The reason GOD OF THIS CITY was written

Today we were able to meet and connect with a great ministry called Tamar Center. Tamar center is made up of two facilities in downtown Pattaya. One of the places is Tamar Bakery and Restaurant. There we got to eat lunch made from women who are rescued from the streets. Afterwards we got to tour and talk with P’Khaek who is the manager of the restaurant. She told us that girls get the chance to learn baking and cooking skills and have a full time job in the restaurant. Upstairs from the restaurant is a card, jewelry and craft facility for more women to make money working full time doing these crafts. Most of the cards and crafts are shipped overseas to Holland, Australia and America to churches that sell these to help support their ministry. The great thing is that both the bakery and craft centers give consistent full time work and skills to women who previously knew nothing other than prostitution as a means of living.

Honda pretending he's working at the bakery

P' Khaek showing us the handmade cards

Next she took us to the heart of the prostitution area in Pattaya to visit the Tamar Center Salon. Even at 3pm, prostitutes were out in full force waiting at the outdoor bars for customers. P’Khaek said that it is very dangerous for men to walk the streets alone because of all the temptation out there. And she was right as we watched many men talk to and enter the arms of various women. But surrounded by the bars sits the Tamar Center Salon. The bottom storefront of the building hosts their salon shop where rescued women get the opportunity to learn haircutting and styling and do nails. Upstairs is even cooler as it has a meeting room where women’s biblestudies and counseling are held. At the time we were there, all the Tamar Center staff were out at the bars looking for women who would leave their lifestyle for a new one filled with real love – Jesus’. A lot of draw for women to come to the center is the opportunity to learn English, and from there the gospel is shared to them. The top floor of the building had probably the most important place of the whole center, the prayer room. P’Khaek told us that that was the only part of the center that was open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. Even after the center was closed and someone wanted to use it to pray, they would just need to make a phone call and someone would come out to open its doors. Anytime is a perfect time to be alone to pray to God and repent of sins and turn to Jesus.

Tamar hair salon

Tamar meeting room

Sadly amidst the thousands of prostitutes in the city every day, Tamar center is the only organization fighting to stop this atrocity in Pattaya. They have a huge task in front of them, but through their salon and restaurant, they are reforming and reaching women on a daily basis.

That night we took a walk around the beach and Walking Street which are popular night scenes locations for tourists. Unfortunately they are popular for most of the wrong reasons. If you can imagine Ocean beach except lined with prostitutes lined up every few feet, the length of the beach, that would be a pretty accurate picture of the beach we walked on. And if you can imagine a mile of street filled with bars with women soliciting men in front and in them in plain view then you have the idea of Walking Street. You might want to view the next pictures without the company of youngsters…

Please pray for Pattaya




-Brian