A Cry for Pattaya

A woman sleeps in a doorway in Pattaya

At various times during these two weeks, I have been overwhelmed with a deep sorrow, a gut-wrenching, physically tangible pain. It is truly heartbreaking to see the sadness in the eyes of people, the struggle just to gather the basics, basics that I take so much for granted that it seldom even occurs to me to think that they are a privilege - things like safe shelter, clean water, clothing, transport... things like love, and relationship, and stability.

Sorting items for recycling at Siem Reap garbage dump

 It hurts so much to hear their stories, so often stories of desperate need and hopelessness and self-sacrifice; dreams and hopes turned to dust in the grim reality of just surviving. 


And when Malina told us about the children, and took us on a prayer walk in one of the areas where there are children's brothels, I felt as though my heart could just break and scatter into a million little pieces. So much injustice; so much wrong doing. How can it ever be healed? 

And then I went to God. I went to ask Him for advice on what to do, because I could see that this sorrow could crush and destroy me and make me ineffective ... but He had sent me here to bring His life and His light  And He told me that my tears were precious to Him. He said not to be afraid of the grieving, because it is the kind of  grieving that comes out of compassion, and He can use it. Compassion is creative, not hopeless. The tears become intercession. But he also warned me to bring it to Him and to keep giving it to Him, because yes, it really is too heavy for a little human heart to carry...

And He showed me Lamentations 3 & 4 ... and it has become my prayer and an expression of compassion over people here in Pattaya:

How the gold has lost its lustre, the fine gold become dull!

The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner.

How the precious children of Asia, once worth their weight in gold,

 are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter's hands!

Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, 

but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.

Because of thirst the infant's tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth; 

the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them.

Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; 

those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.

Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:  


Because of the Lord's great love 
we are not consumed, 
for his compassions never fail.
they are new every morning; 
great is Your faithfulness.


I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, 
to the one who seeks Him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord, 
for no one is cast off by the Lord forever.
Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, 
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.
Streams of tears flow from my eyes because my people are destroyed.
My eyes will flow unceasingly, without relief, 
until the Lord looks down from heaven and sees.
What I see brings grief to my soul because of all the women of this city.

Lamentations 4: 1 - 5, 3: 22 - 26, 3: 49 - 51