NOTE: Names of girls and bars have been changed to protect their privacy.
Over the past two weeks, I've gone on several "dates" with Thai prostitutes. It has been so much easier and more rewarding than I'd ever expected, and I am growing quite attached to these beatiful women. They are all longing for Jesus and they don't even know it. As a part of our ministry here at Love Acts, we go out each night into the seedy bars of Chiang Mai's Red Light District and attempt to build relationships with the women who are working there essentially selling their bodies night in and night out.
The first night, I was nervous. I've never met a prostitute before, let alone befriend one. Immediately seeing these women, in their short dresses, attempting to allure men into their bars, broke my heart. They are young, they are beautiful, and they trapped. Many act like they are having fun, that they even enjoy this life, but they are decieved. I know that not one of them likes their "career," but they feel they have no other choice to provide for their families.
(Erica about to eat some gross bug with Dao. Fried insects are a popular snack in Thailand.)
There was no judgement in my heart for these women. I only wanted to show them how much they deserve to be LOVED. I wish I could say I felt the same for the men I saw in the bars. Instead of empathy, my heart was bitter and angry and resentful and just disgusted with them. Many of them openly admitted to having wives and chlidren at home. They groped these young girls right in front of us. And they were surprisingly OLD. Old enough to be some of these girls' grandpas. But the Lord is teaching me about grace, These men are BROKEN too. They need Jesus too. God loves and cares for them just as much as he does for the prostitutes, just as much as he does for ME.
So back to our first night. We intended to head to Roger's Bar, which had been on Dura's heart that week. But at the bar next to Roger's, which we'll call the Sports Pub, a bunch of girls yelled to us to come in. They were all a little drunk and dancing and celebrating one of their birthdays. They instantly started hugging on us and opening up to us right away. The night flew by, and by 10:30 we had a couple phone numbers and plans to see them again the next day.
Over the past two weeks, we've been so blessed to hang out with our new friends from the Sports Pub. They text us regularly, we often go out for lunch or go by their bar to play pool or darts. They've taken us dancing at their favorite Reggae bar and shopping in the market. Tonight they even bought a birthday cake for Dura. They tell us they've never had friends like us. We believe that it is the light of Christ inside of us that they are attracted to.
One of my favorite dates so far was when we all went out to this beautiful lake outside of the city. We ate fried fish and had races in our inner tubes and spent a lazy afternoon just hanging out and talking with them.
Each of these women have their own story. Loni (in green), is 'married' to an Australian man. He is 55 and still lives in Australia. When we asked her if she loved him she said "He's a good man. He supports me and my sister."
Lu, on the left, is such a sweetheart. She's our closest friend of the group and I am praying so hard for her to leave this life behind. She has both an Australian and a French 'boyfriend' who send her money, and she is hoping to get married to the Frenchman this year. One of my hardest moments this month was walking in to the bar and seeing Lu with a customer.
We eventually did make it back to Roger's Bar, and have also become friends with two of the girls who work there. Na (below) has stolen my heart. She is a bubbly little thing and loves to show us a good time. Last night we stopped by Roger's to visit Na and sadly Dao told us she was out with a customer. I can't even stand to think about it. I am praying so hard for her to leave the bar! Here we are below getting traditional Thai massages. That was an experience!
Posing in our silly massage outfits: Dura, Erica, Na, Ada and Me).
Ada is a little quieter and unlike Na, seems to be miserable working in the bar. She only works to support her two small children, as well as her parents. She has a boyfriend in Texas who she wants to marry soon. See a pattern here? Most of the women working in the bars are from rural areas of Northern Thailand, and their families send them to work in prostitution in the city in order to meet a white man that will marry them.
After our massages, we ate dinner at an amazing Thai buffet. It was in this huge warehouse with endless tables of food. There were hot pots at each table to cook your own food. Best meal I've had in a long time, especially since I got to try so many Thai fruits.
Shopping seems to be another fun date activitiy. Our favorite place is the Chinese market, where everything is super cheap. Most of the outdoor markets are open really late at night. Dura, myself and Ada couldn't resist buying matching dresses.
These girls have become friends I care deeply about. Please pray for each and every one of them to come to know and accept Christ. Many of them are Buddhist and it is sad to see how their religion leaves them empty and resting so much of their hope on "luck." Love Acts is starting a Change Program next month, which will provide discipleship and Bible training along with job skills training to women who are ready to leave the bars and change their lives. It is my prayer that each and every one of these women we've been hanging out with will realize that we have something that they want, and they will ask us about our God and about Jesus. They are all daughters of the One True God, and they CAN and WILL be redeemed.
