Prayer is not a fallback, but our strongest weapon

I sat holding my friend Cassie tight in a hug as we both sobbed hard, shaking with tears flowing down our faces, the credits starting to appear on the big screen. We had just finished watching the movie Nefarious. This documentary covers the issue of sex trafficking around the world, focusing on the top trafficked countries including the US. It includes interviews with those who have been involved in the sex trade and those who are fighting for justice in this area, and discussions on how girls get trapped, why they stay, and also the hope of what God is doing to bring light and change.

During the video I felt myself experiencing a range of all different types of emotions including sadness, anger, helplessness and hope. My passions for helping the girls involved to find freedom and to feel loved and see their worth came alive. I wanted to do something right then and
there! Me and Cassie had a discussion with a missionary after the video who had been working with girls in Thailand who were in the sex industry. In a desperate plea we asked her what we could do to help.

Her reply was: “The best answer that I can give you and what really is the best way you can help is to pray.”

A wave of disappointment hit me. I had a feeling this was the answer I would get. But I wanted to be on the front lines, not sitting back and praying. I wanted more, to do more.

Well who would have guessed that about 3 years later, id be in Chiang Mai,Thailand once again watching the movie Nefarious, but this time while I am in the center of the red light district where I am spending a month building relationships with women involved in the sex industry and trying to show them the hope, love and light of Christ.

The women i have met and befriended are so beautiful, sweet, fun and just lovely. There
is one girl I met at one of the bars who is just precious. She is the same age as my little sister Lauren who is 20. I love my sister so much. I think God placed this girl in my life who is the same age as my sister so that I can love her and treat her like my little sister. She doesnt have time off hardly ever but I at least get to bring her little treats at work and chat with her and the other girls at the bar as much as I can. And the one day she did have off we got to go out and have fun. I just want her and these girls to see what I see and especially what God sees in them.

I am on the front lines of battle now. And it really is a war,and i can feel it and see it. Yet God is victorious- He equips us with His armor, sends us out with torches, loud voices and full hearts. He is building a highway. He is planting seeds for new life. The gates are wide open, inviting others to run inside to freedom. This place isn’t forgotten, it’s being
transformed, made new, and God is the Builder. We are lucky enough to be a small part of it.

And through all of this I’ve found what my greatest weapon is PRAYER. I had to go half way around the world and actually put myself in the middle of the issue of sex trafficking to prove to myself that prayer really is the most powerful way we can help. Prayer puts everything in God’s hands and relies on His strength alone. My favorite part of this ministry has been the emphasis on prayer and the time I’ve spent listening to God and letting Him show me His vision for this city and for the people on these streets, and his deep deep love for them (and all of them, not just the women).

So if you find yourself asking “what can I do?”, my answer to you is, “PRAY!”