Article:

Thailand Rescue, May 15th thru 25th

By Daryl Bursch

Preparations –

May 16th was a restless night for me, with thunder and lightning crashing outside my bedroom window--- bringing with it small splashes of rain.  In a way, the action going on outside was a welcome relief from the constant crashing of thoughts assaulting my mind, along with the small rumblings in my gut.  It was not the weather causing sleep to escape me; rather, it was thoughts and considerations of the days to come. 

Tomorrow, I would be flying for 20 hours to a land and people I have grown to love.  It is unexplainable to me that God would some how put within me a concern for children in a far off land.  My mind becomes a theater, with seemingly live video flooding its walls.  Children I have held, knowing some of their stories, others I do not.  Faces from my memory banks fill my mind; I can think of nothing else; and, still, the rain, thunder and lightning continue to roar just a few feet from my head.   This, I believe, is God’s way of preparing me for the days ahead. 

Oh how I pray the help I bring to these children will be enough.  Sadly, however, I know it won’t even begin to meet their daily needs.  This, the futile feelings of failure, is the hardest part to endure.  I just keep saying to myself what Mother Theresa would say to such questions and self doubt, “God did not call me to be successful, but only to faithfulness”.  This causes me to say a small prayer, “God, I know what you want from me, my spirit is strong and willing, but my flesh is weak.  Please help me to become faithful in all things”. 

Then I ask God for relief from the onslaught of emotions, with children crashing against my memory banks.  It seems I have no control over my own mind.  I don’t remember when or how, I only know some time, some how I must have fallen asleep, because I was awakened by my alarm at 5:30AM.  I get ready with nerves spinning my gut into circles.  These feelings I have had many times before.  In younger days, they would come to me just before a boxing or wrestling match.  Although I never felt those much during the moments before a basketball game, (basketball is much easier on the body and nerves than either wrestling or boxing), I would sometimes experience a similar feeling at the free throw line if there was little or no time left in the game, and my making or missing the shot would decide the outcome of the game; whether we would win or lose.  More recently I would experience these feelings only when I felt my family was some how threatened or in harms way.

As always, I put the emotions aside and begin the final preparations to leave home for the airport.  My wife prepares a small breakfast for me, (you don’t eat much on planes these days, although, I was surprised on the long transcontinental ride there was plenty to eat).  After eating and loading the car, my wife and I began the hour long drive to the airport.  Faye was going over all the items I sometimes forget, (only once or twice), passport, money, cell phone, wallet, glasses, (can’t see anything anymore without them), and any number of other items now very easy to forget.  It’s interesting to me, when going to the airport, embarking on such a mission, how the details take over the conversation, and the really important things you should talk about get left out..  However, upon arrival at the airport drop off area, it seems the reality of everything around you becomes very clear, and very nearly overwhelms you.  Saying good bye to my wife of 30+ years choked us both up.  The knowledge that the possible outcome of a flight to rescue may also become a flight to disaster is in the back of both of our minds.  These facts as you say goodbye can no longer be pushed out by circumstances or details.

Traveling –

Then it is back to the details, standing in line, checking in, standing in line, going through the security screening, standing in line, getting on the train to the gate, and then, the Red carpet room.  Once you sit down and let the details go; then you consider once again, where you are going? what you are doing?, and is this what you are supposed to do?  Are you doing what God desires you to do?  The words of my contact on the ground in Thailand keep going through my head, “This is not something you do unless you are without a doubt called to do it”.  You consider these things, and the answer comes through even more pronounced, YES!  Then I consider the next few days and think of the few chances I will have to communicate with the ones I love back home.  So, what do you do then? You begin calling them, which of course is simply an exercise in futility and frustration.  You hardly reach any one, but still, you leave messages of your love for them and concern for their eternal futures.  I found myself thinking, how interesting it is, at that moment, you do not think of their ballgames, successes or failures, all you can think of is how proud you are of them, how much you love them, and how badly you want them in Heaven.  You get to your gate, you load onto the plane, find your seat and once again you think of those you have called and the ones you have not yet reached.  Once seated, I consider, “Why don’t we say and do those things always, everyday?  It is more important than our work, our house, our cars or our play.  Yet, we let days, weeks and even months go by doing the minors and letting the majors slip by unanswered, unsaid and undone”.  Silently I commit to say them more often, more specifically, and to offer up hope and encouragement more than judgment and advice.  For me, this will require another miracle from the thrones of Heaven.  Stop it, right now I know those of you who know me well are thinking about the man who lectures, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking!

The plane takes off and my journey with God, my fears, my questions and the unknown outcomes begin.  The first flight is only a short one from Denver to Seattle.  In Seattle I will meet my partner, Dr. Dan Hayek.  I like to say, “I dragged him into the Thai Project”, (the name those of us closely involved call it), but, really, I think God had more to do with it than I did.  All I did was tell him a story of my first trip and he immediately wanted to go, and, of course, I knew as soon as he went, he would have no choice but to work, pray, eat, drink and sleep the children in Thailand as I do.  Here I believe, is a good place to use the old saying, “misery loves company”, although it is hardly misery, it is more like “Passion” loves company too.  The work with the children in Thailand tends to do that to people.  One lady, a Delta Executive went there just to visit and never left the orphanage.  Sure enough, after one trip, Dan would call me and say he awakes in the middle of the night or finds himself in the middle of the day thinking of the children he met.  Like mine, his memory banks were busy infusing picture after picture of beautiful and wonderful children across his mind.  He was hooked!  And now, we would meet in Seattle and once again, together, we would follow God’s leading onto the next step of “The Thai Project”.  You not only consider the children already in the orphanages, you also think of the plight of the children who do not get rescued.

I read a little on the flight to Seattle, think and pray.  After arriving in Seattle I meet Dan and we discuss the details of the days to follow.  Dan has planned most of it; I was blessed he could do that.  The weeks and months before this trip were some of the busiest I have had in my life, and, believe me; my life has been far from slow, more like a whirlwind.  It seems, however, that God designed me for such a life.  I thrive on activity, decisions, obstacles, challenges, competition, and especially victories.  There is not too much time to relax and chat, International security, find our gate and ready ourselves to be sardines in a flooded mass for the next 10 or so hours to Narita Japan.  There we will have a couple of hours to prepare for the next 7 hour leg of our journey from Narita to Bangkok.

On long flights like these, while being stuck in a space only half as big as you are, what you try to do, (very unsuccessfully I might add), is sleep.  I could not help but think of the orphanages we would visit.  I would wonder if any or all of the children would remember me.  I thought of those in the dump, and Sharon and Chuck who minister there, and our ensuing visit with them.  I thought for hours about the 10 million people who are lost, without God in Bangkok.  This made me think of the many ministries who are reaching out to these masses.  All of these things flood through my mind hour after hour, and every time I can, I consider my family and all those I love.  I feel regret for “doing” parenting so badly.  I think of all the things I could have done better, should have done better.  I pray that some how, God will take my “heart” intentions rather than my actions.  I meant well, tried hard, and yet, I fear being, in the end, only half the father my Dad was.  I plead with God, “If this is my end, don’t let it be so”.

Then, as if God wanted me to stay focused, I consider the plight of 1 million women enslaved in the very region I was traveling.  My heart begins to race once again with anticipation for DOING something!  I can’t wait now, I am a boxer, not feeling fully prepared, but still, feeling the enemy staring me down as if to say, “I know you are not ready, I sense your fear, I am coming for you, and, I will pummel you like you have never experienced before”.  I remembered then, I was never an overwhelming specimen of a man; my opponents would and did, almost always underestimate me.  I was of course hoping for this same outcome that I had hundreds of times before in the ring, mat or court.  This time, it was different, I felt the presence of God every where.  I can’t even begin to explain it.  I can honestly say fear, at least in those hours on the plane, was not part of my emotional psyche.  All I could consider, all that would capture my heart for hours was little girls that could be rescued, and, that might not be if I did nothing.  It made me long for the opportunity to do something great for God. I felt it was like leaving the 99 to go for the 1, and I knew how important that was to God.  I would also consider the thought, “What if it was my child facing these horrors?” Yes, I would go on the rescue, even if I had to do it alone.

The flight was the most uncomfortable one I had ever had, and yet, I felt surprisingly functional when the day began in Bangkok.  This is amazing considering more than 20 hours on a cramped plane, six hours in airports, and then not getting to the hotel in Bangkok until midnight.  Dan and I checked in; I killed all the bugs in the room, and laid down to rest.  The morning came early it seems, (I am not sure why I use this term, “morning came early”, when in fact, it always comes at the same time, but I heard it some where and thought it fit nicely here).  Well, early is correct noting that I lost an entire day, Bangkok being 13 hours ahead of Denver. 

First thing in the morning, back to the airport, waiting in lines, security, and back onto a plane.  Only this time, it’s not an American airline we are flying, it’s Thai air, and that spells comfort and service.  I have no idea how I can be so much bigger than most Thai people, and yet, their planes have so much more room for far less money.  And, well, their service surpasses American airlines so far we don’t have enough words or ink to properly describe the difference.  We in the great USA do a lot of things right; it’s just the airlines cannot claim to be one of them.  Of course, I am not complaining here, I am sure none of you considered it to be so, merely stating the facts.  Anyway, we are off to Chang Mai on a very comfortable, roomy flight with great Thai food served to us, (tons of great service).  We arrive in Chang Mai, check into the hotel and for the next four days we go on a whirlwind tour of local churches, villages, orphanages and schools. 

Mission Highlights –

We spent many hours violently bouncing to and fro in a tough 4 wheel drive, down trails only designed I believe for motorcycles.  The trip was really rather grueling with Dan especially being bounced from corner to corner in the back seat.  Several times I thought there was no way we could make it through.  There were steep cliffs on either side; some times extremely steep hills, and then equally as steep a grade downwards.  Some times the ruts were so deep I think I could have fallen in them and would need a ladder to get back out.  Pastor Joseph, who was the man who drove us there, said we were the very first white visitors to this village.  Judging by the way the villagers looked us over I would tend to agree.  All the way Pastor Joseph was praying and praising God for the provision and safety we were receiving.  The villagers had cleared a huge piece of land all by hand so a church could be built in their village.  They told us that 100’s of villagers would come to worship there if there were only a church for them to attend.  Dan and I further found out that a suitable church for this village would only cost less than $10,000.  Please begin to pray that some how God will answer the villagers’ prayer for the money to build their church.  We also were told\they don’t have any Bibles.  Even some of the Pastors do not have a Bible.  Dan and I decided this is one project we really wish to take on some how.   

It started to sprinkle and Dan whispers in my ear, “I am glad we came to experience this, but I don’t really want to spend the rainy season in this village”.  You see, we were there at the very beginning of the rainy season and there is no way in or out of this village during that 3 month period.  This village is extremely isolated.  So we decide we had better take off before we test God too much.  Inside, I was already telling myself, “There is no way we are going to make it back out of this village”.  Then, just before we start to drive away, Pastor Joseph says to us, “Thank you so much for your great faith and powerful prayers”. He goes on to tell us how scared he was on the way down and how there were times he did not think we would make it.  Dan and I could hardly believe our ears; since we both thought we made it to the village on his ability, skill, knowledge and faith.  Neither of us had questioned nor felt in any way he did not believe we could make it safely.  Now with this new revelation, both of us are verbally assaulting Pastor Joseph with questions and concerns as to why he did not communicate this to us before we began this journey.  He simply said he felt confident God would provide because he was with two great men of faith.  Both Dan and I are thinking, “Oh how little he knows”.  Some how though, my faith did grow on that day and we did manage to get back to Chang Mai out of that little mountain village.  There were very scary times, and times when our faith was tested, but we made it back.

We also visited some great Pastors doing some amazing work.  One of these was a pastor working with the Karen Tribe; which is a tribe being exterminated by the Burmese Government.  There are thousands of refugees in the mountains hiding out.  He told us of over 600 children learning each week to trust God, and invited us to come and train the children’s leaders who have no training at all.  All they have is a love for God and for the children.  We felt the passion and heart of this dear pastor and thought, “They have the most important part, but how can we help them more”.  We hope to get back up into the mountains after the rainy season and visit the refugee camps, bringing to them Bibles, supplies, training, encouragement and blessing.

We also visited an orphanage where one couple on just $200 a month is caring for and feeding 22 children.  Dan and I both sat there amazed as these children recited verse after verse after verse.  We could not believe how much of the Bible they had hidden in their hearts and some times in more than one language.  They were also learning to read and write in English.  Some of the orphans we visited this trip are testing the top of their classes in school.  The effort leaders are putting into these children is really making a difference in their lives and futures.  We again noticed the great need to get Bibles into their hands.  The local Thai Bible Society charges so much for the Bibles that the Thai people cannot afford them.  Only foreigners can buy them; it’s really sad.

We then visited several more orphanages, bringing money, food and supplies to each one.  Oh, and, ice cream.  Many of the children had never eaten ice cream; what a great treat it was for them.  It was such a blessing to see the children enjoy it; and Dan and I thoroughly enjoyed spoiling their dinner.  This was going to be rice; just what they had for breakfast, lunch and dinner… every single day.  We also were able to give each child a stuffed animal.  It was, again, very rewarding to see the children hold, hug and play together with their new stuffed friends.  They enjoyed them very much and when we toured their housing situations, we saw why.  They did not have toys or anything like that.  They felt truly blessed, but, Dan and I were the ones that were truly blessed by the experience.  I cannot even explain; but those of you who have had such an experience understand; if you haven’t, well, all I can say is… come with me and experience it for yourselves.  

One of the orphanages was nearly falling apart at the seams.  The roof leaked, the wiring was so bad it almost started a tragic fire that most likely would have killed 30+ children.  The building was made of dried leaves and bamboo, which would have burned in minutes.  It is not unusual for the children to find poisonous snakes, scorpions or any other number of dangerous spiders in their bunks.  They have as part of their bedtime ritual finding these deadly creatures and removing them before they can sleep.  They desperately need new dorms.  Please pray for the children of Thailand, especially those in the orphanages and those still in slavery today.

Other misc. facts… we visited a home where a one month old beautiful baby boy was going to be put out if someone did not care for him.  Tu Tu was going to care for him if necessary, but we needed to find a permanent home for him.  We are still looking for a family in America to take this boy and adopt him.  We also were able to bring four children into the hotel and watch them experience for the first time in their lives things like escalators, elevators, hotel food and a hotel bed.  Dan had taken on the financial needs of these four children.  The two girls would most likely have been children we would have been trying to rescue in the following years if someone had not taken the responsibility for their care. 

Many of the girls in Thailand have no real choices in life; no opportunities, and no one that will step in to care for them.  People often ask, “Why Thailand”?  The answer is extremely involved and yet rather simple at the same time.  From the time girls in Thailand are born, they are taught to believe from generation to generation that they are the lowest of creatures.  The only way a girl in Thailand can, in their next life, become a man, is if they serve men well.  This makes them extremely easy targets.  Most of the men who prey on these young girls, placing them in sexual slavery, are mafia and/or Muslim extremists.   Then most of the money supporting this trade is American business men.  It is a very sad fact of American life, but if only we could stop American money preying on these young Thai girls we would eliminate much of the problem; not all, but a great portion of it.  Orphanage ministries help these girls elude the slave traders and give them opportunities they would not otherwise have.  It is actually rescuing them before they enter the horrors of slavery.  This is our goal with every orphanage.

The Rescues –

That day, Dan and I traveled back to Bangkok from Chang Mai. There, at this airport hotel we said our good byes.  Now my mind was firmly planted on the task in front of me----the rescue of, hopefully, 6 – 9 young girls.  Many of the details I cannot give out; such as dates, times, places and names.  I do plan on being involved further in the rescues and do not wish to put any further or unnecessary risk on those who are involved in the rescues.  Just let me say, they have become extremely dangerous, and, unless one is called by God to be involved, should simply pray and financially support the efforts of those who do.  And, as Forest Gump would say, “that is all I have to say about that”.  

Leaving Dan there, (he will catch a plane home early the next morning), I catch a cab to a downtown Bangkok Hotel.  Having already been briefed on many of the specific details of the operation that will take place that night I begin to think very aggressively, attempting to prepare myself for the horrors I would soon witness and even participate in.  Many of these details I will leave out; again, mainly for the protection of others who will do the same.  I know now the things I can have on me as well as all the forbidden items.  Basically, it will just be my skin, clothing and cash.  Anything else would put myself and Ben, (I will call him Ben, although this is not his real name).  He is a foreigner, not of Thailand and also not American.  He has filled me in on dress, what to bring, how I must act, and the different roles each of us would play.  He gives me a sense for what I will see, hear, smell and feel.  While he fills me in on all of these things, I must admit, I didn’t listen all that intently, feeling it somewhat unnecessary information, however, during the actual rescue I was glad that I retained much more than I realized.  I don’t believe without proper preparation I could have handled what I did.  Even the sounds were horrifying as were the smells, and, then there was what you actually witnessed.  Horrible beyond measure. 

I dare not even describe here how Ben and I met; how we traveled, or where we went.   My desire is for this to go where ever it will help, and because I want it passed around by everyone.  So some of this will be a bit vague, by design,  so it can be sent freely by all to all;  for it is my hope, through my sharing that others will step up to the plate and help.  Pray, give and some may go.  Ben and I met in a very specific and unique setting and manner.  He was so cautious, that it made me more nervous than anything else.  For several days he and I had conversed via email and each time I felt like he was yelling at me through the internet.  He did not like where I was emailing from, (an internet café).  He kept asking me, “Don’t you have a laptop”?  He would tell me, “You need to get with it”, meaning, “You put us all at risk, you stupid American”.  Every message he would end simply with, “NO GO”.  This meant we are calling it off.  Every time I would end my message back to him, “YES GO, GOD SAID SO”.  Feeling each time, “how can he argue with God”?  It was only two hours before time to meet when I received his final message saying only two words, “WE GO”. 

I will never forget the emotions that burst through every inch of my body.  They came like a tsunami crashing through the insides of my entire being.  I cried, I trembled, and I felt like… all of a sudden I can’t do it.  I felt the signs of panic begin to swell up inside me like the time I was climbing up a sheer cliff when all of a sudden, half way up; I realized the rock was made of shale.  With each new hand hold or footing came a break of rock and a slight slip.  I felt for sure I would fall off this cliff and die.  Now, I felt this same panic in my hotel room in Bangkok.  Up until this moment, it was just something I “might” do.  I knew God wanted me to do this, and it had been 4 years in the making.  I had tried to be involved 3 years ago, but things had not worked out, circumstances had made it completely impossible, and now I had waited 3 years for another opportunity.  I did not want this to pass; not so easily; not without a fight.  Now, the battle was right in front of me and the consequences sunk in.  Get caught by the sellers and be killed.  Get caught by the Thai police and spend the rest of my life in a Thai prison.  Neither of these felt like good options.  There was only one I liked, successfully rescue girls for The Kingdom’s Sake TONITE, here and now.  I chose this one, spent time praying for protection and sent one last email home, hoping there would be many there praying for me, and thankfully, there were. 

I moved around my hotel room nervously for the next hour, checking in the mirror several hundred times, each time seeing the same reflected difficulties.  Wishing I had worked out more, lost a little more weight, 4 inches taller, had more hair and wondering why I had not started rescuing 15 years ago when these questions would not be staring back at me.  Well, all except the, “being 4 inches taller part”.  It was now time to go.  No more time to ponder any of the issues haunting me now.  It would be God, me and Ben.  That should be enough; you are correctly thinking right now, however, it did not seem like all that much to me at this point.  And, in an hour or so, it would seem even less enough when I took one look at my partner, Ben. The first thought which ran through my mind upon meeting him was, “Oh no, I am going to have to carry two girls AND Ben”. 

I left the hotel, having asked the attendant in the lobby the direction to the shopping center.  So I walked along the river and picked up a river shuttle to the other side.  There I rode the train to the Mall.  I decided to get a quick bite to eat at the McDonalds since I was not sure when my next meal might be.  I ordered and ate quickly, shoving it down like I was already starving, more out of nerves than time or hunger.  Then I proceeded up to the floor where I was to meet Ben.  I located the exact spot, shot a quick glance around the massive center, attempting to be very calm.  I was trying to act like a tourist, when it dawned on me. “I was”.  I did not need to act, at least not now, I was a man in a strange place and did not really know where I was or where I was going… or… for that matter, who I was going there with.  I bought a bottled water and couple of small lotions, (for the girls I thought) so that I would have the shopping bag in my hand Ben instructed me to have.  Then I placed myself at the spot where Ben was going to meet me.  There were several other parts to our meeting that I am going to leave out here for safety reasons.  Ben and I successfully met and we were on our way.

Driving and riding in any kind of vehicle in Bangkok is an experience all in and of it’s self, but, riding with some one you don’t know on your way to some where you don’t know, knowing, danger lays before you,  is a bit unnerving to say the least.   Ben was following street signs and going cautiously, I could tell, but it was also evident he knew where he was going.  I asked him if he had been here before and his reply was strange I thought.  He said, “Yes, been here before, not been at this place before”.  Then I realized he was very familiar with this part of Bangkok but he had not been at this specific address before.  We found the address, drove past it once without appearing to be staring.  We then pulled over a block and a half away.  We looked around, for several minutes.  I looked at it intently as Ben did, but not really knowing what I was looking for, just looking around.  Then we drove a block further, turned around and came back to the building and parked right in front of it.  I would have rather parked further away but I figured Ben knew better than I.

 After parking, Ben turns to me and looks me in the eyes like he was searching for something in them.  I said to him, “Ben, are we ready”?  He just sat there looking into my eyes.  It made me uncomfortable enough I felt I needed to explain to him about my one eye being different than the other, because I am blind in one eye.  I thought the way he was looking into them so deeply that he might be one of those Optometrist guys, (that’s an eye doctor), and see I have an eye that is messed up inside.  He didn’t say anything about any of that he just turned and grabbed the handle of his door while saying simply, “We go”.

I followed Ben across the small side walk up to the doorway of the large warehouse type building.  It looked very old, weather beaten; mostly made of metal beams and steel siding.  Standing in the doorway were two men.  I won’t describe any one in the rooms but these guys looked very serious.  They each took one of us and saying nothing pointed for us to get against the wall.  They patted us down very thoroughly and then began to ask us questions.  They had traded, meaning, the one that patted me down was speaking with Ben and the one who molested Ben was attempting to communicate with me.  I figured out why, (I am very quick), they had noticed some how that I was a foreigner and the one speaking with me spoke just a tiny bit of English.  They became satisfied and we were allowed to enter.

The building smelled far worse than it looked.  It smelled like fish, rotten fish I thought.  It was not that it was dirty, neither was it really clean.  It was old, and musty, some where in the building handled fish.  Or, maybe this place, in its past some time had been a place which handled fish, I could not tell for sure, but it was clean, old, and smelled like fish.  We then went through an opening that looked similar to an airport metal detector, but it was much larger and bulkier.  We were then run through more questions, (I can’t tell you what the questions were, but some of them were not polite, nice or even relevant).  We were then led into another room, more tests, questions, and I would say nearly a half an hour after walking up to this place we were led into the final room. 

This room was filled with potential buyers, (although I was told by Ben that everyone WILL buy), there were also several more men standing around the corners and in the aisles.  All in all, I believe there were about 60 people in the room.  It is set up in seating areas, not in a theatre style but rather in little groups of 2 by 2 and some with 4 or 6.  In the front of the room, I only knew this to be the front because this is the direction the chairs were pointing; there was a large door, like a garage door that was half way open to about 6 feet high.  A man came out of this doorway and reminded us, (at least I believe that is what he was doing; I understood very little of it), of the rules for the evening.  Then he pointed to his right and out came 36 young girls.  They seemed to be grouped by age; however I could not be sure of that.  They were not from tallest to shortest but the first ones were definitely older that the last ones.  I would guess the girls ages would range from 5 to 12 years old.  Some of the girls clung to the one next to them.  They were all dressed like Victoria secret models.  The things which followed were disgusting too much for written word.  Ben, I could tell was having difficulty holding it together, he did some how manage.  It was during this time I truly wish I spoke Thai, and even more, wish I had my friend T.C. there along with ALL his soldier buddy’s.  I would have liked to kill every man in the room, buyers and sellers.  The rage I felt caught me off guard. 

It is here, at this point in time, I only wish my ability to write was better, so that you could some how “get” the emotion of the moment.  I have waited so many days and worked on this time and time again, never finding the words to properly explain what I saw, heard, and especially felt.  I will just say it was a defining moment in my life, ministry, and future.  The uncertainty of the moment never entered my mind at this very moment.  It was as if everything had stopped, frozen in this place, this moment, still forever, still framed.  I could not take my eyes off the sight of these young girls.  Immediately I considered, “We buy them ALL”.  My heart rose with the thought and then just as quickly sank, knowing that not to be possible.  How do you decide?  What a horrible thing even to consider.  How do you do that?  I shoot a glance around the room, praying, hoping, somehow, God, don’t let these men be here for the purpose already predetermined in their minds.  God, somehow, intervene!  Then Ben brings me back to reality, to the now, to the true moment, and time begins to move forward once again. 

We are second to purchase, (oh how I wish somehow we could have been first, for there were two very young girls we are not allowed to buy that I would say were no older than 5).  Ben and I chose the two we considered to be the youngest with one exception.  One girl we could tell, (well Ben could, I learned of it later on the drive to the orphanage) one girl was struggling a little bit with a heroin addiction and in need of some special care soon.  We make the deal with the man who seems to be in charge.  I could tell the youngest girl we had picked was also sought by many of the men in the room by all the grumbling which took place when they realized our choice.  Now Ben, being a very old and physically weakened man, (by age and size, extremely small and light), we had already decided that if need be, I would carry the girls.  I was hoping to buy three or four here, but this was not possible with the circumstances.  The deal was finished and we were ready to take our purchase away. 

How you can buy a life for only $600 still breaks my heart every time I consider the thought.  Then I remembered, the creator paid for these girls with His life, I just have the blessed opportunity to be obedient and offer myself up for these girls to know their Creator, their Savior, and their Father who loves them dearly.  I am just honored to be His vessel in this situation.  These thoughts are actually dashing across my mind as I walk towards the youngest one.  As our eyes meet, this beautiful young girl and mine, a horrible thought crosses my mind.  “She will think I am like the other men in this room”, quickly I say a prayer, “Oh Lord, please, somehow, communicate to this girl, your treasure, that I am different, I am here to do YOUR business and she is safe with me and Ben”. 

As I lean down on one knee to pick her up, I allow my eyes to smile directly into hers and when I am still several inches away from reaching her she jumps into my arms, wraps her tiny little arms around my neck almost making me lose my emotions right then and there.  I have no idea how I kept it together, Ben had warned me of this, all I can say is it must have been the Almighty God, because it sure was not me.  I can’t even speak of the feelings and thoughts I had at that moment without crying, and yet, somehow, I got through it then and there.  As I was picking up these two young girls I was thinking, “Not now, not here, not these two precious children, not while I am around, not as long as I have breath”, and then the anger inside me almost got the best of me.  I thought, “I could crush these guys, there are only 12 of them, only 8 right now that I can see in this room.  None of the men here to buy would do anything to stop me, I considered, that is when I felt a small portion of my tooth break away and it was at that moment I realized how hard I was clenching my teeth.  I also realized how anyone watching must have wondered about the expression on my face.  Later I would consider all these things and realize how God had been in every moment, every thought, and every action and how grateful I am to serve Him, the Omnipotent, Omnipresent and all knowing God. 

We walked to the car, one step at a time.  I did not look back, did not even look around, although every nerve in my body wanted to.  My mind was screaming to me, look to the left, look to the right, look back, someone is coming.  I just held tightly to the two small treasures and walked.  Then I thought, “I am walking to fast”, so I slowed.  Then I thought, “RUN”, and picked up my pace.  Then I thought, I can’t run, Ben could never keep up with me, and, if someone is watching they would think that to be very odd.  So I again slowed my pace but decided to walk confidently, purposefully, how ever that is, I don’t really know, but in my mind, that is what I was doing.  In reality, if I had a film of this long walk to the car, (it was only about 30 feet) I doubt my steps changed very much from one thought to the next.  These thoughts remind me of a story a friend of mine had shared with me of him running in a marathon.  He told how for a while he did not think he could finish and then he was in some sort of a trance like state and noticed that some how one foot just kept going in front of the other.  Dave goes on to say how when he was nearing the finish line he heard and saw his wife and children cheering him on.  So, he goes on to say, he straightens himself up, quickens his pace and finishes strong.  Dave said the funny thing is, when the family all got together to watch the video of his finish it was strange to him.  He saw the point when he heard and noticed his family, but the funny thing was, he did not look like he straightened himself and it sure did not look like he quickened his pace.  He had only felt like he had, he in fact, had only done this in his mind, not in reality.  It’s funny how in times like that what your mind can do.

I wanted to place both girls in the back seat with Ben, but the girl clinging to my neck would not have it, and when the older one, (probably about 11) saw the younger one was not going into the back seat she made it clear to me neither was she.  Its funny how, no matter what culture you are in or language barrier that exists there are some things you can still clearly communicate, and are still just as clearly understood.  This was one of those times.  I did not have time, I felt, to argue with them, and, had no idea how I would have anyway, so I put the older one in the passenger side, (which in Thailand is the wrong side, because you drive on the wrong side, or, I guess it actually might be the right side, anyway), and walked around the driver side to get in with a young girl clinging tightly to my neck. 

I had wondered why Ben wanted me to drive, I felt he did fine driving to the site but when I took one look at him as we got into the car I realized why I was now driving.  For a moment I had considered asking him to reconsider since this one child would not release my neck.  However, it became very clear to me it was best if I drove.  The moment had overwhelmed Ben; he could do nothing but cry.  He could hardly even speak, although I desperately needed him to do that, since, I had no idea where I was, or where I was going.  It was at this moment that I considered, "It won’t be like that again".  What if he had a heart attack or something, I would have these two young girls and have no idea where I am, where I am going, or what to do with them.  I thought, “This must change”.  Even as I was driving away I started making a mental check list of all the things that would need to be different next time.  I have maps, in English, I know where I am, how I got there, where I am taking the girls and a backup plan in case something goes wrong or there is a problem. 

We take off.  I do know the way to the highway at least.  I could see it down the river from where we had come.  I convince Ben we need him to be alert and tell me blocks ahead if he can of each turn.  We did make a couple of U turns on both of our long drives to the orphanages, but that is understandable to me, even if you go to them several times a year it would be difficult to know the turns as they come up.  Most of them are poorly marked and not really lit at all.  We make the long 4 – 6 hour drive, I say that big of a span because I don’t really know.  I did not keep track of time and it is possible that from the time of the rescue to the orphanage a much longer or much shorter time than what I felt had passed.  Time was not a consideration for me during the three days of rescues.  Rather it was safety, children, location, people, police, bad guys, stay awake, drive, hold, hug, pray and hope.  These were the things that dominated my time.  The journey to the orphanage was filled with adventure and interesting times.  Some of the more interesting moments came while we would pass police/military check points. 

I was well aware if I was caught rescuing girls by government officials I would be tried as if I were one of the human traffickers and made an example of.  The penalty would be life in prison.  I had read enough about Thai prisons to know this was not a place for me.  I did however, in one of my prayer times in preparation for this journey months before come to grips between me and God, that if prison was my lot in service to the King, I would be OK with that, and attempt to serve my life there gratefully.  I am not even coming close to saying  I could have done that, I am just saying my heart came to a point where I had felt God and I must come to an agreement to these terms for me to be completely called and ready for Him to use me in this way.  Otherwise, I would not be doing this with Holy and right motives.  My heart would be saying, “God, you have to do your part, this MUST work out good for me too, according to MY will”.  This I knew was not how God wanted me to go into His service, especially “this” service. 

It was not about me, it was about the children and, even in greater measure, it was truly about being in complete obedience to God, willing to do what ever He wanted me to do, in the manner He wanted me to do it.  This, believe me, was not an easy issue for me to deal with.  It seems here, rather simple, like I just awoke one day and decided it, like I am some kind of Spiritual giant or something.  NO, I am admitting right now, it is NOT like that, it WAS not like that, it’s not natural or easy for me.  In fact, it’s the most difficult thing I have EVER had to do in my life.  I have always wanted to look out for myself.  Much of my life I have had to.  I wanted certain things, and, worked to get them or achieve them, and, this was not fitting into my life schedule.  The only thing this fit into as far as my life plan was that I have always wanted to do great things for God.  I always wanted Him to test me, use me, and accomplish mighty things in His Kingdom for His Glory.  But, as difficult as it seems to believe, it was not supposed to be like this, not in Thailand, not in prison, not for just 2, 4, or even a hundred children.  It was supposed to be preaching and ministering to thousands, maybe even millions… In the U.S.  Not like this.  Not here.  Not in Thailand. 

Well, enough of my personal thoughts and weaknesses, you are all saying, “Get back to the story”, and so I will.  We drive for hours, five or maybe six, winding small narrow roads.  All the while there was deafening silence in the car except for the quiet whimper that would come from the back seat, from Ben.  He would only find the strength to right himself after returning back to the car after the girls were safe in the arms of their new mother.  When we finally came to the river, I knew it would not be much further now, just up the river.  I had looked at a map and knew it would be one of the land marks I would watch for.  Just a little bit further and we would be released from the grips of this small car.  To me, it had gotten smaller every mile.  I am sweating terribly and had begun to have that tropical itch.  Those of you who have traveled rain forest areas in the rainy season know what I am talking about.

Finally, Ben tells me the turn off to the “stage 1” orphanage would be just ahead on the right.  There were green trees and brush so thick you could hardly see a few feet from the road.  I almost missed the turn it was such a small road.  I was quite surprised how nice the roads were even though they were very narrow.  We made one turn to the left and then about a mile up this road there was a small village.  We went slowly through the village and Ben said there would be a right turn just after we left the village, just past the last small building.  While passing through the village my mind wondered if this small village would be a place of sanctuary for these beautiful girls.  I thought about them playing along the streets and maybe buying some tea from the Tea House we just passed.  We turned right onto a small dirt road and drove for about a mile up this road until we came to a clearing.

In the small clearing were four buildings.  Well, they weren’t really buildings, --- more like grass huts.  Through a broken cloudy sky a nearly full moon was casting an eerie glow across the compound.  Even though it was late, there were older girls there to greet their new guests.  This would only be home for these girls for a while.  Ben had explained to me that they had three stages of homes for the girls.  The first would help them get settled and forget where they came from, the pain, the loss of family, get free of any disease or drug addictions and the beginning of a new life.  The second would help them catch up in their education, understand how it is to live together with 50 or 60 other kids and begin their Bible training.  Getting these girls to really understand the Creator, His love for them, His death for their salvation and their rightful response all happens in the stage two.  Then they are moved to their final home, where they will go to school, church and have a permanent family.

I pulled the car to a stop and noticed the sweet young girl on my lap was sound asleep.  I did not really wish to wake her.  Then I looked to the passenger side, (which in Thailand is on the left), and the older girl, (still only about 11 I would say) was also sound asleep.  They looked so innocent, so peaceful; I begin to cry with Ben.  I could hardly believe what we had just come from, what the fate of these two almost had become.  Quickly the girls were at the doors of the car surrounding it and opening every door.  I could tell they were surprised we only had two young passengers and two old men.  They looked at me questioningly.  Ben and the two oldest began a foreign language sparring which I was wishing at this point I could understand.  One thing I knew, (partly by the fingers they put up) they were disappointed there were not at least three and were actually hoping for four.

Soon my two young passengers were completely swallowed up by their new friends.  The younger girl looked back at me as they were carrying her off as if to say, “don’t leave me”.  I let her know through a gesture of my hand that I would follow her.  She submitted her head down gently and slowly to the young woman who was carefully stoking her hair and quietly singing a song to her.  Then I realized all the girls had broken out into a Thai Hymn.  After listening closely to the melody, (and the fact that a couple of girls were singing it in English for my benefit I am sure), I recognized it from the church services I had attended several times on my previous visits as well as from back home.  It was the Thai version of “It is well with my soul”, I began to sing it too, and, it washed over my soul like this song has never done before. 

This song has always meant much to me, ever since the first time my wife and I visited a church just after the death of our son.  It was a church we sought out just because we knew their worship would sooth our aching souls.  We didn’t much feel like going to our own church and attempting to have meaningful conversation with people we knew.  We just wanted God to meet us in our pain, our loss and our personal faith struggles.  I will never forget how God met us there, and, I will also never ever look at worship the same again.  That day in a Calvary Chapel church in Bothell, Washington God met us in a powerfully personal way.  The pastor decided after their normal worship service was over that God was there in a unique way and wanted to just inhabit the praises of His people, so there would be no sermon… just more worship.  It was just what we needed.  No one seemed to care that Faye and I both just sat there and wept in the presence of a Holy God.  He met us there.  It is funny how these are the thoughts going through my head at this time, thousands of miles away from home and years away from the past, as we once again sing this song.  And, once again, God meets a huddled mass of His children again, half way around the world.  It is the same song, same God, different people, different nation, but still, His presence is so strong in this little huddle of humanity that I get the urge to look around and see if I can spot Him.  He is here, WOW is He here.

It begins to rain lightly, (I found out this little village was flooded two days later and nearly swept down the river), so we move into the common area building where they do all their group functions including the meals.  I sit with the girls and listen, trying desperately to understand, but I only understand once in a while by their bodily reactions.  From time to time the girls are silent as they all cry, hug and hold one another.  Once again, the young girl that traveled on my lap crawls over to me and cuddles back up into my arms.  Her sweet little face is wet with tears and yet her smile says more to me than any facial expression I have ever seen.  Again, she buries her head in my chest and wraps her tiny little arms around my neck.  I hold her until sleep overwhelms her spirit and rest comes to her entire being.  I carry her to where the “mother” leads me to her new bed.  I lay her down, and next to her lies the other beautiful young girl who, so far, has made this journey with us through the night.  The beds are actually next to each other, (actually one big board with five or six blankets on them, one for each girl), so when I sit between them I am nearly sitting on top of both girls.  Neither seems to mind much however; they actually close their eyes again with a slight smile on their faces and allow sleep to finally take them. 

This orphanage, although not much to look at, is a world apart in improvement over where they would/could be tonight.  Some people say to me, “Why do you leave them in such a place”, and I say, “Do you not consider how much better it is there than the plight others had for them?”  The buildings are all made of bamboo and grass, with just a few timbers here and there.  You can tell the buildings are hand made without the touch of a real carpenter, or so it appears to me, (huh, like I am a carpenter… NOT!).  There is no plumbing, no electrical; the restroom facilities are out back in a small hut like place.  The only real building is the one in which I will soon lay my head down to rest, in their meeting room, play room, (when it rains), kitchen, classroom and catch all room.  The worker’s housing, to me, seems like even worse quarters than the girls are in.  This does not surprise me, for the people who are committed to help these young girls are completely selfless.  They have huge hearts and courageous souls that humble the toughest of Americans, at least the ones I know.  Of course this reminds me of several Scriptural truths, ones like, “God never gives you more than He gives you the strength to endure”, and, “to whom much is given much is required”.  Oh how often this verse goes through my mind when I see how much ministry happens in this country with such little resources.  I can tell you this, God will not require much from these people, and yet they are the biggest givers I have ever met, (well except maybe my mom and dad).

I go back outside and see a light just over the river at the top of the hills.  I wonder what this is and then it dawns on me, (a play on words if you know what I mean), it’s actually the sun rising.  I can hardly believe we have been up all night.  All of a sudden I feel exhausted.  Ben and I find a place to rest for a few hours away from all the kids, although we were pretty sure the children would not be getting up anytime soon.  It was a little bit difficult to find sleep for several reasons.  First because the experience I had just gone through was still spinning around the recesses of my mind, keeping my mind pre-occupied, and not allowing sleep to come.  The rest of the reasons were all the little critters that could possibly or should I say, probably, join me in my bed.  You see in Thailand there are all kinds of weird creatures that love to sleep with humans if they have half a chance.  The list would include but not be limited to, poisonous spiders, snakes and scorpions along with all kinds of HUGE bugs, some in psychedelic colors with horns or large lobster-like pinchers.  I have dealt with many of these creatures while awaking from a dead sleep on previous trips here.  Once I woke up with these large eyeballs staring into mine and when I attempted to brush the creature off my shoulder it did not even budge.  This of course, caused me to basically; well I will just say it… FREAK OUT!  So I had to grab the creature and throw it off me.  When it hit the wall with a thud the thing then flew as if to try to scare me out of my wits once again; of course flying directly towards my face.  I thought, “What gall this huge bug has”. Of course I ducked, and the large beetle like creature flew out the window. 

You see many houses in Thailand do not have any windows, just openings where, in America, we would put glass.  Only a couple of the orphanages have windows like we have, or for that matter even doors.  Anyway, I hope you can understand the thought of sleeping even when exhausted is not easily over come when dealing with these kinds of things in your bed.  I did however, manage some how to sleep for three or four hours, which for me, was not really all that bad, since five is my normal amount for optimum functionality. 

When I finally woke up to the sounds and smells of women working around me, (I was of course in their kitchen) they were cooking their favorite meal, (actually I have come to believe their ONLY meal), rice.  Even their rice is not like the rice I am used to eating, it’s more like soup than rice and it sometimes has some of those strange unwanted bedfellows in it if you know what I mean.  I rise, stretch and of course this all to the delight of the women in the room.  So much so that they all stop their working and begin to smile and laughingly speak what I could tell were words about me.  Then one brave younger woman, (probably in her late 20’s I would guess), came over to me and patted me on my protruding belly which was still sticking out there left over from my big stretch.  You see in Thailand a big belly on a man is a sign of blessing, honor and health.  OK, now I know every American man over 50 is now saying “sign me up for duty in Thailand”.  Well, it’s true and the women do love to pat the jiggling thing.  I have decided, just so you all know, that I don’t wish to be so blessed and honored, and it is because of this I am attempting to lose this sign of great health.  Please pray for me, I find it more difficult every year.

Well, I step away from Ben and put my finger to my lips hoping the women will understand I wish for him to sleep a little longer.  I point to him and place my hands together as if to say a prayer and then place them to the side of my head and point again to Ben.  They understand and together say, SSHHH, louder than anything they have said to this point.  I glance at Ben and see he is still sound-asleep so I decide to take a little walk.  Quickly my mind begins to race forward to the end of this day when once again we will attempt to rescue some young girls from the hands of Satan and the evil deeds of men. 

Soon I would eat some rice, drink some coffee, (the coffee there is extremely strong, most American’s would do better with their tea) and then begin to chat with the one they affectionately call Mother.  I will call her Kim and she looks to me to be 120 years old.  She walks bent over, carefully and extremely slow.  When I watch her cross the grounds between where she lives and the kitchen, the whole time I am amazed she does not simply tip over.  I found out later she spent nearly a life time in the rice patty fields, which I tried once, and will tell you it is unbelievably difficult work.  Many of the women spend nearly their whole lives in the rice fields, almost 12 hours a day sometimes.  Kim and I talked, (although she understood very little English), and, I don’t think she was speaking English to me either, but still, somehow, we visited.  I found out her whole family had been killed when she was just a teenager, she being the only survivor.  She had grown up just over the border in Laos and had come here to be married.  She married a man, (probably much, much older than her, for in Thailand this is considered a great honor. Again, all you single guys are going to run to Thailand… actually… not a bad idea.  I say this because he had died several years earlier of old age.  Kim had been reached for Christ by missionaries who gave her a job cooking once she could no longer work in the fields.  She has now been running this orphanage, from what I understood for 11 years.  I found her to be very dear, smart, courageous and possessing a huge heart.  Oh how she loved and cared for every single young girl in her care. 

Finally Ben came out to where Kim and I were chatting and I gave him a hard time about sleeping the day away.  I think he maybe slept about 7 hours.  He obviously had no difficulty sleeping with critters, he had slept very soundly.  Then again, I was glad, because to me he still looked barely alive.  I say these things very affectionately, with deep respect for all of these men and women who take part in the care of these dear orphaned children.  I have great respect for them.  Ben and I spend several hours playing games with the children, hugging them, holding them and yes, every once in awhile sharing a tear or two with them.   Every chance Hope got, (I now called her Hope, she was the younger girl we rescued, and the name we gave her is the Thai word for hope so I just called her Hope). She would climb up into my arms as if this was where she belonged.  I was trying to avoid this happening, for I was struggling with the knowledge that I would be leaving this place, and that she would be remaining here, making it her home, at least for awhile.

Sure enough, the day had flown by, and Ben and I decided we must leave in order to get back to the city in time for the next mission.  We began the process of saying goodbye.  Sing, (this is what the word in Thai sounds like to me which became the name of the older girl we rescued the night before), had been holding my arm for the last couple of hours as if she knew something was up.  I felt her grip tighten each time a girl gave me a hug goodbye until, when there were no others, she had a vice grip on my arm.  A very strong grip for such a little person, I thought.  While still holding Hope in my arms, I bent down and swept Sing into my arms as well.  They both held on as if their very lives depended on it.  I wondered if they were thinking back to last night, when in fact, their lives did depend in some fashion to the grip we had on each other.  It took me about 20 minutes to pry their arms from around me and with the help of several of the older girls they were separated from me a few feet.  This caused them both to begin crying more uncontrollably than I had witnessed to this point.  It was breaking my heart in two.  I felt like my guts were being ripped out of me.  I cannot seem to explain the feelings or why I felt so strongly except to say, some how, I knew the miracle God had preformed by using me so significantly in re-arranging their lives.  The gravity of the moment overwhelmed me; all I could do was turn and get into the car.  Thankfully this time Ben would be driving.  Now I would know what it was like to sit in silence and weep.  I could not even look out the window as we drove away.  I just pretended I was looking so as not to disappoint any of those who were watching, I looked past them, like sometimes you do when speaking to a large crowd and simply waved my hand back and forth as I suspected they were doing.

Ben and I rode back in relative silence, only speaking when it seemed necessary, or when one of us had a question screaming for an answer.  It was nearly dark by the time we made it back to Bangkok.  Ben dropped me off a few blocks away from where he picked me up and then he was gone.  I made my way back to the hotel with thoughts racing through my mind like the Indy 500, or it felt more like the racing of those weird flying machines in one of the Star Wars movies.  I can’t think of the one they did that in, but you know the one.  Anyway, I made it back to my room and checked the time. I barely had enough time to clean up, (by this time I was itchy all over and felt I smelled like a dead rat).  Although I knew I would not have time I wanted desperately to email my family and tell them about my last 24 hours, but knew Ben would probably kill me if I did that again.  He was not happy with me before when I was communicating that way, and had given me explicit instructions as we were parting NOT to do that again.  So I pushed that thought deep inside my soul, telling myself there would be many people praying for me back home whether I requested that of them or not.  Still, I would have liked to have asked them to any way.  It just would have felt better, you know.  I called down to room service and asked them if they could deliver some REAL food to me in the next ½ hour and they said they could,  so I ordered, hung up, and began to ready myself.

I was just beginning to think ordering food was a mistake because I was running out of time and needed to leave soon, when the doorbell rang, (there are doorbells at the hotels rooms there, just FYI), and there was my food.  It’s funny how, or at least I found it funny when I caught myself doing so, staring into a mirror, looking deep into your own eyes as if you will find something there you haven’t seen before.  But no, there in front of me was the same guy that was there the day before.  No change, too bad I consider, I had hoped there would be some one bigger there, younger, stronger or just something different.  But it was just me.

I eat, check my watch and decide to leave, not wanting Ben to wait on me even for a moment.  I felt if Ben had an opportunity to bail on this he would.  Please understand, I do not say that with malice or in contempt.  I have great respect for Ben; after all, he has personally been involved in hundreds of girls being rescued.  He has taken part in these for 14 years.  What more could any one ask of a man than the service he has already given.  I hope he only needs to help plan and implement rescues in the future and does not actually ever go on one again, not personally.  I hope that I have as many rescues and as many years in service to our King as Ben has.  That is just the point, his days should be done.  It’s time some one else steps up to the plate and fills his shoes.  I just really, selfishly I know, want to go on this mission, feeling God has called me to, has requested this step of faith at this time, for this mission.  I wanted badly to answer the call and be used of God one more time as we had planned, and did not wish to settle for anything else.  I had already told Ben, “I will do this one myself”.  I felt I could, and some how, I would if necessary.  I had a plan.

I had already, in the earlier trips, walked around the places similar to the one we would be going to tonight, (at least I felt they were similar), and planned how I would carry out a rescue in that place.  I had already played out every detail in my mind, how it would need to happen, what would I do if this or that happened, all the strategic processes that go through your mind for such an event had already played out, successfully I might add, in my mind.  I was more than ready for this one.  After all, I had been told these are not as dangerous as the one we did the night before, and, that went fine.  Isn’t it funny how the aftermath never seems as difficult when things go right as the real and possible dangers actually present themselves before and during crisis situations.  Tonight however, I would argue the point of which is more dangerous.  I felt both had extreme vulnerabilities, just different circumstances.

Once again I would meet Ben.  Many of the details are the same, so I will not go over them all again. When Ben and I hookup, it’s a couple of hours later tonight than when we met last night.  Tonight is different.  We are not going to an auction to purchase; no, rather tonight we will literally steal a young life out of the jaws of evil.  Ben and I will be going to a slave house, (that is the name I have given them); they are actually, in Thailand called “Entertainment Centers”.  Yes, I am not kidding.  They are large buildings with neon lighted signs and they are called entertainment centers.  They are large brothels like you have never seen in America; at least I don’t think we have anything like them here.  If we do, I have not heard of them.

In Thailand it is legal to put a young girl into prostitution as young as 16.  Since many of the girls come from Hill Tribes and have no idea about legality, etc. they can “so-called” legally put them to work even younger than that with fake papers or just by making the young girls memorize an age older than they really are.  I will just give you the broad picture of one of these places, leaving out the details none of you desire or need to hear.  Basically, you go into one of these entertainment centers and you will find a large reception area where you are met very enthusiastically by a man who becomes your personal liaison for all that you need.  He will show you where the rest rooms are, explain to you how things work, and show you where you can get a drink or snack, where the dancing stages are, and of course, show you the large room where you pick out your date for the evening.  You see these are places, as bad and sad as it sounds, (and actually is) where you rent a young lady by the hour.  This large room has a very nice deluxe sitting area with a large glass viewing window. (It kind of reminded me of a zoo--- where they kept the gorillas or other dangerous animals, so that you could see them and stay safe).  It makes you wonder if the window was to keep you safe or the young women.  It is behind this glass where you will find over 100 girls sitting in what I can only describe as grandstands with the fist row being right behind the window.  Each young lady is dressed very beautifully; some with very little material covering them and each is wearing a round button with a large number on it.  You are told by your liaison this number is how you will pick the girl you wish to be with.   Enough of the description; I hope you get the mental picture of this sad and hopeless scene.  Although they smile at you, you don’t get the feeling of peace or happiness in the eyes of these young women.  Again, you wish to help them all, and, realizing the futility of this thought, you must choose to think past this to the mission at hand.

Ben and I drive to an “Entertainment Center”.  This one is in the heart of the downtown area of Bangkok.  Ben points out the center, although I saw it before he pointed it out to me.  It was rather impossible to miss.  This building was very nice, nothing at all like the warehouse on the waterfront we were at last night.  This place had much newer deluxe buildings around it and was nice, clean, well lit with a beautiful entrance and parking lot.  We drove around the building and parked a block away.  Ben and I had decided in advance the things we would be looking for, safety precautions we would take in order for us to accomplish a successful rescue.  We both agreed, not being wise and thorough would not help the girls or be honoring to God, so we would be wise.  We walked around the buildings from corner to corner and around the block several times.  This particular center we decided together would need to be a “NO GO”.  There was no secondary way out that we could find.  It was a five story building with no access from the roof that we could see and on both sides the buildings next to it were adjoining and several stories taller even yet.  No way to get out from the rear, so our only exit would be from the front, the way you go in.  After going in and seeing the layout and their security set up, this center really gave us no way we could see to be successful… so we left and went on to the next one.

I don’t know exactly how all this works, all I know is that somehow Ben gets Intel, (that’s short for us on “intelligence”. I figured that one out on my own, told you I am quick, and yes, it’s supposed to have a double meaning and for those of you who don’t get that call me up and I will personally explain it to you).  The Intel, however he gets it, tells us there are girls younger than 14 being held captive in a particular center.  This is all I can say about that, but we are now going to the second center we believe to have young girls being used for prostitution.  They are every bit slaves with no one to help them; no way out, and nothing they can do concerning their plight.  This second one, although it is a stand alone building, like the first we can’t find any way out except through the way we would enter.  In Thailand they must not have the same kind of building codes as we do in America.  Our buildings would always have a secondary escape route.  I considered this, and wondered how many people in Thailand die each year in one of these firetrap buildings.  Since this second center did not work out, I already set my heart and mind in motion thinking if the next one was also a “NO GO” in Ben’s mind that I would try to go it alone.  I did not want to give up on this rescue, not tonight.  Already my heart was feeling like a lead weight, sinking my soul to the bottom of the ocean.  The verse kept coming to mind, “the good that a man knows to do and does not, to him it is counted as sin”, and also the one which says, “If you know innocent blood will be shed and do nothing than that blood is on your hands”.  I cannot explain to you how difficult, after my experience the night before, it felt driving away from a place where you knew inside were little girls being abused by evil men and you could do nothing.

Once again as I drove away I wished for my friend TC to be there with me.  I felt some how he would know or find a way to rescue these young girls where I saw no way.  You see he has the best military training and experience our armed forces offer.  I knew I was way over my head in this situation and I knew he would not be overwhelmed by these circumstances, or at least that is what I thought.  I must admit the thought of military action, a covert operation rescue sounded very appealing to me right then.  It was extremely heartbreaking to just drive away.  I closed my eyes and felt as if I was actually seeing the faces of the young girls inside and they were begging me to help, to release them from their nightly horrors.  I could hardly stand the assault on my heart, mind and soul; I felt heavy, almost defeated.  This is when I began to question, “what am I doing here, maybe I am not supposed to be doing this, maybe I am not the right person for this mission?”  It is then that the words rang through my mind loud and clear, words spoken by Ben when I asked him why at his age he still does this, and his answer was, “If I don’t, who will?”  I thought, right now, if I don’t who will.  I pondered these words and went back to prayer, asking God, no, begging God to make a way at the next center and promising Him no matter what the next one looks like, I will GO! 

Now I became very nervous again, with the thought of it being now or never, even though my brother had taught me that in a street fight you must NEVER think this way.  If you must, you run to live to fight another day.  I did not want to run here, and that is how it felt, like I was running.  Once again I considered the verse, “If God is for you, who can be against you”.  I thought again how strongly I believed God had asked me to be here, predestined me to be in this very place at this specific time for this purpose, and I was not going to shrink back, not even for one moment.  Once again, I prayed that God would some how make a way, and that again there would be two young girls in this car on their way to safety and a new life in Christ and otherwise. 

Ben made one final turn and I saw the target of our next possible rescue.  This building was by far the nicest I had seen so far.  It looked like a fancy hotel, with its name, a single word lit up on bright signs on the side and front of the building.  Again we parked a block away and did our due diligence.  I wondered if this is what spies felt like.  I felt kind of sneaky like I did in Jr. High when I would sneak out of the house at night to make trouble in the middle of the night with my friends.  I hope my parents are not reading this; if you are, I am of course only kidding.  We would do stupid and naughty things like running through the local cemetery messing it up.  I understand the words of David---- “do not hold the sins of my youth against me”.  Ben and I began our walk around the building and my heart almost leaped out of my body.  There right in front of us, in the back of the building was clearly another door leading out of the building.  We had our way out.  Now we carefully studied the building because Ben again warned/informed me of the fact that inside it might look very different and just because there is an exit does not mean we can find it once inside, and, especially not necessarily when we need it.

After studying the building thoroughly we once again go over every detail of our mission once inside.  We agree, very wisely I might add, Ben would do the talking.  We would be mutual business men who were just out looking for some fun on a break from our negotiations and work.  Ben said the Liaisons like friendly chat, but for me it would be best to just act extremely disinterested and non-social.  I tried to not take offense in Ben’s attitudes, but it was difficult because I saw his statements as demeaning to me and felt he did not place enough confidence in me.  I quickly brushed these feelings off, reminding myself this is not about me, and besides, he hardly even knew me.   With a bit too much pride and unwarranted to say the least, I thought to myself, “I would soon be leading these myself”.  Just as quickly as I thought these words, God chastised me for them.  I felt them cut deep into my soul; you know how God sometimes does that to us, and well, He did it to me then.  This was no time for ego or pride and I had equally too great a measure of both. 

Ben and I begin the walk up the stairs to the grand entrance, and I mean grand.  It was a magnificent doorway, as big as I had seen anywhere.  Both doors were propped fully open, and I must say it was bright, cheery, and inviting.  I know you wish it was not like that, sorry, but it was.  A very beautiful place, well furnished, even rich looking.  Then, however, everything was just as I described earlier.  There were overstuffed couches and chairs positioned properly all around the room.  Behind a half wall where there was also a huge aquarium with brightly colored fish there was another room where you could see a bar with nearly naked women dancing on a stage nearby.  There were probably over 100 men sitting around between the two rooms with most of them enjoying the company of a beautiful young woman beside them.  We are greeted by a man dressed in an extremely beautiful royal blue suit, obviously made of the finest silk, with a bright red silk tie.  He spoke fine English and attempted to greet me.  I almost began to speak with him but received a slight nudge from Ben, reminding me as he almost pushed his way past me to speak with the man.  I noticed that they were not speaking English, nor were they speaking Thai. I believe it was Chinese, but I can’t be sure.  It was strange because they would both use English mixed in from time to time, so every once in a while I would understand what they were saying.

He took us to the large viewing window where Ben and our Entertainment Center assistant began to discuss girls and types of girls.  A couple of times the man would speak through a microphone and a young girl would move from her seat and walk down just in front of us behind the window.  It was very difficult watching Ben discuss this with this stranger whom I disliked very much just because of his chosen occupation.  I saw him as evil and could not help but wish I could just meet him outside.  I could tell by his demeanor that he held no regard for the ladies, (actually all of them looked just like girls to me) and he obviously held no concern for their feelings.  He would gesture them down and send them away with a disgusted flip of his hand.  Finally, I could tell that Ben had gotten across to this man that we were sick evil old men and wished to only see the youngest girls he had available.  You see, they will allow you to take the women of legal age, (16 or older) back to your hotel room, but not the young girls.  The young girls like he now knew interested us you must not take out of the building, but are allowed to use them in their rooms especially designed for that purpose.  The fact that Ben had been able to convince this man of our desires so easily made me sick inside.  For a time while the negotiations went on I felt I might become sick to my stomach.

Now the man summoned another man, who after some discussion and apparent disagreement hurried out a side door.  The man assisting us assured Ben and me he had what we were looking for.  Just the thought of this kind of thing happening every day by the hour in this place once again sickened me and angered my heart.  At times I felt my anger would boil over and get the best of me.  Again and again I would look around the room counting the men-- separating the customers from the staff.  I now knew how many there were, how many were security versus other workers, (waiters, cleaners…) and surmised that most likely only the official security would risk any kind of intervention.  Most of the Thai people do not like conflict and are by nature extremely passive.  After assessing all of these facts my greatest concern was not for me or even if I could bust out, if necessary with two girls, it would rather be for the safety of Ben.  I felt I could take care of myself and even felt confident I could if I had to, get out with the girls, but I also knew there was no way I could carry Ben as well.  I pondered all these thoughts all the while we were waiting for the man who had stepped out, awaiting his return.  I surmised that it would be necessary to some how get out the back as we had planned.  Oh how I wish there were some way to rescue all of the girls, and not just a couple...  I thought if I had a good job for all of them they would choose to leave, even though I knew in this culture that would not really be true. 

Then the man comes back through the door by which he had left, and with him 7 young girls in tow behind an older woman, with another one following them.  The mental picture I got was of a chain gang.  They were not tied by actual rope or chains but there was this sense of unseen bindings.  None of them looked happy or seemed to come willingly.  They only smiled after the man who brought them said something in a tone that made me want to slap him silly.  Then each of them reluctantly looked at Ben and me, forcing a small insignificant smile, and then quickly looking back to the ground.  I would guess the oldest to be maybe 14 and the youngest to be 11 or 12.  Again, I wanted desperately to tell Ben “Let’s take them all”, but knew this would not be possible.  To my surprise Ben appeared agitated and by his gestures I could tell was explaining to this man that I am really strange and want one much younger than any of these.  Although I did not really appreciate this, I knew it was for the best.  You see Ben and I were sure there were girls there who were no older than 6 and our goal always is to rescue the youngest ones possible.  So Ben caused a fit and the man disgustingly sent the girls away along with the man to fetch us some younger ones.  I am sure you can imagine the thoughts circling my mind concerning these poor young girls.  My heart went out to them; and I began to pray from deep within my soul for their safety and for their souls.  I wanted God to some how show up mighty in their lives.  I thought “I will come back to this place and rescue them all”. Once again I thought of my buddy TC and for a moment let my mind wander on what it would be like to come busting in to this very room with guns blazing and rescue every girl in the place.  Of course it was more fantasy than reality and I knew this not to be what God wanted of my mind during this important time.  I was doing His mission His way and I must stay focused on the here and now. 

Soon the man came back through the side door this time with only five young girls in the age range we had been told we could find there.  We made our choice, (or I should say Ben made it for us) and were politely shown to an elevator door.  This made me worry a bit; I hoped we did not go up, since I was not sure there would be a stairway down in the back. Then I thought, "They would never build a building that would only count on an elevator, what if the power went out".  This calmed my spirit just a bit and surprisingly enough my nerves were OK.  As the elevator door shut I took one last look at the room we were leaving and assessed where everyone was and how much movement there had been while we were there.  I also took an internal systems check during the short elevator ride.  Only one of the ladies who had accompanied the girls came with us on the elevator.  I tried not to look at the girls or the lady, but I did catch one glance at Ben. He seemed to be doing OK.  It is funny how most people look at the elevator door or the moving numbers when riding in one, but not these girls; they looked straight at the floor. 

When we got to the upper floor and the door opened, the woman held the elevator door and pointed for us to get out.  To my surprise she did not get out with us.  There was another older lady who greeted us and motioned for us to follow her.  When she saw the girls were not properly appointed to us, meaning they were not holding onto our arms, she grabbed their hands and moved them to our arms.  This made me feel uncomfortable but I tried not to show it.  While we were walking down the hallway, which looked like any decent hotel hallway, I was sizing everything up, and I mean everything.  I was counting the doors, ----there were only two ways to go and only two ladies seemingly who work there.  I did not see any cameras; however, I also knew this did not mean there were not any.  After all I do, sorry to say, watch television too.  I made a quick guess thinking the back door was probably one floor up and in the direction the lady was leading us.  At least I felt relatively sure it was.  In this situation of course you would like to be more sure than that, but this feeling I had would need to be good enough.  I would rely on my instincts even though I had not conferred with Ben. I decided I would not need to, since I felt confident, and he would just need to follow my lead on this one. 

As we walked down the hall the sounds made my soul hurt as I wondered how many behind these doors were hurting.  What were the stories of these people; the walls were paper thin with large gaps in the doors.  There were also small windows in each door that I knew were supposed to be too high for people to just casually look into, but of course I was several inches taller than their average man.  I forced myself not to look; already the sounds coming through the walls would haunt my nights forever.  I did not need the visual memories as well.  I prayed that some how God would comfort the broken hearted young girls and judge the men who were using them.  I can only say to you, the sounds were horrific, some receiving obvious pain.  Finally, (it seemed like it took forever) we came to the room the lady motioned me into.  At first I thought they would put Ben and me in the same room, but that did not happen.  Ben and I had discussed what we would do.  I would take the first room and wait in it until it seemed safe to walk out.  We would wait exactly five minutes and then I would check out in the hall to see if it was safe.  Then I would take my new young friend, go to Ben’s room, which was the one next door, and we would leave together.  We had also discussed what we would do if the girls would not want to go.  Both girls were under 10---- I would guess their ages to be 6 and 8 or 9.  During this time I attempted to reassure this little girl that she was safe and that there were no expectations of what she had come prepared for.  I desperately tried to some how, with God’s help convey to her my love and care for her.  I wanted her to trust me, mostly because I did truly care for her and partly because I did not wish to carry out a screaming little girl with the necessary brute force it would take if she did not willingly go with me.  I knew that would make this rescue much more difficult.  I wondered how Ben was doing with his new friend as well.  I knew also, it would be more easily accomplished because he spoke her language.  While looking into the eyes of the little girl I thought about her future.  I memorized her features and tried to guess what she would look like years from now.  I wondered if she would remember this night and what her thoughts would be of me.  Most of all I wondered if she would accept Christ and live for Him.

Time was up.  I listened closely at the door.  When I listened there, once again I began to hear all the sounds I had put out of my mind minutes earlier and wished I did not need to hear them now.  I peaked out the little window and thought the coast was clear.  I have no idea where that saying came from, but it seems to mean I thought it safe to open the door.  I pick the cute little girl up in my arms and surprisingly she went very willingly… knowingly it seemed.  She was so light I felt she was hardly even there.  I was thankful for that since I would be carrying her much further than I did the two girls last night.  I knew also the other girl would be much lighter as well since both were much smaller than the older girl last night and maybe even smaller than the youngest one from that night.  I stepped into the hallway and saw nobody down the hall either way.  I walked down the hall and slowly opened the door to the room Ben was in.  He nodded to me and attempted to pick up the tiny girl.  He stumbles and I gesture to him to stand back.  He steps away and I reach down and scoop the small treasure up into my arms.  They both feel very light right now but I also knew my strength would not last.  I am thinking we must move and move quickly.  I step back out into the hall and am surprised to see down the hall where I had just come from, a lady is sweeping the floor.   I stared at her for a brief moment and thought “I must go NOW”.  I prayed that God would some how cover us and that we would find the way out.  I turned, putting the lady with the broom to my back and began to walk down the hall.  I felt for sure the woman would cry out for help.  She did not; I don’t know if she knew what was going on, helped us or just did not care.  Then of course as I am leaving, I think she must have gone to tell some one.  Again, it is strange how one’s mind works. 

God was there with us; we went straight to a half flight of stairs which led directly out the back way.  The door was barred from the inside, but was easily opened, obviously designed to keep people out, not to keep people in.  I wondered as I opened it if the next time I come this door will be changed so it cannot be used in this manner.  At least for now, I was happy it was not.  As I cleared the last step out of the building I glanced back to make sure Ben was following me, hopefully, following me close.  He had difficulty negotiating the steps but made it down and was picking up the pace as best he could.  With every step I felt it would be the last.  I kept hearing in my head the gun being cocked and thought for sure, soon, I would hear the blast of a gun shot and feel the impact and concussion of a bullet finding its mark in my brain.  I could hear footsteps, or at least this is what my brain made up.  I felt as if every sound was some one chasing me.  This time I did pick up my pace.  I thought even if Ben falls behind, I will get the girls to safety and go back for him if need be.  I see the car a block or so up the street and tell myself to just put one foot in front of another, just like the days again of cross country or training.  When you think you are finished, you never really are; --- there is always one more step your body can take if your brain believes it to be true.

We make it to the car!  There are no footsteps coming behind us.  No gun went off; we are alone in a dark street.  I think this is too good to be true.  Some one will come busting down the street any moment and we will all be dead.  I motion for Ben to hurry.  This time I get in the front seat.  Again, there is a girl who will not release me.  I can tell by the look on the two girls faces this is much different than the night before.  They are too scared for words or emotion, so it seems.  They did not expect to leave that place.  Ben is explaining to them what is going to happen to them and why we ran off with them, and they do not appear to believe it.  They are scared to death!  I am feeling terrible.  This time Ben is holding it together better because he is attempting to explain all this to the girls.  Gratefully the dialog stops and the girls just sit holding me, terrified of what will happen to them, shaking uncontrollably.  I just drive.  Ben once again begins to cry, this time with more control, this time is very different.  This time we literally stole these girls out of slavery.  Yes, we paid to go down stairs with them for a few hours, but we picked them up and ran from the place with them in my arms.   This was a pick and run!

I was thinking of that terrible place we had just left.  I wondered how much abuse and suffering these girls had gone through, and hoped, prayed and believed God would take all that pain and sorrow away.  Again we headed north to our destination.  This would be a different orphanage than the night before, but the drive would turn out to be just as long.  For the first hour I kept thinking every car that pulled up behind me was some one from the slave house.  I was driving much slower than the traffic around us; they don’t seem to have driving laws there.  Lines mean nothing and neither do speed limits, yield signs, stop signs or signals.  You just drive where you want, when you want, and as fast as you want.  Driving there to me is terrifying. 

Because we began the rescue much later than we did the night before, and the drive was actually just a little bit longer, we got there in the early morning instead of the middle of the night.   Most of what happened mirrored the night before.  We arrived safely at the orphanage and were greeted gleefully.  They have this arrival for new children down very well.  They take good care of them and have instant impact.  It’s like a camp fire time, only much deeper, with a sense of gratitude and desperation.  The kind of desperation we should all feel when we sing, “I was blind but now I see, I was lost but now I am found”.  I only wish everyone had a chance to be a part of one of these reunions.  Reunions, this is what we have grown to call them. I don’t know why, it doesn’t completely fit, but it is called that because souls are re-united with freedom and put back in a place where people love them and care for them.  Maybe it does fit? 

We play, pray, sing, hug, hold, eat and watch the sunrise together.  Once again it is time to leave and we go through the pain of separation.  It is so difficult I cry every time I think about it.  You are probably not getting it, and I am sorry; I don’t know how to describe the feeling.  This is when I wish Max Lucado could have been there, he would know how to convey such feelings.  I don’t.  It touches me every time I allow my memory banks to return to that moment in time.  The girls are so sweet, beautiful and still very much beaming with innocence which I am grateful to God for the miracle that seems to be in the heart and soul of these young girls.   This time I don’t want to wait until we sleep for a while even though Ben would prefer to just rest there; I assured him I would drive and he could sleep. 

So we say all our good byes and load back up into the car.  Ben sleeps in the seat next to me, putting the seat as far back as it will go.  Several times on the trip back I would look over at him and with deep respect wonder how many stories he can tell, how many girls he has rescued.  I already knew of the great impact he had on so many girls just by the greetings and love he would receive when we would show up at the orphanages.  He was deeply loved by all the girls.  Some I knew he had personally rescued, others just knew him as one who does.  Thai children are so polite, well mannered and extremely affectionate.  Their capacity to love and forgive seems to be greater some how.  Maybe it is because where evil abounds, grace abounds even greater.  I love this truth and claim it for all of the children in Thailand.  You would think as tired as I was and with all that had taken place in the last few days my mind would simply go into autopilot, but that was not the case.  I can honestly say I was grateful it did not.  Interestingly enough, my mind went back to the things it had started on this trip.  Yes, all the girls, all that I saw and experienced, even all the girls we did not rescue, all this came into my thoughts over and over again and each time burdened my heart even greater.  Each time the thoughts came crashing against the walls of my mind my heart would stand more firmly, my will would stiffen, my mind would be made up.  I would think… “NOT NOW, NOT WHILE I HAVE STRENGTH, NOT ON MY WATCH, NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY OR DO ABOUT IT”!!!… I would think--- “I will be back again and soon, to rescue some more”.  I would also vow to tell others, and, again, interestingly enough, many of my thoughts would go back to those I love at home.  As strong as the feelings and experience the last few days have been, they still did not make feelings and thoughts of my family go away. 

I could hardly wait to get back and tell them I love them.  Tell them the things that are most important in our lives.  Tell them how blessed they are and plead with them to live a life filled with gratitude.  My own heart would swell up with gratitude, oh how grateful God has caused me to feel through these experiences.  I never want to lose this feeling.  I want to live them out, for I have found the secret to real faith, sincere following, to freedom of the soul, and most of all to living a life that is truly pleasing to my Lord and Savior.  I now know and am confident if I died today I would be embraced with the words, “welcome home my good and faithful servant”.  What a feeling this is!  If you do not feel this when you think of your life and your ensuing death, then read this over again, put yourself and your arms wrapped around one of these young girls, a treasure of your Heavenly Father and imagine what it is to give up your life for what you believe.  Believe in a God who sends his only Son to die just for you, gratefully embrace His grace and undeniable, undeserved love and then…. Go… LIVE IT!  Don’t get me wrong--- you don’t have to rescue children from slavery or anything even closely related to this to be LIVING IT.  You only need to be willing to do anything He asks.  You must hold nothing back, have nothing in your hand you are not willing to give up and live a life solely for His purpose, “which is your reasonable service”.  I know you all probably know all of this already; all I am saying is that I finally got it.  It took all these years and this experience for me to completely get it.  But I will never ever be the same again.  And Church in America, we must wake up, and GET IT, because right now, we truly do not.  That is all I have to say about that, because that is a whole message of its own.

Getting back to the hotel I was extremely weary and only wanted to go to sleep.  I had about 10 hours before I needed to catch the cab to the airport.  I did not want to go sleep now I decided even though that was what my body was saying, I knew I would not like being up in five hours waiting through the middle of the night simply for time to pass.  I showered and put on my final set of clean clothes, (realizing I would also need to wear them on the trip home tomorrow), and decided to venture out into the streets of Bangkok for a few hours.  I walked aimlessly down streets crowded with people, past street vendors and portable shops selling food along with every thing imaginable.  As I walked I wondered how many of these people knew what was going on in their city to their daughters.  I felt the weight of souls wandering through darkness, the kind the sun can not chase away.  I wondered how many churches there were and how effective they were being.  I thought again about the young couple who run the Good News Club and how many thousands; (even into a million now I believe) they were reaching for Christ.  I was feeling grateful for all I had, all I had seen, and everything around me.  I thought for a moment how safe I felt now, and how dangerous it felt just hours before.  I marveled at that and then wondered if my feeling of safety was misguided, and if I should still be looking over my shoulder.  I longed for home, and with this went back to my hotel.  I set the alarm, and also called for a wake up call, not trusting the alarm.  I did not wish to risk missing my plane; I now had a strong desire to be home.  Home seemed very inviting to me.  I made my last minute preparations for leaving in the morning soon after waking.  It would be simply wake up, shower, brush my teeth, dress and get out the door.  Sleep came quickly; at least I do not remember lying around awake or tossing and turning.

The next morning I had to catch a cab at 4:00AM for an early flight.  The Bangkok airport is very busy and seems to have very little security.  I may be wrong, but the security, to me, seems sporadic.  I got my ticket, went through security, and did the whole waiting game we all do at airports.  I have to admit there was a great sense of calm and peace once I got on the plane.  Everything including the flight attendants spoke of home.  It was all once again very familiar to me.  Although I did not sleep much there was a great sense of accomplishment for me on the plane.  The ride was uneventful and everything went well and ran on time, (very unusual for United).  When the plane landed in San Francisco I felt relieved and began to have a deep desire and sense of anticipation to get home and be with my family.  Arriving in Denver, having my wife and daughter meet me there was marvelous.  My heart felt like it was 100 feet around and pounding so loud every one around could hear it.  I had been involved in a rescue, and now, I knew my friends and family would wish to hear all the details, and although my heart and soul were beaming with what God had done, it was also humbling to know He had used me, successfully.  How do I tell people about this?  For a while I could hardly speak about it or explain even the details of it.  And, I would have Ben’s words of caution ring through my head, “Be careful what you tell, who you tell and how you tell it unless you are never going on another rescue again”.   My heart cannot contain this story, and because many of you requested it, I have written this for you. 

FOLLOW UP

There, I have told my story; ---- not well, but hopefully well enough.  The main thing I want you to get from this is encouragement, and, hopefully a bit of a challenge.  I pray that through this story you will be encouraged by God’s grace, love, faithfulness and especially His power to affect the details of your life.  I pray you will be challenged by my story to reach higher and deeper into the things of God and follow Him more fully, trusting Him to lead you, becoming that courageous warrior He sees in you.  Believe me, if I can do it, so can you.  Most of all, I want you all to take up His Cross, make it YOUR cross, share in His suffering so that He can be glorified.  Find those around you, they are everywhere, who have less than you do, those who need to see God and will only see Him through your actions.  I pray that you will embrace the truth from God’s word that says, “You show me YOUR faith and I will show you MY deeds”.   I once had a friend who knew me years back, at a time I was struggling with my Christian life.  I was not really struggling with my belief in God.  I was only struggling with actually being a victorious Christian.  I recently saw her at the CPC (Children’s Pastors Conference) event which INCM (International Network of Children’s Ministry) puts on, and the first thing she said to me was, “how is your daily reading of Scripture going and your devotional time”?  Now I knew her very well and knew her to always take great pride in herself on these two issues.  I knew she judged her own Christian walk on these two issues as the keys to a Christian life, along with a set of standards of what she did NOT do that other Christian’s might do.  I did not answer her question very well, mostly because I did not know then what I know now. 

I challenge all American Christians to STOP judging their righteousness on what they don’t do or what time they spend reading ABOUT God, but rather judge yourselves rightly by what you DO and the obedience you show to that Word you so religiously read.  Let us all memorize and follow James 1:27 with the same kind of zeal and with a grateful heart.  I now know to answer this question when posed, “you show me your faith and I will show you my works”.  I can say that with confidence, not because I went on a rescue, but rather because of the fact I get up every day, go to work and willingly, obediently do what God has requested of me with a grateful heart.  God has given me the greatest opportunity He has ever given any of His created beings, the opportunity to direct INCM.  No, you are correct in thinking this is not YOUR greatest opportunity, I know and understand that, for He has not asked YOU to do this, He has requested my time, talents, will, passion, experience and love to lead INCM.  I am simply asking, “What has He placed in YOUR hands and are you doing it faithfully?”---- Not what have YOU chosen to do FOR Him, but what has He requested for you and from you?  To do this, giving up your whole life; this is your reasonable service. 

Please use this to glorify God, honor Him and pass it on so others will be encouraged and challenged as well.

Also, please pray for the children of Thailand and S.E. Asia.  There are still over 1 million children in slavery there today.  We have rescued, (that I know of) nearly 1200, but there are still many more who need our help.  Pray for them, and, then if you would also pray, what would God have you do?  Can you give, can you go, and can you share this with others?  All of these things can help those beautiful girls in Thailand.

If you do wish to give, please write the checks to CLIM, (stands for Christian Life Impact Ministries) and send them to:

www.rescuethailand.org

CLIM

1025 S. Perry St. Suite 101-C

Castle Rock, CO 80104

This is a rare ministry where ALL the money goes directly to the rescue of young girls or for their care.

Those of us who are a part of this ministry pay their own way and take no expenses out for administration.

Thank you and May God Bless all you do for His Name Sake!

Living the Story,

Daryl Bursch - Director

International Network of Children’s Ministry

1025 S. Perry St. Suite 101-C

Castle Rock, CO 80104

www.incm.org

303-660-6626

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