*From the Bar to New Life: P's Journey of Faith and Courage**

In 2024, one of our outreach teams met P* at her bar. She was open to conversation and responded positively to an invitation to attend free English classes at our Outreach Center. Despite the challenges, she came.

Her bar wasn’t on a Songthaew route, which meant she couldn’t take the usual 10-baht ride. Instead, she had to rely on motorcycle taxis—costing 40 baht each way. For someone earning very little, this was a significant expense. But P* showed up.

One of our English teachers formed a friendship with P*, even visiting her at the bar and offering rides so she could continue attending classes. P* also began coming to our Friday church services, where she made a life-changing decision: she accepted Jesus as her Savior.

Even after her teacher returned to her full-time job, P* kept coming to English and church. Then, unexpectedly, she missed two days in a row. Concerned, we reached out. She shared that she didn’t have money for the motorbike taxi—and she didn’t have food. Her earnings were minimal, and she sent most of it home to support her children.

We offered her a ride, but she declined. When she returned, we gave her leftover food from our communal meals and helped however we could—sometimes even covering her taxi fare.

Then came a turning point. P* told us she wanted to leave the bar and come to Tamar. She said, “I will leave, but I’m waiting to get paid.” Her monthly income came from drink sales, and she needed to wait for that final payment. We’ve heard similar promises before, and many never follow through. So we prayed and waited.

But P* was true to her word. As soon as she received her money, she came to Tamar.

Today, P* is a delightful presence in our community. She’s growing in her faith, always completing her Bible lessons, and preparing to enter the 2025 Tamar Life and Vocational Training class in May. Right now, she’s training as a restaurant worker. Her English teacher still visits Pattaya periodically, and their reunions are always sweet and full of joy.

P*’s story is one of courage, perseverance, and transformation. It reminds us that even when the journey is costly, the reward of new life is worth it.

All names have been changed for privacy.