Pathway to Freedom in Thailand
A Journey to Thailand: Holding Darkness and Hope in Pattaya
In January 2025, a team of six women stepped into an extraordinary experience in Pattaya, Thailand. They were there as part of The Freedom Challenge, a movement of women committed to testing their physical and spiritual limits while raising funds to set women and children on pathways to freedom. Their destination: the Tamar Center, a beacon of hope in the heart of Pattaya’s Red-Light District.
The decision to go wasn’t the same for everyone. For Jo, a high school English teacher and marriage and family therapist, her journey started with a sudden nudge from God during prayer. Despite her own uncertainties and a series of obstacles—medical concerns, financial challenges—everything aligned miraculously. A friend donated 100,000 airline miles, and within hours, Jo was booking her flight. “God said go, so I obeyed,” Jo recalled.
For Amy, a seasoned participant in Freedom Challenge events, her "yes" came during the Tahoe Challenge in 2023. She felt a clear, spiritual prompting: her skills as an ESL teacher were needed in Thailand. While her path unfolded over time, each step seemed divinely orchestrated.
When the team arrived in Pattaya, they entered a world of stark contrasts. By day, the beachside town resembled any other tourist destination, bustling with families and sunseekers. By night, it transformed into streets lined with bars, where women and “ladyboys” competed for the attention of men. For some women, the sidewalk along the beach—ominously referred to as “Beach Street”—became their workspace, a place where even the thin veil of accountability offered by the bars didn’t exist.
The team’s mission was simple yet profound: to connect, to listen, and to offer a way out through the Tamar Center’s programs. They taught English classes daily at a classroom situated in the heart of the district, looking out over streets filled with women preparing for their shifts. Jo and Amy found joy in their students, building relationships that went beyond lessons. Yet, the heartbreak was ever-present. “These incredible women, so eager to learn, had to return to the bars just hours later,” Amy shared, her voice tinged with both sorrow and resolve.
One night, the team ventured into a hub of nightlife. Accompanied by the bold and fearless staff of the Tamar Center, they moved through the dimly lit streets, sitting with women in the bars, playing pool, and engaging in conversations. “Jesus is fun,” Jo said, reflecting on how the light of Christ shone even in those moments of laughter and connection. But the mission was serious. “One of the Tamar girls boldly told another woman, ‘We’re looking for girls who want to leave this life.’”
The team’s most challenging night was their outreach on Beach Street. There, lines of women waited for men to choose them. The palpable darkness weighed heavily, but Jo experienced a moment of profound clarity. As she walked, God whispered to her heart, “This one belongs to me.” It wasn’t just the women—she heard it for the men, too. “God expanded my capacity to see them as He does, broken and desperate for healing,” Jo said.
Amid the heaviness, there were glimpses of hope. One evening, the team attended a community dinner hosted by the Tamar Center. Families gathered in a cul-de-sac of homes supported by the center, sharing a traditional Thai barbecue. Children played on scooters, laughter filled the air, and a sense of belonging enveloped everyone. Amy was struck by the generational impact of the Tamar Center’s work. “These brave women are breaking cycles of trauma. Their daughters won’t have to follow the same path.”
For Jo and Amy, the experience didn’t end in Thailand. Back in Reno, Amy immediately sought ways to share the story. From her church’s women’s ministry to her local rotary club, she’s committed to sparking conversations about how communities can join the fight against human trafficking. Meanwhile, Jo returned to San Diego with a renewed sense of purpose. As a therapist, she’s finishing the certification needed to work directly with survivors of trafficking. She also wonders if God is calling her back to Thailand—perhaps even to learn Thai and serve at the Tamar Center’s new counseling program.
This trip was a powerful reminder that even in the darkest places, God’s light shines brightest. As Jo put it, “We weren’t there to save anyone—that’s God’s job. But we were His hands and feet, bringing hope and love where it’s desperately needed.”
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/842389/episodes/16521850