The Apple of His Eye
We had spent the majority of the day praying- over each other, over the streets, and over the bars. The first night of ministry finally came and we had been covered in prayers, not only by each other, but also by countless numbers of people who are even now reading this blog.
This story is about the first girl I met, at the first bar I went to, on the first night of ministry. Right away I made a connection as she sat down and we started talking. I asked her how long she had been working here and if she liked it and why she took the job. She told me that she had been working here for four months and that she did not like it here much at all.
“My Husband died last year” she told me.”I have a son, and I must provide for him to eat.” She went on saying “I used to work in a factory, it was hard labor, but then it closed down and I could find no other work at all.””I once lived near Bangkok when my friend who worked down here told me about job openings.” “I only make money here by selling lady drinks and through personal customers. My first customer had me for one week. I cried all the time. I missed my husband, and was very unsure of this new man. I knew the job had to be done, however, and the week slowly went by.”
By now my new friend, who’s name is Apple, has had many customers, but it doesn’t make her life any easier. She starts working around 8:30pm and gets off around 3 or 4 in the morning. If she gets a customer she often doesn’t sleep until around 2 the next day. She then gets up around 5 to get ready and get into work by 8:30pm. The process starts all over again. She works every single night, having to pay the bar in order to get the night off.
I told her about this place I know where jobs are offered to women who don’t want to work in the bars anymore. “They teach you English, or baking or, how to work in a hotel.” I asked her if she would like to come to lunch with me the next day so that she could visit this place.
“I know one man that thinks you are beautiful.” I told her, “One man that has always thought you were beautiful, since before the day you were born.” I asked her if she had ever heard of Jesus and she said no.
“He is God’s son! God is the creator of the Universe and He wants you to know Him” I said “And he has loved you with His whole heart without you having to do anything for Him at all!”
“I don’t even know Him!” she said, “I WANT TO SEE HIM RIGHT NOW!!!” she said in a loud happy voice. Her eyes got so big and she raised her hands up with glee like she had just won a race.
“We do too!!” we told her. There was laughter and such joy as we all talked about Jesus together.
The bar was getting more noisy as the night went on during our conversation. There were now “possible customers” approaching, and my friend’s attention was diverted. It broke my heart to see her turn from Jesus, who had endless amounts of un-dying love and freedom awaiting her, to another one night’s stand full of hopelessness and bondage.
I know Jesus will not give up on her, however, He is relentless when it comes to those He loves.
The next day my beautiful unmake-uped and unsexy clothed friend came to lunch with me! She toured around the ministry and signed up for English classes. I continue to visit her each night I go to the bars. I await in expectancy for the day I can welcome her into my family and introduce her to The lover she has always been looking for.
