After more than 50 hours of travel, Riley and I arrived safely in our new home city of Bangkok, Thailand! We've now had a few days to get over the jet-lag, and I'll be jumping into study of the Thai language tomorrow afternoon. I'm looking forward to getting started!
Riley settling into her new home
Prayer Necessities:
1. Ask the Lord that I would develop at least one deep and lasting friendship with a Thai woman, preferably one who is a follower of Jesus.
2. Please pray that I would be diligent to study the Thai language and that I would learn it quickly and efficiently. I must reach a certain level of language aptitude before I can be released for full-time ministry.
3. Please ask that the Spirit of God would be at work in the hearts of the women who work in the red-light districts and brothels here in Bangkok... and in the hearts of those who are their customers.
Inquiring Minds Wanna Know:
I arrived in Bangkok early on a Wednesday morning. The following afternoon, one of my new missionary friends here took me out to lunch and showed me around town a bit. One thing she told me shocked me.
I'm currently staying in a guest house owned by the mission board. It's right downtown and pretty upscale, as it's just down the street from a McDonald's, a Starbucks, and a very nice Marriott hotel.
It's also one block over from a red-light district.
Yes, I know. Shocking.
Since language study doesn't start for me until Tuesday, I decided to take a little stroll through this red-light district on Saturday afternoon. I wanted to see it for myself and to pray over this area that is so full of our enemy's darkness and oppression.
The street itself is about a mile long. At the far end of the street are some family-owned businesses: A tailor, some laundry/dry cleaning stores, a restaurant or two. But nearer the intersection of this street with a major road, the busy area, there are mostly bars/restaurants, hotels, and massage parlors.
Now none of these places is really blatant in its intent. The bars all have open porch areas that jut out onto the street, the hotels all look legitimate, and the massage parlors look like the workers there could actually provide massages. Honestly, had I not known this area for what it is, I wouldn't have thought twice about it. It looks just like any number of other tourist locations that I've seen.
But knowing that it was a red-light district gave me a different perspective. I saw the men sitting individually at tables overlooking the street, sipping beer and waiting on the night's festivities to begin. I saw the fake smiles of girls who are trying to survive in ways I can't even begin to imagine. I walked past scores of Buddhist altars, complete with food-and-drink sacrifices offered up to whatever fake god might grant financial prosperity to the business.
And I prayed.
As I walked, I asked the Lord to bring down the enemy's walls that had been erected to keep out the King of Glory, begged that those walls would fall like Jericho's had. I pleaded with the Lord to crush Satan under the feet of the saints who choose to work in this area.
I asked the Only One Who can truly give freedom to break the heavy bonds that enslave both these beautiful women and their wealthy customers. I went before His Throne to intercede on behalf of these captives, knowing that He is the One Who has been anointed to proclaim freedom to them.
I walked that area as a physical body that now houses the Great Light for "the people walking in darkness" (Isaiah 9:2).
Please pray with me that they would see this Light.
Buddhist altar outside a local business
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