My team had a few off days at the end of the month in Thailand, so we spent them in the city of Chang Mai. We had lots of crazy adventures including: being hugged and kissed by an elephant, riding elephants, going down a river on a bamboo raft, seeing waterfalls, a hike and bike, a 3D art museum and more. Although we got to do lots of fun things, we also had an unexpected ministry day. A day that I’ll never forget. Our squad leader who was with us all month, Esther, met up with some people from her church who recently moved to Chang Mai to be missionaries there, Erik and Becky Lara. We met them at the Zion Cafe, which houses missions groups and gives proceeds to Red Light District Ministries. The Laras ended up entertaining us for the day and showed us what they were going to be doing there. The first thing they did was take us to the Red Light District. It was during the day, so everything was closed, quiet and basically deserted. We did a prayer walk through it, and even though it wasn’t in full swing at that moment, it brought on strong emotions of anger and sadness for the women and children used there. It was hard to know what to pray for, because the whole thing leaves you speechless, really. I had memorized Psalm 23 this past month, so I just started reciting it. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me” (verse 4). I felt like what I was walking through was the definition of the valley of the shadow of death. I imagined God taking His rod and going around and bashing in the windows and Buddha statues and just destroying the place. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (verse 6a). I just had to believe that because we were prayer warriors walking through that area, that surely, goodness and mercy would come to those exploited there. After our prayer walk, they took us to the ministry they would be partnering with, Compass 31. They house girls with children who are trying to get out of the Red Light District. They help them with schooling, mothering and getting other employment so that they can get out of their old life and become independent. I only saw two of the girls who lived there. They were both 13 years old and had babies. It was so heart breaking to see girls so young trying to be mothers. Becky Lara took us to an abandoned building across the street to show us what they hope to do with the place. They want to make it into a school, both for the girls rescued and their children. Becky also gave us a “priceless cube” and trained us on how to use it. The cube displays different illistrations for you to use in order to educate people on human trafficking. We also got to help set up a room for a girl who would be moving in that night. If you are interseted in supporting Erik and Becky Lara’s ministry to protect, restore and empower sexually exploited young girls, go to their ministry site, www.61mercy.com. After our day with them, we went to the Chang Mai Night Bazaar. To get there, you have to walk through the Red Light District. We had seen it empty and calm that morning, but at night there were lots of people, colorful lights and women in skimpy outfits sitting outside the doors waiting for their costomers. The majority of the tourists we saw walking through were white men, anywhere from ages 25 to 60, maybe even 70. We would look in the bars and see 50-year-old men having a drink with a young Thai girl. Some people on my team saw a man just put a wad of cash in a girls hand and she followed him inside. Some overheard a man say to a girl, “I’m going to go tell my friends where I’m going and then I’ll come back for you.” Seeing these women standing outside, smiling and waiting to be used by someone was hard to see. I felt incredibly helpless as I had to just walk through and watch it happen before my eyes. I’ll forever be haunted by the fact that this is a reality all over the world, even in America. The size of this problem feels overwhelming to think about, but nothing is impossible with God. Please take time today to pray for the trafficked and for those who are doing what they can to stop it.
