I know rumors are spreading
fast about where we are staying this month… I just wanted to clarify
(thanks to my mom’s comment) that we are not living on top of a
brothel! We are staying in a hotel that just happens to rent
out the bottom floor by the hour. So the pimps transport the girls to and
from the hotel all night. We did not know of this before we booked
this hotel, but we have decided to stay. Again, we are not in danger…
it’s just heartbreaking to see the abuse of the girls.
East Asia. My squad and I
flew from L.A. to Taiwan,
and then on to Bangkok, Thailand. We had a few days of rest on an Island off
the coast of Thailand, which
was beautiful, and then spent two days in Bangkok
while we waited on visas for Vietnam. Finally, we arrived here in Ho Chi Mihn City
on Friday the 12th! .
The first thing you notice when you walk out of the airport
is that the streets are infested with mopeds! It’s insane! I’ve never seen
anything like it. They drive on the
streets, the sidewalks and even right into the buildings. The road manners make
this even more entertaining… it’s one big game of chicken! Crossing the road tends to put you in a life
or death situation ever time! All I can say is that the sights, the sounds, the
smells…everything in Vietnam
is going to take some getting use to.
As for ministry, we have a jam packed schedule. We will be doing a variety of different
things, some of which include working in orphanages, hospitals, nursing homes, with
patients, with local churches, at coffee
shops, and much more. There is so much
that has been put on our schedule for these next two weeks, but we are quickly
realizing that the biggest ministry will end up being something that we did not
plan on… at least not yet! 
While we were in Bangkok,
five of us girls went to the red light district to see what our ministry would
look like when we return in November. I
don’t know what I was expecting. It was dark, the air was heavy, and I
wanted to leave as soon as we walked in. I have never seen and felt such
hopelessness before…. I’ve never been so uncomfortable before.
What was I doing there? There were young Thai girls everywhere…. some
were lined up with numbers on them, others were walking around with very
little on, and still more were preparing themselves for the long night
ahead. There were also western men of all ages flooding in looking for a
good time. We spent the night talking with the girls, playing games with
them, and getting to know their stories. Things seemed just as hopeless when we left as they did when we got there. I was happy to have had the short
introduction, but I was also happy that I would still have two months to
prepare myself for that kind of emotional exhaustion.
Little did we know how bad it was all over South
East Asia! In fact, we have
to deal with it every night on our way to our hotel here in Vietnam. My heart is just breaking for these
girls. Some of them have gone into
prostitution on their own will, others have been tricked in, some kidnapped,
and others sold by their fathers. This
form of modern day slavery is holding so many young girls in bondage, and I
know it is going to be a painful couple of months while our hearts begin to
break for the things the break the heart of God. Don’t be concerned, we are safe where we are
staying! In fact, we believe that we are
right where God wants us! Just pray for
us as a squad while we begin to cover this hopeless situation with prayer and love!
