On a Saturday night in Vietnam…
I’m currently sitting in our home, a hotel room here in Ho Chi Minh city within Vietnam, once again in awe of how God moves. We’ve only been here for four days, but we have already experienced the darkness that exists in this part of the world. Before coming to Asia many on our squad knew God was preparing us for battle, but we didn’t know exactly what that would entail until now. Since arriving things have been made much more clear. Our plans have changed quite a few times regarding where we would live for these two weeks, but we now know we are exactly where God has stationed us. Our home truly is a battlefield right now!
Originally our contact had a cheap, but nice place for us to stay until the police began hassling her about our coming (knowing she was a Christian & wondering why 32 Americans would be in this area.) So, we stayed for one night in a hotel but relocated the next day to where we are currently residing. The night of our second day (1st day at this hotel) it became apparent that where we are staying is filled with prostitution late into the night! Within a few minutes of sitting in the hotel lobby it became obvious that on the first floor of our home exists a business between the hotel staff, prostitutes, and the men paying them. As we observed exchanges of money, black lights in rooms, and a good number of women flooding into this hotel with men transporting them on their mopeds, we suddenly became sick, shocked, angry, and broken for these people’s lives. The most difficult part for me being that even in us acknowledging all of this taking place none of them responded with any type of conviction, shame, or guilt. As our squad leader Stephanie described this environment, “It’s just like they’re going out for ice cream.” No big deal, normal, an everyday occurrence. It hurts to see the men using these women for selfish pleasure, the women inviting abuse upon themselves because they don’t know their value, and the hotel staff being complacent about it all due to greedy motives of monetary gain.
Through experiencing all of this on Saturday night the Lord led us to respond in different directions from singing worship songs in the hallway, to praying & anointing the doors with oil, to attempting to strike up conversations with some of the women. Since then our entire squad has made a decision to remain living here, recognizing this situation as God hearing and answering us.
Through all of this we have been learning what it means to unite together in battle, praying together throughout the night for this place, fasting, & praising God amidst brokenness & even darkness. We are truly learning what it means to be a light in the dark places. This morning I found out that two of our guys connected with one of the main hotel workers last night who speaks English and he wants to go to church this Sunday. Not only that, but we also recently heard that this place used to be God’s property where pastor’s conferences, worship meetings, etc. took place. Watch out satan we’re taking this land back for our Lord!!
Before arriving here, some were praying that we wouldn’t stay safe and clean in the armor we have been equipped to battle in. This is exactly what we prayed for….to get our armor dirty, and that is exactly what’s happening! Praise Him!
This is what this past Saturday night in Vietnam looked like…ministry central amidst a battlefield.
