No matter how often you travel, adjusting to your surroundings always takes longer than you expect. We were ushered to our hostel through crowed streets dodging motorbikes, stepping over sewers awkwardly trying to make ourselves as small as possible with enormous packs on our backs.
Our guide took a turn and I happened to glance quickly at the archway separating this subdivision. We had entered the “Devil’s Den”.
From there it was all we could do to keep our eyes fixed on our guide. Women cat-calling from the entrance of each bar, old men stumbling down the ally, arms draped over young Thai girls who could not have been older than 16.
We turned a corner in the heart of the red light district of Pattaya, hooked a sharp right and straight into one of the bars through the women sitting out front waiting for their next client.
Up the stairs, around the corner and into our room with the lingering smell of mold and vomit… home sweet home.
I cried that first night. I cried over the women who thought they were not worth anything apart from sex. I cried over the young girls who were being brought up in the business, sleeping with men who were old enough to be their grandfathers. I cried over the men who sought love as something to be paid for and used. I cried over the fact that we had to stay there.
We prayed and worshiped that night. Prayed over the city and the hearts of thousands who were stuck in hopelessness and lies.
I have always heard that we bring Christ’s light wherever we go, but it has always been a concept that I thought was thrown around to make us feel good about ourselves when to the naked eye we weren’t “doing” much.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
-2 Corinthians 2:14-25
We literally are a light in a dark place just by being.
We didn’t spend much time in that room other than sleeping. Debrief time results in late nights and early mornings, but over the 5 nights we slept there, we could tell there was a change in the atmosphere.
Our room feels different now. It even smells different. I love coming home. I love waking up and walking downstairs to wish good morning to the women downstairs. I love coming in at night and seeing their faces light up and giggle at my lousy attempt at Thai. I love talking to the men still lingering at the bar wondering why in the world two American girls would be in a place like that!
Jesus never asks us what grand plans or great strength we have. He never measures us based on the amount of "light" we can carry. He just says come. Come set your light on a stand so that the world can see.
Even one candle in a dark room can illuminate enough to see.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
-Matthew 5:14-16
