We arrived in Vietnam a few days ago and settled into our $3 a night hotel. It was the cheapest thing we could find to house all 33 of us for the next two weeks. All of the rooms are on the second or third floors, but we had all noticed that there were plenty of open rooms on the first floor that were never occupied during the day. Well, brace yourselves….that’s because our hotel is also used as a place for prostitution at night time. On the second night we were there we had noticed many younger girls and women coming in and out of those rooms with men of all ages. It didn’t take long for us to figure out what was going on….Prostitution in full force.

The rooms are marked with tape numbered 1-11. The hallway is dark, only the florescent lights from the rooms lighting the path. Every time I walk through, I am waiting for a creature from a horror movie to pop out at me. These 11 rooms are where young women and girls sell their bodies every night in exchange for money. An act that is rampant in many parts of Asia and also right under our own beds. 

At first you see the men wait in the lobby, girls follow with the keys to the rooms. They disappear for 30 minutes to an hour and then return. Two young boys clean the rooms in preparation for the next “customer.” This process is repeated throughout the night…every night.

                                                 

After much consideration for our safety and the situation that we are surrounded by, our squad has decided to stay. We all believe that this is right where God wants us to be during our time in Vietnam. We have taken up shifts for an hour during the night to sit on the stairwell leading to all of our rooms and pray for for our team, the prostitutes below us, and to also keep watch over things. This gives us all a little more peace when we lay our heads down at night.

It is strange though to think that not long ago, I was going to sleep at night in my nice, comfortable bed saying prayers for my family and friends. Fast forward 3 months and I am now going to sleep at night above a prostitution ring, praying for young women ten feet below me. I know though, that this is what this year is about…being thrown out of our comfort zone and witnessing what breaks God’s heart. 

But PLEASE do not be alarmed…..we are in no immediate physical danger here. Even though I am literally sleeping ABOVE the enemy, I am very confident that there is no where else the 33 of us should be right now. Please pray for our team during our time here in Vietnam and a spiritual battle that none of us have ever encountered before.