The ministry for this month is one like no other. It is comprised of going down Bangla Street in Patong (near Phuket), Thailand ministering to the people in the bars. This may be the child laborors-trying to sell you flowers or hats for their ’employer’. It may be the women whose bodies are daily sold. It may be for the men who are buying these women. Or it may even be for the ‘ladyboys’-men who have changed their identity and dress and act like women and sell themselves as prostitues.
We start our days in prayer and devotions around 1pm. Then someone everyday goes out to the bars and does a prayer walk, while the bars are closed. We then eat dinner and then have an hour of praise and worship at 8pm. This is a time where we are getting ‘pumped up’ and setting our hearts and minds right before God before going out into ministry. Then we all pile into vans and drive to Bangla Street.
Every night we have at least 2 people stay back at Starbucks and interceed and pray for the people that are out doing ministry and for the people they are encountering. This is also known as a safe place where at anytime in the night, you are free to come back to this place and process and recieve prayer for what you may have seen or experienced.
This place is engulfed in sin. There is so many wrongs occuring that it is impossible to see it all in one setting. There are older men walking away with 7 year old girls-and no one notices or even makes a scene. It is normal here. There are women so far in debt, that pole dancing is their only way out of it. Young boys are brought to this place to be ‘educated’ and taught the ropes before they even reach puberty. Little girls are sold at a high price, for many men believe that having sex with a young virgin with cleanse you especially from any sexual dieseses (like HIV/AIDS). Then on top of all of this, this same young girl is sewn back up (without any pain medication) multiple times to be re-sold as a virgin. There are also many mothers who are seperated far from their children and ‘stuck’ in this job. The list never ends…These are just some of what occurs here within our ministry. It is our goal to bring hope, love and a relationship to these people. Saying to a girl “I will see you tomorrow” and following through with that promise is something new to these girls. Also, sharing with them that we just want to be your friend, is something they don’t comprehend.
My first night out, I met a woman. We played a few games and had some fun conversations that lead to many giggles. I left saying I would see her the next day and I did. When she saw me again, I was welcomed with open arms and the biggest hug. One night and a simple follow up can change the lives of the people around you. Though, I have onlly spent about 30 miniutes total with this woman, to her it is priceless.
