Most of my friends’ first times happened in the dark, late at night, with the smell of alcohol in the air. Mine was different…
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the closer we got, the faster my heart seemed to beat.
Until finally my teammate, Sage, and I turned the corner and it all became a reality.
My first time to the red light district of Chiang Mai, Thailand was in the middle of the afternoon, daylight, and quiet. We found ourselves walking a street lined with bars as far as my eyes could see.
We went expecting to teach English to a couple of young girls, working as prostitutes, that a squad mate of ours had made a “date” with the previous night. But when we finally found the bar the only person we saw inside was an older woman cleaning behind the counter. Slightly unsure what to do since we expected to be greeted by several young girls excitedly awaiting an English lesson, we quickly took two seats at the counter and ordered cokes. After a few moments of silent pleading with God, we began a conversation with Mary*, the bar tender, and found that she speaks English very well!
I was shocked by how open and eager she was to share her life with us! We told her we were there to teach and she explained to us that our squad mate had misunderstood because most of the girls sleep through the entire day since they work all night. We learned that the girls who work in this particular bar all live in large communal rooms above the bar, are expected to eat meals at the bar, and must ask permission to leave for any reason. The only other place they seem to go is to the reserved hotel rooms behind the bar when they are “purchased” by men. Nearly their entire lives take place inside of this bar!
She shared that she works during the days now that she’s old (she is 31 years old), but that she used to work at night when she was younger. My heart broke for her as she explained how she greatly prefers now serving drinks during the day to working for “the men” during the night, and it became clear to me what her job used to entail. She shared that she now has an apartment a few blocks away and a motorbike that she rides only between the two. My heart sank as I realized the emptiness in her life, because she has never had a life outside of this bar!
As the three of us talked, I saw a stirring on one of the couches in the back and finally a strikingly beautiful young woman walked over to us. Mary* introduced her as Patty*, a lady-boy. She said it so matter-of-factly, but I’m sure my face must have shown my shock. Lady-boys are men dressed in drag, and they are trapped in prostitution just like the women and children. Nearly all lady-boys are forced into this “type of work” at a young age, either directly by their parents, sold into it, or kidnapped from their homes. They are raised as females and have no say in the matter. Since meeting her that first day, Patty* has shared with me that she was the prettiest of the two boys in her home so her parents chose to sell her into prostitution at age four!
I’m so grateful that Mary* invited us into her life that afternoon with no shame in her voice as she told us the realities of her life and her job, but it sickens me that our world has allowed these things to become “normal”.
We have continued to frequent the bar whenever our schedules allow, and I pray that my time with these people has been glorifying to God and has planted seeds to further His Kingdom.
At night the street is always a loud and busy scene, in which all the vulgar images I’ve ever imagined about the sex trade come to life. It truly is a dark place, but there is no darkness in this world that can’t be overcome by the light of Christ! It has been truly heartbreaking to hear the stories and learn just how fallen our world really is, as we share life with these wonderful people. But I’m so grateful that I come to them bearing hope and it’s an honor that the Lord has allowed us to share His love with them!
* I’ve changed the names of my friends for their protection, but if you want to join me in prayer for them please email me for their names.
