It was worse than I had expected.
I have been involved in various ministries in red light districts or bars, but this was on a whole new level.
As I walked down the street, I was shocked to be targeted so much by the salesmen shoving menus in my face. I mean I’m a woman right? I would have expected them to be paying the most attention to the men.
Sex menus. All I could think was, is this a bad, filthy joke? They were trying to sell “tickets” to shows for things I could not have imagined up and that I will not repeat.
I was just passing through Bangkok for two days. Two of our amazing AIM staff were coming through to lead a short term Encounter trip in the red light district for just over a week. Amy and I were passing through on FBR business. Connie and Kristen wanted to introduce us to the ministry they led teams of women to in the red light district of Bangkok.
And so we found ourselves in Patpong.
The street so conveniently disguises itself as an innocent night bazaar, catering to ignorant tourists looking for purses or souvenirs at a bargain. But as soon as you are drawn into the web, it’s too late. The unknowing tourist suddenly looks up from his or her browsing to find they are deep into the red light district.
(setting up the night bazaar during the day)
You see, the market is bright and colorful and draws you down through the middle of a street with a large tent over it. But down each side of the street there are bars and brothels with doors wide open.
(shopping on the left, bars on the right. One westerner being shown a menu as he walks through the market)
(one of the bars during the day)
It’s not like most red lights- hidden and subtle. You walk down the street and you see girls standing in the doorway wearing next to nothing and other girls inside dancing on poles. And that’s just on the first floor!!
The majority of the girls looked like they were still minors. These are peoples’ daughters! These are children!
It made me sick just reading the signs in front of the bars. I won’t even write what their names were.
All I could do was pray for them and pray for the various ministries and groups that spent time pouring into relationships in the area. These girls need to know how loved they are and that they are daughters of a good Father. They need to know that there’s hope for them and they are worthy. It is a fact that many of the women in the red light in Bangkok are trafficked. Others are just so poor that this is the only way they can feed their families. I have met women from both situations.
Honestly, I was surprised at how hard all of this was for me. I had planned on being involved in this kind of ministry here in Thailand, but this was even more extreme that I had expected. I mean bar ministry in Chiang Mai is one thing, but in Bangkok it is a whole different monster.
(I felt weird smiling at this "tourist attraction")
Jesus. That’s what they need. All of them- from the women, to the pimps, to the customers, to the children of the prostitutes. They are already loved, they just need to hear it- and then believe it- and then accept it.
When I close my eyes, I see their faces. And I pray…
