Pattaya just before the sun set
During our trip to Bangkok on Friday we asked one of our new Thai friends for advice on beaches to visit near our beloved adopted home of Chachoengsao. Pattaya was the city that was suggested to us and so we asked Sandy and Dave for their advice. They told us that the area was a tourist beach spot during the day but by night there were areas that were flooded with foreign and local males due to the nightlife and prostitution that Pattaya is known for as well; so don't miss the last bus back to Cachoengsao! With the intention of enjoying the beach and beauty by day and heading home long before the nightlife began, we boarded an overly crowded bus bright and early Monday morning and began a 2 1/2 hour trip to Pattaya.
When we finally got to Pattaya, we were beyond excited to see the ocean. However, we were very distracted by the ridiculously high number of foreign males that were at the beach. Everywhere we walked there was a Westerner; there were so many men, but no Western females to be found. Suddenly the ocean seemed less exciting to me and I struggled to express the emotions I was feeling as we passed white male after white male. Still as I write this, I don't know how to feel about Pattaya. Part of me is struck with sadness - sadness for the females who sell their bodies, sadness for the men who travel to this area to fulfill their sexual desire through the purchasing of sexual services. Another part of me feels disgust as so many of the men we passed looked like our fathers, brothers, uncles, and Grandfathers that we all know and love back at home. And yet another part of me is struck with shame, as I knew I was judging every man I passed by, making the assumption that they were there for the nightlife and letting their assumed struggle affect me emotionally.
As a team we discussed how easy it is to judge or assume and how obvious the sin and struggles of others is in Pattaya. Yet we all have sin and struggle in our lives. It doesn't matter whether we are a man or woman in Pattaya or in Canada. It doesn't matter whether we are a Christian or a Non Christian; we all stumble and fall and give in to struggles and sins we know are not healthy, we know do not bring joy to our lives or the lives of those around us and we know our struggle and sin does not bring glory to God.
As I am writing this on our blog, a particular Chapter comes to mind....
John 8: 1-12
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
The Bible was written so very long ago, yet it applies this very day. How can I judge the men I passed by, how can I condemn anyone for their sin and their struggle? I can't. You can't. No one can. We all have free will to make our own decisions on a daily basis. We are all tempted and we have all stumbled. But I am reminded, that when I look to the light of the world, when I follow Jesus and I ask for help and guidance, He will lead me.
Jesus says in John 14: 12-14
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
Please pray for the city of Pattaya. Pray that their hearts will yearn for something more and that they will come to know and look to the strength of our God. Please pray for me and for my team as well. That we will not rely on our own strength to conquer our own personal battles, but that we will look to Jesus. And please pray for yourself, so that throughout your own journey, you too will know the strength and the power that can only come from the Holy Spirit.
Cara xo
When we finally got to Pattaya, we were beyond excited to see the ocean. However, we were very distracted by the ridiculously high number of foreign males that were at the beach. Everywhere we walked there was a Westerner; there were so many men, but no Western females to be found. Suddenly the ocean seemed less exciting to me and I struggled to express the emotions I was feeling as we passed white male after white male. Still as I write this, I don't know how to feel about Pattaya. Part of me is struck with sadness - sadness for the females who sell their bodies, sadness for the men who travel to this area to fulfill their sexual desire through the purchasing of sexual services. Another part of me feels disgust as so many of the men we passed looked like our fathers, brothers, uncles, and Grandfathers that we all know and love back at home. And yet another part of me is struck with shame, as I knew I was judging every man I passed by, making the assumption that they were there for the nightlife and letting their assumed struggle affect me emotionally.
As a team we discussed how easy it is to judge or assume and how obvious the sin and struggles of others is in Pattaya. Yet we all have sin and struggle in our lives. It doesn't matter whether we are a man or woman in Pattaya or in Canada. It doesn't matter whether we are a Christian or a Non Christian; we all stumble and fall and give in to struggles and sins we know are not healthy, we know do not bring joy to our lives or the lives of those around us and we know our struggle and sin does not bring glory to God.
As I am writing this on our blog, a particular Chapter comes to mind....
John 8: 1-12
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.
9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
11 “No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
The Bible was written so very long ago, yet it applies this very day. How can I judge the men I passed by, how can I condemn anyone for their sin and their struggle? I can't. You can't. No one can. We all have free will to make our own decisions on a daily basis. We are all tempted and we have all stumbled. But I am reminded, that when I look to the light of the world, when I follow Jesus and I ask for help and guidance, He will lead me.
Jesus says in John 14: 12-14
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
Please pray for the city of Pattaya. Pray that their hearts will yearn for something more and that they will come to know and look to the strength of our God. Please pray for me and for my team as well. That we will not rely on our own strength to conquer our own personal battles, but that we will look to Jesus. And please pray for yourself, so that throughout your own journey, you too will know the strength and the power that can only come from the Holy Spirit.
Cara xo