As I sit down, I notice an older white man most likely in his 60's playing pool in the back of the bar. He's playing with one of the young Thai girl's that work here, she couldn't of been older than 21. I'm instantly grieved at the thought of what will most likely take place as soon as they leave. I continue to watch. She seems happy though, she seems interested. However, as soon as the man turned his back, her face dropped and all I could see was an
Unsure
Helpless
Lonely
Empty
Scared little girl.
I sat with my teammate and we began praying. Praying that God would convict this man. That he would realize his own emptiness and that he would decide not to leave with her. Our waitress brought us a menu and as we looked over it, I saw the man leave and tonight he left alone.
Tonight we are inside one of the Red Light Districts in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This entire month I'm walking courageously into some of the darkest places I have ever seen. The ministry I'm working with is called "LoveActs" and our job is to put the words " I love you" into action. We walk alongside the outcasts, in bars, on the street corners letting them see the transformation Christ has done in us, and letting them know it can be done in them as well.
Later that night we became good friends with two of the girls working in the bar. They ended up sitting down with us at our table and we just talked, that's it. They told us their passions and their dreams. They told us how if they could get a different job they would. They showed us pictures of their kids and we listened. All we did was show them genuine love, without judgement, and not wanting anything in return but friendship. As we left the bar they asked us to come back. What they don't know is that I'll be coming back every other day for this entire month and eventually we will make a date to see each other outside of the bar. This is our ministry, to show these girls that their is hope outside of the bars, to show them that the reason I care, the reason I'm so different is because I have Christ in me. We are bringing hope.
When we enter a dark area the light of God shines. Our smiles, our actions make people wonder why? What's different about them and the answer is Christ. He leads us to where we need to go and the darkness flees. It's so amazing to see God working in these dark areas. Chiang Mai is known as Thailand’s prominent sex tourism destinations, it's home to at least 5,000 + female, male and child prostitutes. During tourist ‘high season’ every November to March, about the same amount of visitors crowd Chiang Mai’s bars, nightclubs, massage parlors or karaoke bars. If you talk statistics, it can seem hopeless, but if you're talking about the power of God it's simple.
“The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.” Isaiah 61:1
To find out more about the organization I'm working with go to:
http://www.lighthouseinaction.org/loveacts/
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