TTDIGC YOUTH MISSION SHARING

Evelyn Tan
18TH JUNE 2013
http://www.gbaships.org/

Hello dear TTDI GC folks!

I hope everyone is doing well. We are currently in Subic Bay, Phillippines, and we've been here since last Tuesday (11/6/2013). This port was not suppose to be part of the schedule but the ship's generators have encountered some problems. The crank shaft of generator two had been damaged and parts had to be changed. Then, a few days later, generator one started giving some problems as well. So the ship is currently in repair and we are expected to leave for the next port, Puerto Princessa by the 24th of this month but that is quite possible to change. Because this port was unexpected, there hasn't been many visitors on board the ship. On average about 100-400 people a day, which is significantly less compared to the crowd at San Fernando. In total, there were 90 000 visitors during the ships stay at San Fernando. It was so crowded everyday!

Last Thursday (13/6/2013), I went for bar ministry. It was my first time doing such a thing - I didn't even know it existed! In Subic Bay, YWAM Olongapoo has been actively going out to bars to minister and help the girls and lady boys there. What is Bar Ministry? It is when you go into a bar (over here its with scantily dressed women/lady-boys) and you try to connect with them and hopefully share God's love with them. After that, YWAM (Youth With A Mission) will do the follow up if we manage to get their contact. It's such an amazing ministry! I was a little afraid at first because i didn't know how i was going to get about with the conversations but before we went, we prepared our hearts with a session of prayer and worship. So there were about 12 of us and we were divided into 3 teams. 1 prayer team and two practical teams. It was raining so heavily that night!! And halfway through, there was a blackout along the whole street. That was such a blessing because it made it easier to talk to the girls without having to shout and challenge the booming background music.

We left the bars around 9.30pm and had debriefing. One of the team members shared that she prayed that God would show her how to love these girls and lady boys. That God would let her see them as He sees them. Then she said that at that moment it started pouring like mad and a thought came into her mind. It was like God telling her ' This is how i cry out for my children in this industry'. It was just really encouraging hearing everyone's stories of the night.

This experience has really opened up my eyes to the different kinds of ministry we can do. It doesn't just have to be in the church or in a 'safe and easy environment'. There were some struggles that YWAM has encountered over the years because the bars had become stricter with people just coming in to the bars and not buying any drinks. The girls at the bars are ever ready to share their story and lives with us but we have to buy ourselves a drink and sometimes buy them a drink as well, to buy their time. At the end of the night, we all agreed that the conversations we had were so easy and so smooth. I will be going again this Thursday night. Please pray for these girls and lady boys who sell off their bodies for money. Pray that whatever chains that are binding them there will be broken and that God's love will be able to touch their lives.

God bless,
Evelyn