Our contact, Emmi, told us that people would shudder upon hearing the street we were living on here in
Chiang Mai. According to her, it’s the darkest street in the city. We began ministry last night on this street, and I can now see why she said this. I can’t count how many bars there are, and I can’t fathom counting the number of young girls that stand outside of them each night, enticing people to come inside for a good time. Upon glancing inside, we see old, white men surrounded by girls that can’t be older than me. The men kiss their necks. They wrap their hands around their young bodies. They have them sit in their laps. We make eye contact with the men as we walk past. I’m sure they’re wondering what a group of American girls is doing in a place like this. I can sense in their eyes that they secretly wonder whether or not we’re judging them. It’s not hard to assess their motives for being on this street. The girls wear clothes that would barely fit a Barbie doll. The abundance of make-up makes you wonder what they really look like, who they really are behind the mask.
Some of these girls are here night after night by choice. It offers a large financial income. However, many (if not most) are here against their will. Thailand is a top destination for victims of human trafficking. This includes sexual exploitation and forced labor. It’s the modern day form of slavery, and it’s the fastest growing industry in the world. Trafficking is a multi-billion dollar business in Thailand, and it accounts for a large portion of the nation’s revenue. Obviously, this means the government is in no hurry to see it come to an end.
Many questions flood my mind. How did these girls end up here? I thought about their parents. Many parents actually sell their own daughters into the industry. Many of the girls were probably tricked into thinking they would have a real job, or that the man that brought them here was in love with them. Many ended up here because of the hope of a better life. I then thought about the ones that were here by choice. The ones that could find their worth in nothing but what someone was willing to pay.
After we walked for a while, we decided to stop and pray to see where God was directing us. Before we left our home, I felt like we were supposed to go somewhere with a guy’s name in the bar title. Maybe Joe? As we prayed again, it shifted to Bo. We finished and Chels asked if anyone got anything.
Joe or Bo, I said.
Huh?
A place with Joe or Bo.
Um, there’s a place called Ba Ba Bo Bo’s on the corner right behind you.
I turned around, and sure enough…Ba Ba Bo Bo’s. In we went.
This was all of our first times trying to befriend prostitutes, so we really didn’t know what to do. We ordered
our Cokes and Sprites (that cost four times as much as usual) and sat there awkwardly. Soon, a young boy came to our table. He was selling roses. His friends soon joined him, and they begged us for money. All of a sudden, they crouched down under the table, peering out every so often to look across the street. They were hiding from someone, perhaps the person they work for. We let them drink the rest of our Cokes and they went on their way.
I then wondered whether or not they too had a choice in spending their nights on the darkest street in Chiang Mai. Prostiution is not the only human trafficking problem in this city.
We talked with a girl named that worked at the bar for quite a while. Her name was On. We didn’t get to hear her entire story, and we’re still not sure exactly what her situation is. She moved to Chiang Mai to work, which could mean multiple things. Hopefully we’ll get to continue building a relationship with her.
We will continue to visit the bars each night from 9:30-11:30. I can already tell that this will be taxing physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We’re devoted to praying for this city and this nation. Please join with us in bringing light to this dark place.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
– John 8: 12
