Thailand: No insignificant action

These past few weeks have been difficult for me. I was really beginning to realize how insignificant my efforts could feel at times. I was discouraged. I think it might have just been the stress of the week, or maybe the loud music blaring from inside the bars, but after outreach one night, I just felt so depleted.

Stacie AguilarWe only do outreach two nights a week. So, the rest of the week is a lot less in-your-face, but for that reason, outreach days are altogether the best and worst days of my week. I keep being reminded of the sheer size of the sex industry. It can be daunting when you think about it. There are literally thousands of women and so-called ladyboys selling themselves in the bars each night, and I can only meet one or two at a time. Even if I do meet any ladyboys, it’s unlikely my first conversation will lead them straight to Christ or get them out of the bars.

I remember meeting a man around our third week living here who told us flat-out we weren’t going to make a dent in the sex trade. He just felt that there was no way we were going to stop this billion-dollar industry. He may have been right. I don’t know. 

Regardless, I started to realize that wasn’t what God called me here to do. My job here is not to abolish prostitution or sexual exploitation. There already are organizations working toward that goal. My job is simply to love the person in front of me. 

One of the encouragers who came to be with us for spring break was a woman with an incredible testimony. One of our boys was so drawn to her, he just wanted to care for her the whole time. She helped us paint the cafe one morning. Right after, our boy offered to wash the paint off her hands, because he didn’t want her to do it herself.For that reason, we go to dark places, to love those that no one else loves. If nothing else, I want to show I really do care for these individuals. I truly do want to be their friends, to give them a chance to talk to someone about things other than sex.  I like to hear about their families, where they grew up, their dreams, what they studied or would like to study in university. I realize that most, if not all, of these people are wearing masks. But when I get to hear a little bit about them, I realize that even if they haven’t shared much, it might be more than most people know about them. That part makes me happy. I may not be able to bring prostitution to an end, but I can offer a new beginning to some, and to me that’s all I ask for. 

At the same time, seeing God’s children stuck in such darkness takes everything out of me each time. It can be hard sometimes—most times, really. But I’m thankful for the family that I have here to encourage me and uplift my spirit. 

God brought me the encouragement I needed recently when a team from the States came for spring break, just to encourage us. They helped us paint the café, sang worship songs with us and prayed over each of us individually. They reassured me: No matter how small my actions feel, they are never insignificant. Jesus himself was made small when he entered this world as an infant so he might save us all. 

Stacie Aguilar, a recent graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, is serving with an anti-trafficking ministry in Thailand through Go Now Missions.