The smell of cigarettes, spicy food, and sweat intermingle in the air as Erin, Kenzie, and I step into the main Red Light District off of Loi Kroh Road.
I walk by table after table of farangs, foreigners, and bar girls. I meet the eyes of one woman who has a large, beefy farang arm encircled around her petite waist. I smile at her, she breaks out a giant grin in response; my spirit lurches and I almost weep with joy at the Father's voice, "How I love her . . ."
Selecting a table halfway between the start and end of the alley, the three of us order Cokes and an iced tea and make half-hearted attempts at playing Jenga while we pray.
I hear almost every Katy Perry song ever released.
There's a group of bar girls at the bar across the alley that are lacking customers tonight. They giggle with each other between drinking beers and wandering to the barfront to catch a passing farang's eye with a seductive 'Sawadee ka' and a twist of the hips.
At a barfront diagonal from me, I see what appears to be a father and son duo talking up a bar girl that can't be older than 20. In my peripheral vision I see groping, kissing, grinding as farang after farang seeks comfort, love, solace, fun in the bodies of these Thai women.
I'm surprised at what I feel: confidence.
Confident that God is in this place, watching, knowing, loving. Confident in His love for every single soul in this place. Confident that I have nothing of my own to give to these people, but Jesus has everything to give them. Confident in the truth the Father has spoken to me: that there is no shame in being Asian, that each woman is worthy of being pursued, that a person's value is dictated by their Creator not the esteem or disdain of others.
2 Corinthians 4:7
The story of every Christian is that we all once had hard hearts towards God, too. We loved the darkness, rather than the light.
And then the greatest Pursuer of hearts came after us, romanced us, and tenderly loved us to repentance and reconciliation. Halle-freaking-lujah.
Main red light district entrance in the daytime (everything is shut down).
I know I'm just a part of someone's story while I'm here in Thailand. Maybe all I'll ever do is pray, stand in the gap for someone who can't do it for themselves. Maybe I'll be able to talk to a different bar girl every night, or the same one every night. Maybe one will want to get out of the sex industry. Whatever way it's sliced, I know it's all a privilege to walk with the Father in His plan . . . it is good, because He is good. Amen and amen.
2 Corinthians 12:9
I need to be fully funded by January 1st to stay on the Race! The outstanding need is $3,416. Please consider donating by clicking here or on the 'Support Me' button on your right hand sidebar. A one-time gift of $360 will cover my food and lodging for a month ($12/day)!
