When you grow up, what do you want to be?
Do you remember when you were a child and this question was asked all the time? I mean, I sure do. My answer was always changing from a dentist to a teacher to a missionary.
I am currently on a Vision Trip in Chiang Mai, Thailand serving under the ministry LoveActs with LightHouse In Action. The HOPE is to bring light into the darkness that surrounds Human Trafficking, prostitution.
When you grow up, what do you want to be?
From hanging out in the slums with children to teaching English to prostitutes to bar hopping all night long, I often wonder what the responses of those i've come into contact with were when they were younger. Do you think these women, girls thought yes I'd like to sell my body when I grow up? Perhaps some, yes, but more than likely not at all. Or what about the little boys from the slums; do they want to grow up to be a pimp or bar owner?
Hmmm…
beautiful children from the slums
The other night we were prayer walking the red light district and loving on people with a DTS (Discipleship Training School) outreach team from YWAM. We came to this one bar that REEked of darkness.
"Where you go I go God."
There were two tables located on each side of the walkway into the bar full of practically clothless women waiting expectently for their "white and shinning armor". A 20 year old girl named Pa took us into the bar and sat us down. When she brought us our two cokes, she disappeared.
Here we were in this warzone with no one to build relationships with, simply Erica and myslef…or so we thought.
a street full of bars…and women
After praying for thirty minutes we were ready to leave. Epic fail, we thought. We did not get to love on any of these women. Just then God reminded me that we were there for a reason and Satan wanted us to believe that we failed beacuse there was no one around us. We were not alone. Truth of the matter is that where ever we go, we carry light. Not because we are special, but because of the HOLY SPIRIT that lives in us. (The same on that lives in YOU.) HE is the light. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17) With every step I take, freedom is being released. Atmosphere's shift simply because we are in the room. Boy oh boy did it shift…
Off to the right of us were two men with women seductively dancing all over them, trying their hardest to lure them in and captivate them. The men were loving it feeling the women all up and down. Suddenly, they began to lose interest in these women, got up and left for really no apparent reason. We continued praying. Five minutes later two other men came in and were escorted to the bar. Women tried their best to walk by them and grab their attention, BUT they did not budge. They continued to drink their beers while talking to each other. Is this right? Seriously, what man walks into a bar in the redlight district and pays zero attention to the women?
one of our beautiful bar girl friends
It does not make sense. It is hard for the world to comprehend, but then again God does not make sense to the world. His ways will ALWAYS be hIGHer than ours.
The Spirit saturated that place. The atmosphere became lighter. As we left the bar, we began to build relationships with the women. We actually have a lunch date with two of them tomorrow! God is FaithFul!!
As I continue to grow up…one thing I ALWAYS want to be is an ATOMOsphEre sHiFTeR.
What about you?
my gals from the slums
