Journey To Thailand

It's been a minute, ya'll! (The New Yorker comes out, always.) I've read so many blog entries where the blogger mentions their disappearance and explains what happened or simply chalks it up to "LIFE". 

I believe it's important to retreat, to discover yourself all over again, to have that alone time with God and not have to share it with others, to live without having to document it. That reminds me, I need to step my social media game up. All I ever want to post are inspirational messages because who wants to know that I'm having a delicious treat by way of the samples at Costco? I'm working on just posting away and being free, all the while remembering - random, not ratchet. Haha In any case, there was so much that has happened since my last post - whoa! I'll put that in a book but for now, the topic at hand - my journey to Thailand. 

Thanks to the support of my family and friends (special shout out to Pastor Toure Roberts for his generous donation. At his church was where it all happened for me - One Church Int'l), I was afforded the opportunity to go on my first ever missions trip!

I knew the time would come when God would put it on my heart to go away and go and serve by helping the oppressed, the poor, the voiceless, the orphans, in one of his many nations. Perhaps I assumed I'd go to the place closest to where I live. Definitely not Thailand, which was a sixteen hour plane ride, give or take. On my vision board, there is a photo of an airplane, high in the sky, with the ocean below it and the beautiful blue sky serving as the backdrop and underneath the airplane it reads "SEE SOME WORLD". 

When I glued that piece to the vision board, I pictured myself going to Israel to step foot where Jesus walked. Or to Egypt to experience dehydration in the desert (I say this in the best possible way lol) and gaze at the beautiful monuments and pyramids. Or I saw myself visiting The Dominican Republic again but knowing it would be different because my heart for the people, my people, would be so wrecked and over joyed all at once because it is home but you also want to help make home feel like a home - peaceful, happy, stable, loving, and united. Needless to say, that is not how it happened. Look at God, still in control! 

On January 11, 2015 I learned that there was an actual day dedicated to raising awareness about sexual slavery and human trafficking. The House of Prayer that I belong to decided that we, as a community of intercessors, would pray over this issue and declare freedom to the captives on this day.

We all know God uses people so part of the prayer was for hearts to be pricked, for mantles to be given, for an army to rise up and fight for the oppressed, for the church to go out into the nations and know that while prayer is powerful...that GOING INTO ALL THE WORLD is even more so.

Jesus went to the mountain top to pray, He also came down from the mountain and healed, equipped, fed the multitude - he modeled a life lead by the Father. He showed us what looking like HIM truly meant and what a name (Christian) could never do. We can't claim ignorance there. He commanded us to GO and the beauty of it all is that we don't go alone (his promise of being with us until the end of age) and we don't go unarmed (the power of the Holy Spirit and the armor of God). He has given us everything we need. 

There I am at Radiance and we break up into small groups of four to pray and I am suddenly overcome with sorrow and I start sobbing uncontrollably. Each of us is supposed to pray but when it's my turn, I can't even pray because I am just sobbing and I do mean sobbing. I am known to cry especially when I am touched but I knew this time, this time it was much bigger than me. I felt the pain and heart of the Father. I felt His desire to go and love on people who were otherwise ignored or seen through eyes of lust, perversion and as a commodity. I just felt a bit heavy, I felt called, I felt drawn to this issue, I felt the burden.

Sharon Ngai, who is the founder of Justice Speaks, and co-pastors Radiance International, was also praying for those who would travel to Thailand with her organization and help with this issue. She is a praying woman! I'd like to think that she prayed to God and two seconds later, God answered - I'll see if Jennifer will answer the call and then the crying began! I totally had a moment of why is this happening to me and why in this manner? It was such a gut wrenching cry, as if I were being exploited or my sister or my mother. I even sent a text to a close friend/mentor to see if he knew what this could mean (I didn't get it) because I am not a missionary and therefore going to Thailand with Justice Speaks was surely not what God was asking me to do. Right? *Crickets* 

I prayed about it not really wanting to hear the answer because I was fine praying for and with the missionary (the one who doesn't have a home and sleeps in a hut), I just knew that missionary work was not my thing. Of course, the GREAT commission involves a mission and if you call yourself a Christian, well, you can put that together yourself but even still, I said, nope, not I. Not because I rather write about my walk with God rather than live it but because I was limiting God's hand on my life - that revelation came later. In my life, He was a small God, in a box, only able to use me through one or two gifts he has graced me with. Yes, He checked me on that one. Boy, did He ever! 

I want to write about all of the AMAZING things that God did in Thailand but I wanted to start with how the invitation came first. I could have said no. I could've said, not me. I could have said, surely there are others much more mature than this "new" Christian. I could have hit the ignore button, I could have said, next time I'll go but let me sit this one out. Had I done that, I could have missed out one of the biggest blessings in my life. He is merciful and forgiving but in this relationship, I can't afford to forget He is Lord. The invitation did seem more like a kidnapping but that is neither here nor there haha

What has God placed on your heart? Will you surrender to His plan and say, YES? I pray that you would know that His ways are better than what our feeble minds can plan and even in our planning, He is in control. 

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9

There I was, cutting out magazine articles for my vision board, thinking I would travel for pleasure, for some relaxation, for new cultural experiences and sight seeing and there He was orchestrating it all behind the scenes. Giving me my hearts desire to fight for justice although I've always wanted to do it domestically (so I thought) AND giving me my hearts desire to see some world. He's a limitless God. He does BOTH, AND gives you more. I've learned that with Him it's always BOTH AND. 

Thanks again to all of you who prayed, who generously donated, who helped raised awareness and spread the word and thank you, God for the opportunity to partner up with you. You do amazing things with a simple YES. More on Thailand in the upcoming posts!  

Glory to God.