Jesus is crazy ya know? He never ceases to surprise me with His wild & fiery love. A couple weeks ago, I went to a worship night in the middle of the red light district. Actually at a building where we are planting a church in just a week. I had no idea what this prayer night was all about- I honestly just showed up. I was having a grand ole’ time dancing in the back with one of my Thai friends when I heard the Lord so clearly. He wanted me to go buy out one of my friends from a brothel down the street. shoot dang. He wanted to me to go pay her bar fine and bring her to this worship night that I had no details about. It was risky for me- what were they gonna say at this prayer night? what if they talk about bar girls? what if it gets too crazy? what if she feels uncomfortable? what if what if what if? what if heard God wrong? The questions kept flooding my brain, but then I took a minute to focus on Jesus, and new questions started filling my head- what if I do go and buy her out? What if God uses this night for her freedom? What if she feels God’s love? What if she hears truth? what if she enjoys it? what if I heard God right? So I turned to my Thai friend and asked her what she thought since she does a lot of outreach with us, and she said lets go for it. so we did.
For the sake of privacy, we will call her ‘Peace’. We went to Peace’s bar and told her our plan- her face lit up instantly. I handed over her bar fine ($10) which allowed me to take her for the night. $10 is what men pay to take her for the night. $10 is what men pay to do whatever they want to her. $10 is easily a trip to Starbucks. $10 is a typical price of dinner in America. $10 is the price I paid for a human being. Luckily Jesus had much better plans for Peace that night than what she is used to when someone pays her bar fine.
We walked to the worship night, holding each others hands the whole way. As soon as we sat down the person singing on stage looked right at me as if he knew exactly what had just occurred. He then smiled and the most beautiful moment ever quickly followed. He sang, in Thai, a song completely about freedom. Isaripaap. over and over again he sang this word- Isaripaap, which represents freedom. freedom for the captives. freedom for the enslaved. freedom for Pattaya. freedom for every man, woman, and child being sold in this city. freedom for ‘Peace’. I was undone. Everyone in that room was singing, dancing, and yelling for freedom. Then Jesus whispered in my ear- this is all for her. this whole prayer and worship night was put together so Peace could catch a glimpse of freedom. of my love. what the heck Jesus. it didn’t matter that I had no idea what was going on. He fights for His kids so relentlessly. He goes to greatest of lengths. Everyone in that room, whether they knew it or not, was singing, dancing, and yelling for Peace’s freedom. and she had no idea. She had no clue that everyone in that room was fighting for her. This is what God does for each of His kids. This is what He does for you and I. This is what He does for 150,000 people being sold in this city. This is what he does for each one of His children- relentlessly fighting for their precious freedom.
The night carried on with lots of dancing, praying, and crying. and I cherished every second of it. It still replays in my mind daily because of the beauty and depth that it held. Jesus taught me a lot that night. I had no idea what this worship night was about, but I didn’t need to know. All I needed to do once I got there was obey. and Jesus would take care of the rest. and He did. Peace heard about freedom and now she wants it for herself. Jesus is teaching me that I don’t need to carry the weight of all these girl’s freedom on my shoulders each and every day. Their freedom isn’t in my hands- its in His. Im just the vessel. the pressures off He says. and Thank goodness because I don’t know how to best help these girls, I don’t know how to best love them or what each individual one needs. but Jesus does and He will tell me. all I have to do is listen and obey. So Im learning to trust. trust Him with each girl I meet on outreach. trust Him with every girl that I have so deeply loved and invested in. trust that no tear I cry for them is in vain. that no time spent with them goes unused. I am learning to hand each one of them over to Jesus every night because the weight is to heavy and the pressure is too strong for me to try to figure it out on my own. So I give Peace to Jesus. trusting Him for her freedom. Isaripaap. He knows exactly what He is doing.
I can feel you lifting off the weight of the world.
In you is all my hope and peace. – United Pursuit