my nights in the red lights

It’s no secret that Southeast Asia is known for sex trafficking and sex slavery. It’s also no secret that’s where my heart lies. After some research I found a red light district less than a half mile from the hostel my team and I are staying. It’s a block of bars, pubs, dance clubs, massage parlors and motels that are all hubs for selling girls. Prostitution is illegal in Vietnam. You won’t see girls on corners with provocative clothing scanning for men. They aren’t in plain sight and they aren’t what you see in movies. They’re regular girls I pass on the street every day. They’re girls that make my coffee at the corner café. They’re girls that just seated me at a restaurant or made my dinner. They’re girls that are trapped with no voice and seemingly no hope. 

I got to meet and talk to these girls. They are just like me – love to talk, have passions and interests, their favorite food is pizza, they have siblings, they laugh openly and seem to have hearts so full of love. Some can speak English, some not so much. I’ve learned to love google translate conversations. Being able to bridge a language barrier is such a blessing. 

A few nights ago my friend and teammate Lauren and I were out at night walking around the block praying and asking the Holy Spirit for direction. We quickly stumbled upon an alley of motels in between several bars, easily overlooked by the average traveler. We observed long enough to see a young, beautiful girl come out of one of the rooms. Lauren immediately felt called to follow her and talk to her. We learned her name and some uneasy details.. she works all night, she works hourly and she didn’t have time to have dinner with us and talk. I offered to buy her dinner and her time. She was getting off work soon and we told her we were eager and happy to wait for her. So we did, we waited. I was pretty skeptical she’d come back. Oh was I surprised when she came back and brought her friend! We had the best time together. The conversation was mainly said through laughter and smiles from all of us. I was so touched to see their friendship together. They had only been ‘working’ together for one month but seemed like life long friends. I felt the Holy Spirit move so much in that conversation with them. Lauren and I didn’t get to share the gospel with them verbally but felt it displayed in every other way. We became Facebook friends, they were persistent and so generous to buy the food we shared, and we exchanged several long and warm embraces. My heart was soaring and breaking all at the same time. After they left Lauren and I were basically a puddle on the floor. I felt the Father’s love so strongly for them and through them! 

I don’t know where they were going when they left. I don’t know what their night is going to look like tonight. I don’t know if I’ll get to have another conversation with them again, I pray I do! I pray for their rescue and safety routinely now. My nights in Vietnam have been hard. Good kind of hard that makes me ready for another night. I’m going to make every night count while I’m here. I’m going to fight and pray and love them the best I can and the best I know how.