst of a very difficult financial time in our nation. Thank you also for your prayers. They are much appreciated. If you
have any questions concerning this news or would just like to connect, feel free to contact me.
Quick Update: I am in need of 63% of my support to come in over the next two weeks. If this does not happen, I will not meet my goal of joining my team in Thailand by February 17. If you’ve been considering giving, but haven’t yet, please do so today and let me know that you have.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. ~ Genesis 1:26-27
In Thailand, there is not just male and female. There is a culturally recognized third gender: the transgendered or “ladyboys.” These men feel they were born with the heart of a woman, either because they were told from childhood that they were or because they feel they are too “feminine.” A young boy who is perceived as having a “feminine spirit” is often pressured or encouraged to dress like a girl, take hormones, and eventually many of these ones begin having operations to appear more feminine with the culmination being a sex change operation. Whether through apparent choice or victimization, the end result is the same: these young men’s true identities are lost.
Bi, one of Pattaya’s estimated 2,000 ladyboys, still needs to encounter God’s love.
The ladyboys are one of the the most broken people in Thailand. Their parents often put unrealistic expectations on them to bring in all the financial support they need in their old age. It’s difficult for these ones to get a well-paying, legitimate job, which puts them at risk for being prostituted. Those whose families economic structures don’t force them into the trade are often at risk of being trafficked, as Thai ladyboys are known internationally for their beauty. In red light districts in at least nineteen countries spanning four continents there is at least one bar or brothel set aside specifically for Thai ladyboys (Benji Nolot, Nefarious Documentary project).
God, the Architect of the Universe, is deeply grieved over this. “God set in order the universe by saying first of all that God created man and woman in His image. Male and female He created them. From the foundation of the world, marriage between a man and a woman was a foundational law of creation that cannot be tampered with” (Lou Engle, Onething 2009). Transgender tampers with His intention for men and women to each express a distinct part of His image. Prostitution interferes with God’s ideal for marriage.
God has led me to contend for the deliverance and redemption of the ladyboys, believing that those who have been forgiven much will surely love much (Luke 7:47). Out of this community will arise extravagant lovers of God who will worship Him with creative expression and devotion. As God works in their hearts He will reestablish His image in their lives, restoring them to their true identity and role as men. He will enable them to express the distinct part of His image He intended for them to carry as they begin walking in their callings. Much is at stake: the image of God, the redemption of souls, the establishment of justice in Pattaya and Thailand.
During my first year in Pattaya, Thailand I will be partnering with Bridges to the Nations to disciple those who have been impacted by God’s love, raising a standard of righteousness and contending for their complete restoration. Here’s what that looks like:
I cannot do this without an army behind me. Will you join in this army, fighting with finances and prayer for the complete restoration of these ones? I need $1128 more monthly in order to reach my goal of $1800 monthly. If you’re one who will fall in behind me with finances, whether it be at $100, $75, $50, $25 or even $5 a month, please let me know today. You can give online at http://www.bridgestothenations.com (I have my own donation button). You can also send checks payable to Bridges to the Nations with a note indicating it’s for me to PO Box 40187, Pasadena, CA 91114-7187.
Please also continue lifting a battle cry in prayer for me, for Bridges, for Pattaya, and for the restoration of the image of God on the earth.
Bless you!
Amy Strayer
He stood out to me from the moment I walked into the church’s meeting room a few minutes before the service began. His simple jeans and teal short-sleeved scoop neck top paired with heels made him seem put together, but I saw the pain common to the transgendered or “ladyboys” in his eyes. “Can I sit with you?” He nodded and introduced himself. I was not certain what else to say to Shae Shae, but the worship service began a couple of moments later, saving me from an awkward silence. As the music played, my heart was overwhelmed with gratitude to God for His faithfulness to pursue that city in Thailand during the previous week’s missions school. Shae Shae and I kept brushing against each other as we worshipped, and each time I silently prayed for him. After bumping into each other yet again, Shae Shae grasped my hand and I squeezed back. He held on for quite some time, seeming to just enjoy this innocent display of affection.
The speaker that morning shared about how God was birthing something new in this city. After his message, he asked the school participants to come forward to pray for anyone desiring ministry. Even while praying over the few that came forward, I kept feeling drawn to pray for Shae Shae. I returned to my row and with Shae Shae’s permission I began to ask the Father to release His heart over my new friend:
“I see a thunderstorm inside of you. You are full of the power of God because the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. You carry the power of lightening and your voice shakes things in the supernatural just like the thunder shakes things in the natural. You carry the healing power of rain. Just like rain washes over the earth and heals the ground, you have that power inside of you. But I also feel like this storm is a picture for what you are feeling. I feel like you are very angry and sad. Why are you so sad?”
Shae Shae paused, then said, “I am a victim of illegal trafficking.” Shae Shae teared up as he described how the promise of good work had lured him from his home country. His tears choked back the words for a moment, so I tried to fill in a few details by asking, “And they took you to this city?” Shae Shae nodded, “They took me to one of the ladyboy bars and said, ‘This is your work: selling yourself.’” After a year of working in the bar, Jesus had met him the previous night. He gave his life to the Lord and left the bar to follow Christ.
Shocked and saddened by my new friend’s story, I told him that our God is a God who restores and heals all the broken places and began praying for restoration of all that had been stolen. Shae Shae hugged me and thanked me with tears still clinging to his long dark lashes, “I will never forget you. You are the first person to pray for me.”
Over the next two weeks, Shae Shae and I met up at church. The church members from his home country had welcomed this one in and were doing their best to love on him. Despite that, during my last weekend in the city, Shae Shae told me that there was so much pressure on him to become like a man again outwardly: to get a masculine haircut and begin dressing in men’s clothes and stop wearing makeup. “They want to change me,” Shae Shae said each time he brought up this pressure. I feel that a part of him knows he was created to be a man, yet because he has been a ladyboy for so much of his life, asking him to give up the feminine parts of his appearance and behavior was asking him to give up his identity.
A friend who had also befriended Shae Shae, told him that the most important thing was not to worry about changing, but to fall in love with Jesus and let Jesus bring transformation. “And the best way to fall in love with Jesus,” I added, “is to let him show you how much He loves you. He loves you because He loves you because He loves you, because He is love. You can’t do anything to make Him stop loving you.”
That day Shae Shae also told me that he was unable to make rent and was considering returning to prostitution because his illegal immigrant status made it impossible to get other work. My heart broke when I heard this. “I don’t want you to have to go back, Shae Shae. I don’t want you to be hurt again.” Shae Shae teared up again. I knew he didn’t want to go back either. Over the next couple of weeks, I worked one of the organizations in Shae Shae’s city via email to try and find other options for him. Because Shae Shae is a ladyboy, however, many of the options available to women who are seeking to get out of the sex trade are not available to him. I recently discovered that despite efforts to get other work since May, Shae Shae is still occasionally prostituting himself. Will you stand with me in prayer that viable work opportunities will open up for Shae Shae and others seeking to leave prostitution?
Baldwin Family 