So as most of you know our ministry here in Thailand is going out into the bars at night; we are building relationships with the women (and young girls) and offering them a way out of the bar/prostitution industry. The organization we are working with has a café that me and 3 of the other girls help out at during the week day. This café helps find them a job other then in the bars.
So I want to tell you a little bit about “John” that’s just what I’ll call him. The first time I saw this older fellow, he was sitting in a chair at the bar, groping this girl who was dancing all up on him. Somewhere along the way he ended up sitting at the table with me and my 2 friends.
We did the usual, hey where are you from etc. etc. And this is what I learned about John. He was 52, from Holland, and had a wife of 30 years! So me being facetious I ask the obvious question, “Oh is that your wife over there who you were dancing with?” His response “ha no, oh I’m just here to have a good time” Hmm…I didn’t have to many nice things to say to John after that.
I honestly don’t remember much of what was said that night because I was often distracted by the way he would rub the 15 year old girls leg who came and sat by us. Or by the comments he made to my friend, “I really enjoy looking at your body, I want to have you in my bed tonight.” But what I did catch through out the night was that this man was not happy, he was not satisfied with any thing in his life and he was convinced he was a Christian because of a spiritual encounter he had at a Buddhist Temple?
I knew this was going to be a struggle for me. To see these men, not through my eyes but through the eyes of Christ. Everything that is of Julie wants to punch these men in the face and then Christ in me wants to share His love and Freedom.
As hard as it was that first night talking with the Johns, I came back to my room overwhelmed with not exactly love for these men…more like anger. But I felt like the Lord was asking me these questions.
Did I come to offer live abundantly and freedom for all?
-Yes
Is there any sin you could do that my Son’s blood wouldn’t cover?
-No
Do you believe that I could do the same for these men?
-Yes
Do you really?
-Yes God!
Ok then will you share with them My Love/My Forgiveness/and the Life I offer.
-Yes!
So I had another opportunity with John. I came back to the same bar a couple nights later. I wasn’t with the 2 people I had been with. So when he recognized me, he jumped down from the bar, and with excitement he came and talked with me. My heart had changed towards him. Even the fact that he came and wanted to spend time with me, when he knew that all he would be getting out of me was conversation and I wouldn’t give him what some of the other girls in the bar would. But I knew that he had seen something different in me and my friend from a couple nights before…aka Jesus. And he wanted to hear more about it.
It would take to long to tell you about our whole conversation that night. I def. had a love for John that I hadn’t had the first night we talked. But at the same time I didn’t act like what was going on in these bars was ok. I was able to speak Truth into his life and ask him some questions that he couldn’t answer…but hopefully will get him to start thinking and bring him to an answer or The Answer.
As much as I want to touch the lives of these woman, I want to touch the lives of these men. Because hey aren’t they the ones supplying the need for this industry? So if their lives are changed by the power of Jesus, then a huge part of the problem would be solved.
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” -John 10:10
