When Jesus walked the earth, he was the light of the world; he is the way, the truth and the life. In Matthew 5, when he was teaching his disciples, he said, “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” As Christians, we have a responsibility – to be a light for unbelievers and to shine in dark places.
One afternoon we met in a secret church to be a part of a drug recovery program. We entered a room with about 25 Vietnamese men (ranging in age from 15 to 55) to play games, share testimonies, present a message and worship together. I had no idea what to expect and to be honest, I was a bit nervous, but the moment the music started there was an overwhelming sense of unity and joy. I have never seen a group of men so excited to worship the Father – they jumped and danced around like they were just given a second chance to live.
Another big part of our ministry here is to go on prayer walks around the city. We pick an area, learn about what goes on there and about the people who live there and then just go out and pray. Sometimes we walk the streets, sometimes we sit in a sidewalk café and observe the people who pass by. Last week, we were in the “backpacker’s district” – a notorious area for cheap hostels, but also a prevalent location for prostitution. I noticed a pretty young woman in a purple dress walk out from a cheap hotel and approach 2 white guys. They appeared to make some sort of deal and then walked off together. My heart broke in this moment for the decisions that these people were making and all I could do was pray for the woman in the purple dress.
