Little Pong (Part 2)

1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other, let us really show it by our actions."

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!

The people did not know what to make of this! What foreigners choose to 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."

*Photos by Connie Rock and Kristen