Kelli Johnson has lived in Thailand for two years and has a huge heart for women working in prostitution. She was one of our Unsung Heroes who graciously met with us and taught us about the prostitution industry in Bangkok. Kelli visits and builds relationships with women working in the bars, has meaningful conversations with them and extends the Father’s love to each person she meets. Kelli sees each woman with God’s eyes and seeks opportunities to tell them about Jesus through Bible stories she has memorized in Thai.
Before talking to Kelli, I’d been aware of the sex trafficking industry for several years and was under the impression that the majority of women in the red light district were underage and brought in against their will. I’d built up an anger and hatred for the men who came to the area and treated the women as objects. In meeting with Kelli, many new things were brought to light. (Side note: sex trafficking is a very real thing and a very real problem. What I discovered in Bangkok does not change that.)
– The women in the red light district of Bangkok are mostly there voluntarily.
– Most of the women are from NE Thailand (from the Isan province – a very poor area)
– Culturally, it is the oldest daughter’s job to take care of the family financially. Generally all sons have the responsibility of bringing spiritual merit and honor to the family by becoming a monk for a period of time (as short as a week).
– Most girls leave school after 6th grade to go earn money for their families. Families then receive large amounts of money from their daughter and their status in a community is raised. Neighboring families in turn send their girls to the city to do the same.
– Getting a job at the local 7-11 requires a minimum 9th grade education and does not pay very well.
– As much as many prostitutes may hate their jobs, the money is quick. A prostitute can easily earn $300 in one night. A college graduated accountant makes less than a third of that.
– The best success in getting women out of prostitution is to reach them in the first month that they start – before they become numb to it and before their love for money is too great.
– Teenage pregnancy, alcoholism and STDs are all byproducts of the job.
– As time goes on, their hearts are hardened. A love of money, obsession with looks, and desire for power over men fills them.
My understanding of the red light district in Bangkok was changing. I was starting to see more clearly the battle at hand. At the end of our time with Kelli, she invited us to go with her one night through the red light district, to see for ourselves what was happening there.
So, we did. And my understanding of God was forever changed.
(Stay tuned…)
