We got the chance to hang out at the mall, today. It was a lot like home: Christmas music playing, lots of people, the movie theatre was playing Chronicles of Narnia, and tons of tasty food all around.
It was fun, then I saw them. A couple in front of me that just didn’t feel right. I can’t explain more than that. I hadn’t noticed anybody else the past hour or so that we were there, but something about them just screamed into my awareness.
I watched them.
An older American man (40’s-50’s)and a young Thai woman. She had nice clothes and yet a brown, old, and tattered purse. She looked well kept, yet her feet weren’t taken care of with the same meticulousness of her hair. There were so many oddities. I couldn’t understand why they were the only thing I could think about. I noticed they were holding hands and then they weren’t. Next thing I know his hand went straight to her butt and he groped her in public.
Now even in American I’ve seen this before. But it just felt wrong in a different way. He touched her like he owned her, like her body was his to do with as he pleased. She didn’t even react. She didn’t even flinch or have a hesitation in her step. She just kept going. I saw her face and their wasn’t even a flash of any emotion, like it was normal…
Could it be God? I don’t want to judge, but is she one of the girls that works in the sex trade industry that is so prevalent in Thailand? My heart broke. Was this the “girlfriend experience” I read about online, where you can buy a girl for however long you want and she gets to pretend to be your girlfriend?
I had to fight the outrage and then the sadness. I had to fight the longing in my heart to go up to them say something. But what to say? What to do? I had to fight the disappointment inside of me, the thoughts of why God. You see my team and another will not be working directly with the sex trade in Thailand. I looked forward to this month, and for some reason the Lord didn’t place us in that ministry. It broke my heart. Seeing this made me want to be involved in helping the girls. I wanted so badly to be part of the solution, part of the teams walking at night talking to these girls. Offering them friendship and the love of Christ. Not religion or some gospel spill, just a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen. I want to be that person, I want to be there.
Still need about $2,440 by December 15h or I will be sent home. If you feel led to give you may do so on the left-hand side under Support Me! I know that times have been hard and with the Christmas seson its hard to give, but if you are planning on giving after the holidays, please send me a message so I can give that information to the finance people. Please be praying for me in this area. Thanks!!
