3 Men Walk Into a Bar in Thailand…
There is a color darker than black. Imagine if you can, something that would
make the color black seem bright in contrast. Not possible. This darkness, the
darker than black color, in fact, its more than a color. It’s a feeling or
maybe the lack of feeling. It’s not knowing up from down, inside from outside.
It’s that suspended, falling, nothing to grab on to feeling, or again lack of
feeling. It’s the absence of everything.
Lost. Alone. Confused.
Over the years leading teams to Thailand I am reminded of
this darkness. When first you think of the women and children there, its easy
to have your heart broken. But! But the men, our desire often is to watch their
hearts break. The truth and although we may not like it… they are as much in
need. They too, are lost. Live in a world of darkness. Darkness feeds darkness.
One of the first things I share with the team through emails
even prior to our trip is that we are called to minister to the women. Yes, we
might interact with the men, but we are not seeking them out. Interestingly enough, they have sought
us out on every trip. Now we approach this carefully and with much prayer.
After all, there are 2 reasons that they approach us. 1) They are mad at us and
what we represent, and want us gone. 2) They are curious and are looking for a
reason to stop. At least for that moment.
trips, as I as walking through the red-light district, I was shooting snapshots
of neon signs hanging above the bars when a man came out of nowhere and knocked
my camera out of my hands. Luckily, I had the strap around my neck. I quickly
recovered and gave him a look and said something like. “Dude, what the
heck!?” He then mumbled something in a thick accent about me knowing better.
He’s right I know. I know it’s a risk to walk around with a camera, even
riskier to take pictures. Him – Conviction with
anger.
past trip, I frequented the bars nightly. Two bars in particular where I have
been building a relationship with the bar owner, mamason (bar mother) and
girls. To set the stage click here.
We walk in, no more than 7. I like that number… I seat the gals by two
and wander around checking in on different conversations, talking with other
employees and keeping a close eye on our surroundings. As the girls come off
the center stage, we wave over a girl and seat her between two of us. A Coke is
bought and we all clink glasses and say, “Cheers,” through smiles and
giggles. Everyone was seated and I
was in the far corner near the last group yet, by myself. It was tight. I
watched the girls dance wondering what the night would hold for them. The
mamason was aggressive, pushing the girls on to the men who were at the bar. I
knew that this had the potential of hurting a relationship if we stole girls
from higher paying customers.
westerners. They stop, look around, and surprisingly, come to my dark, small corner
and squeeze in around the table. I greet them not avoiding eye contact for
concern that they would think I was angry womens right activist.
Immediately, Bobby (from London) strikes up
a conversation with me and offers to buy me a drink. I said little, but
answered his questions. Here is the short version.
Him – “Are you with this group of women?”
Me – “Yes, there are 29 of us.”
Him – “What are you all doing here?”
Me – “Buying drinks for the girls so we can
have conversations with them.”
Him – “Why?”
Me – “Show them friendship with nothing
expected in return.”
Him – “If you like this kind of thing, I know of a bar where a stage is set above you and you can watch from below.”
Me – “Not my kind of thing. Really. I
prefer to talk with them, learn about them, offer other options for making a
living.”
Him – “Oh.”
Me – “We also share that there is a God who
sees and loves them.”
Him – ” I will never forget this older man
who approached me when I was just a kid. He said ‘Bobby, God loves you!’ ”
Me – “That’s great! Well, Bobby, I want to
repeat to you what that man said to you: God, loves you!
He loves you so much that he placed you in a bar with all these women
who have come from the US with that same message. Its not just for the girls,
but also you.”
What happened next was unexpected. Bobby
turned to the other 2 guys and said Lets go. He then turned back to me and
said, “You just kept 3 men from sinning tonight. Thank you.” He gave me a quick
hug and they were gone.
Sometimes the darkness just needs a little light. The lost, need to be found, the lonely,
need company, and the confused need direction. They need the light. I cant help
but think that while we walk up and down streets in Bangkok or are in line at
Walmart that even without words we are changing the world as the result of
having Jesus Christ, the stronger man, the Son of God living within us. The Light brighter than bright,
lighter than light.
