Have you ever been in a Brothel?

The view from our window at the hotel. We are right across from the airport, so we get to watch planes take off and land.

Have you ever walked through a brothel? I mean a REAL brothel. I could have said that I never had, but last night when the main club we were trying to get into told us that we couldn't come, the team leaders decided that we would go to this extended stay hotel. However, it wasn't like the hotel we had seen earlier in the day. There were no precious babies, or at least we didn't see any at the time. As soon as we walked into the hotel, I knew there was a difference. I cannot write in depth about what I saw. However; I can tell you that there were many cars and trucks parked outside of this brothel (that is what I eventually found out the hotel was), but you don't see very many people. I feel like all we really saw was 10-15 people, men and women. I was honored by God to finally find the courage to pray for one woman. It was easier to start conversations because we had Christmas gifts to bring them, but my naivete still showed when I asked a woman why her sister couldn't come out to meet us to get her gift. The woman just laughed at me. If I was her, I would have probably lauged too. Eventually the man behind the desk allowed us to walk the hallways. We do not pray for these areas to be shut down because then the women and the men would just go somewhere else. We pray for the transformation of the already open establishments. We also pour business into the establishments that are providing jobs that do not include sexual bondage. That is why we drove right into the red light district to eat at Waffle House after prayer time.

As we walked the halls, I prayed. Michael came with us, but he had to stand in the back of the line, and I was so thankful that he came. Another man was with the group, but he was with another group of women downstairs. One word came to me once it was all over and done with...

Inhuman

The people we saw walking around definitely didn't seem natural. You could tell that the bondage on these people was so tight that they couldn't tell fact from fiction. Maybe that is why they result to drug use. Anways, we are about to have to leave again, so I am going to have to make this quick.

After the brothel, we went to a club. God finally got me to a place where I was courageous to pray and speak, but I still felt very rushed in everything that I did. The girls needed to make money and who I am to keep them from the very thing that is going to put food in their babies' mouths. I had to become the master of small talk. The questions I hate most in the world became the most important. I met so many girls with so many dreams and taking their clothes off for men was definitely not one of those dreams.

I am so thankful for God that this morning Michael and I can smile and laugh and enjoy our Christmas Eve on the road. He alone has given us much peace about our work here. I am thankful that other men attended last night giving Michael someone to pray with in the parking lots. I am thankful that Michael is a servant. God is good all the time, and there is FREEDOM in HIS NAME. That is the one thing I kept praying over everyone and every place.

I will leave you with this: 1 Tessalonians 5:12-19

12 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Waking up(ish) Saturday morning. It feels so good to finally get some consistent sleep.