When your little you wished for a bike, when you were 12 you wished for a skip-it or scooter, you couldn’t wait till you were 13 because you would be a teen, and then you realized that being a teenager isn’t that great and you don’t feel much different, so you anxiously wait until your 16th birthday so you can have more freedom and your license. Two years later your 18 and no longer a kid, society considers you an adult now, and you can join the army and vote for our next president. Oh but 18 means responsibility and you don’t know if you are ready for that yet, you start college, have bills and life isn’t as free and fun as you thought, so you can’t wait to go out to a bar on your 21st birthday.
But what if you were turning 25 and the only wish you had on your birthday was that a guy wouldn’t buy you today, that you wouldn’t have to go to work, be numbed by alcohol, and dance on a pole to attract men. What if you never got to experience the freedom we have on our birthday, what if your family forced you into the bars on your birthday, but not to celebrate, but to make money for them.
What if this trapped life that you didn’t like was your life?
It is Saturday February 12th and today is Hopes birthday, the girl I met earlier in the week at the bar, I didn’t find out till last night when I went to visit her. Today we are supposed to be hanging out and getting lunch. Was she going to show, I have no idea but I pray that she does. I pray that she shows up and I get to spend her birthday with her loving her, and sharing Christ with her. I wanted to make this birthday very special to her, a day that she didn’t have to spend with a customer but instead celebrating laughing, and having fun with a friend that loves her very much.
Early that day Jessica and I caught a Tuk Tuk to the mall near where she worked, we ran a few errands and bought her a rose for her birthday. We went to Starbucks were we told her we would meet. Patiently we 
waited and anticipated her walking through the door. But the clock kept on ticking and ticking and it was almost three. Then I remembered she gave me her number, so I called her and she picked up yay after getting past the communication barriers we explained where we were. So we went outside to wait for her so she could see us.
I don’t understand Lord, we told her where we were, she knew where we were, she said she was close so that means she should be here by now WHERE IS SHE!? So I continued to trust God, and just ask for her to show up. We waited about 15 more minutes and I see a girl walking down the street who looks familiar, could it be her? Lord did she show up?!? My heart was jumping with excitement. IT IS HER!
The first words to come out of my mouth were ”she looks normal!” she looked like you and I, she wasn’t wearing short skirts, or a top that barely fits her, instead she had jeans on, small heels, a shirt and a jacket over it, she wasn’t out to impress or show off her body and have men looking at her with lust, instead she looked confortable and secure in who she was, she had joy and happiness on her face not hurt, and discomfort. So we did one of those slow motion movie scenes where you run to each other with so much happiness and hug each other and our first words were ”I am so happy you are here, I am so excited” as we grabbed hands and did one of those jump up and down giddy school girl moves. Thank you God she is here spending her birthday with us.
We walked around as she looked for where she would want to eat. She chooses a Euro Café so we sit and indulge in some good food together, while conversing over topics like her, her family, her boyfriend, the bars, what she enjoys doing for fun. During this whole conversation I am asking God when he wants me to tell her what I am doing here. Lord how can I tell her about you. And it never felt right I didn’t know when it would ever happen.
Then we were getting ready to leave, we wanted to go bowling with her, but she had to leave to go pray to Buddha with her roommate who also works at the bar, her ‘name’ is Joy. Ok God here is my chance give me the words to say.. I made sure I understood her right when she said she was going to pray to Buddha she did so I told her that we pray also but not to Buddha but a higher God, the only God, His name is Jesus, the son of God.
She listened to my every word as I told her the reason we are here and able to love her is because Jesus loves us so much; he anointed us to be here and to love her in a way he would. We are only here because of Him, and we wouldn’t be able to do this without him, because Him I get to be in Thailand with her, He also 
wants a relationship with her, He is the only true God, he can promise her eternal life, hope, happiness and protection. He is a God who loves to provide and hates injustice, He wants her to leave those bars. So I shared with her the Gospel and how God intimately loves her though she may not know it yet.. She smiled and had a look of excitement on her face, did she understand? I have no idea but I got to share with her how I am a Christian, why I am here, and the Gospel. I know that it’s something that she may of left thinking about, and that I wasn’t here for physical attraction but to love her. God I thank you that you gave me the opportunity to share you with her, I pray that as I prepare to leave a spark ignited in her, a desire for more, a desire for truth.
We left with her knowing why we love her so much, that we love her with all our heart, we care for her, and we want to be her friend, we provided her with hope to get out of the bars and come to our ministry site and learn skills to get a different job. She said she would call when she gets home from Australia in three months after visiting her boyfriend. Please take part in praying for her with me.
