Pattaya, Thailand.
A city known for prostitution, lady boys and sex. With brothels and sex clubs on nearly every corner, one would expect darkness to be reigning in this city. But in Pattaya, known around the world for sex tourism and darkness, I’ve been experiencing God’s presence and peace like never before.
It sounds so contradictory and strange. I walk along Walking Street almost every night and see dozens of women working the streets. I see the men with hungry, preying eyes taking in every sight they can get their eyes on. It’s something that I thought would rip out my heart.
And if I let down my guard, it does.
But I’ve been amazed at how God takes over my own emotions and thoughts when it comes to the ministry here.
When we arrived in Pattaya, we were taken to Pattaya Praise 2010, a gathering of 7 churches for praise, worship and prayer over the city. We went straight to city hall where we worshiped from the roof for 6 hours straight. The mayor even came to thank us for our prayers and join us…that’s now the 2nd mayor we’ve met from 2 different countries! After a quick dinner, we hopped on the back of a truck (which is a taxi here!) and took off for Walking Street and the pier.
Now, if you’ve never heard of Walking Street, you should listen…
It’s a street known around the world for prostitution, lady boys (cross-dressers), and night life. Local men stand along the street with literal “menus”…they offer pretty much anything that would satisfy your carnal hunger. Men looking to satisfy their hunger roam the street, running into other people and things just to take in more of what they think will satisfy their momentary desires. Women line the streets…either to pick up the next man or to entice the men into the strip clubs, go-go bars or gentlemen’s clubs. Tables and chairs are set up in bar areas facing outward to allow onlookers a view of the action out on the street. Men AND women sit and watch as prostitutes strut by and men pick up the women. It’s the most massive display of perversity and evil I’ve ever witnessed.
And each night, we walk through it…
And each night, God walks through it with us…
In an atmosphere like this, where women are used and throw away, I expected to fall apart. But that was before I realized the full strength of God’s power and presence. I can walk through it every night with complete confidence knowing that God is at work. I can walk through the darkest place on earth because I carry the most magnificent light with me.
When we arrived at the pier and our final destination on that first night, we joined with hundreds of Christians to worship and pray in the midst of the darkness…and for 2 more nights after that. On the final night, we had people from the street, men and prostitutes alike, stopping to worship with us and listen to the gospel. It was intense and God moved throughout the entire night. We became the blinding light amidst the darkness and people blind to their sin stopped to join us and experience the light!
For the rest of this month, we’ll be working within the bars and talking to these women. We’ll get to hear the stories of heartbreak, devastation, and destruction as well as spread God’s hope, love and worth to so many who have no idea how to get it.
We get to be the light in the darkness this month. We get to walk in the power that God has bestowed on us through His Spirit. We get to share our heartbreak and our restoration with women who long to be loved in a different way.
Please be in prayer for me and my team this month as we live out God’s calling on our lives to empower women and share the love of Christ with the lost. With over 30,000 prostitutes in Thailand, there are a lot of lives to reach, but our God is bigger than we can imagine and I can’t wait to see how He uses our testimonies to reach the women of Pattaya and Thailand.
In a darkened world, we’ll be God’s light throughout this city to bring hope and life to those who so desperately need it.
Check out this website for more information about the ministry we’ll be partnering with.
And, please, pray for lives, for this city and for these women and men.
