For two years I had been speaking out on the evils of Human Trafficking. I had been telling groups about the women who are sent to work in bars as prostitutes by their families to earn enough money to send their little brothers to school. I began reading, learning and seeking out more information on what was happening in the world with this subject of sexual exploitation.
As I delved further into this world, I began to grab my invisible picket signs. I wanted to boycott the world and it's evil. I was ready to take on these horrible injustices and be a part of changing the injustices that were happening.
I was so excited when we began planning for a trip to Thailand so that I could see firsthand what I had been speaking about. I had been selling jewelry for different ministries that help women who have been sexually exploited. These ministries help them begin a new life, a new job and introduce them to their Savior, Jesus Christ. I wanted the chance to meet these women who had been able to get out of these dark and evil situations and deserved a chance at a better life.
When my family and I arrived in Thailand, we had the honor of sharing Christmas with the men and women from The Well ministry. They had a most upbeat celebration planned for the day. We arrived at 9am and of course, the weather was very hot for us Michiganders at Christmas! It was close to 90 degrees all day. We took off our shoes at the door, entered the room decorated with streamers, balloons, a table of wrapped gifts overflowing all over the floor and a "Christmas tree" that made me smile. The tree was actually a magazine rack, that was about four feet tall and spins around - wrapped in all different colors of tinsel until it was covered and in the shape of a pine tree!
Children and toddlers were running around laughing and playing. Mom's were chatting excitedly about the day's events. I turned around to see my daughter with a huge grin on her face, holding a little 8 month old baby with a giant bow stuck on her head. My daughter said, "I have no idea who's baby this is!". They had welcomed us into this celebration with open arms. The women from The Well accepted my family as part of theirs for the day and we felt so happy to be a part of this cheerful celebration! The day was filled with smells of Thai food being cooked outside for lunch, a funny talent show and a time of worship.
God changed my heart that day when I heard one particular song. A beautiful young Thai woman who had previously worked in the bars, but was now working to create jewelry at The Well, stepped up to take the microphone. She did not introduce the song, but silently waited for the music to begin. The young woman sang a worship song in Thai. I only knew it was a worship song by the joy and thankfulness in which she sang directly to her Lord and Savior who had given her a new life. As she sang, I sat on the cool tile floor in the back of the room, covered by the presence of God with tears streaming down my face. She had it. She had something inside of her that I had lost on my journey of justice. She had JOY.
When I arrived home, I had to reevaluate what I was doing and why. Had God asked me to go save the world? Did he hand me a picket sign and tell me to shout angrily at the evil people who were stealing and destroying people's lives? Was he the one who sent me on this journey of justice? No. He had asked me to tell their story. To show the hope they have in Him and sell their jewelry in order to provide hope to more women out there who were still living in the darkness. He asked me to tell their story of hope and joy. I had been caught up in telling the story of evil and darkness.
Sometimes, when we look around this world we only see evil and darkness. Sometimes, we forget that God is in the dark places that we can not go. God has taught me that if I continue to focus on the evil, that I will lose my Joy. I will lose my Hope. But, if I choose to focus on Him - to praise him with all my heart, like that amazing young woman did at the Christmas party, that he will provide my joy, my hope and he will use me to change the world - one person at a time.
I went to Thailand on a journey of justice. I wanted to learn more on this journey that I could bring back and share with others. To tell of the darkness that these amazing women had walked through and how they had arrived at The Well. I wanted to show God's love to these precious women, but God had other plans. He wanted to show me his hope and joy through someone he had redeemed. Redemption is beautiful.
God changed my trip. He showed me what redemption looks like. He showed me that he can step into someone's life and make them whole. I was surprised to find that I had not been on a journey of justice at all, but on a journey of joy. I did not even know that I had lost my own joy of the Lord until I saw it in these precious women and their children. God redeemed these priceless women and their lives, but he also took me half way around the world to show me what I had lost. He showed me that I had been looking at the wrong things...He showed me Joy.
So, here I stand. I stand on stage in front of groups of women. I stand behind a table covered with the most exquisite jewelry created by beautiful women from The Well. I stand and tell their stories - not of evil and darkness, but of redemption, hope...and joy.
