This verse sums up our trip, if not our lives. Bar ministry can be
sensory overload to say the least. Dim lights, bright lights, loud
music, smoke, incense, girls dancing, inappropriate surroundings, etc.
Its a lot to take in and more importantl,y a lot to try and NOT take in
all at the same time. One night we divided into teams of two and prayer
walked the streets of Pat Pong. That night we weren’t going to go into
the bars, but just talk to the girls working outside the bars, the
street vendors, and those that sell “sexy shows”. My teammate Sarah and i
decided we would sit at one of the outdoor bars and see who we could
talk too. As we sat there we saw a little girl who we assumed was the
daughter of one of the men who sells “shows,” sitting on a dirty wood
flat trying to put together a bracelet we gave out earlier in a ministry
gift bag we made for the kids. She was having trouble, so we invited
her over to sit with us. Well, where there is one kid, there are more
just around the corner…. so twelve kids later, (Ha!), we introduce to
you “little Pong,” our Red Light District version of VBS. Before Sarah
and i knew it, we were sitting at the bar with 4-6 kids at a time making
bracelets, drawing pictures, playing an absurd amount of tic tac toe,
and singing “Jesus Loves Me”. Bar ministry just took a drastic turn!
sit at a bar with kids and just to play with them and buy them Cokes?
These are the kids of the vendors, show sellers, dancers, and some
vendors themselves (the kids who sell items, I was told by Rahab
Ministries, are more than likely the kids who are also sold
underground). it does not seem to happen here. There is no ministry
outreach to the children of Patpong. These kids are inundated with so
much darkness that to me the real question is, how could we not? To
allow them a little space to just be kids and distract them from the
surroundings was a amazing blessing for me and a game changer for the
rest of my trip. The smiles and laughter they expressed was answer
enough for me. God blessed Sarah and i with so much joy to just “be”
there with them and play and draw despite the language barriers.
The first night the surrounding adults gave us looks of uncertainty, but
were curious as to what we were doing. They’d come up to the table and
smile while keeping a watchful eye on us. The second night they warmed
up a bit and asked our names. By nights 3 and 4 we were welcomed by
them shouting our names across the streets of Pat Pong to say “Hello
Rachael!” and shake hands. Our bar maid even showed us what table we
could use and brought more chairs for our growing VBS! On our last night
there were heartfelt goodbyes and tears as we sent the kids back to
what they knew: long nights from 7pm -2am and only God knows what else.
i could do this every night, this would be my ministry here. The
effectiveness of simply showing love–His love–by our actions with
these kids opened so many doors to share with the adults and be a light.
Even the western men stopped and asked if we were teachers or if we
worked there – and if not, why we would sit here and play with these
kids? My only answer is because it’s what Jesus would have done–
simple, relational, real. Light casts out darkness. That’s what Little
Pong did. In a place where it seems only darkness reigns, the Creator
allowed us to take over the night to bring Him glory.
Let your light so shine before men.
On that corner for just a few nights our friends stopped selling sex
shows all around us and allowed themselves to enter into the joy these
kids were having. I am amazed and humbled at the work of the Lord.
Watching these little ones and how the adults reacted to us showed me
that maybe the best defense again trafficking – or selling yourself – is
to end the cycle before it begins: Red Light Miinistry with the kiddos!
“Jesus loves the little children, all God’s children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus
loves the little children of the world.”
*First and last photos by Connie Rock; others by Kristen Torres-Toro
