July 4th

On July 4th, I think that my laptop was stolen (although I can't prove it).  I know that the only time that my eyes were off of my bag for more than a few seconds was when it was on my back.  So, my best guess is that while I was walking through a crowd (either in the AsiaWorld-Expo Center, or in the adjacent Hong Kong International Airport), someone quickly and discretely unzipped my backpack and took my laptop.

Regardless of how it happened, there was no material possession more valuable to me (especially my journal).  Although I had backed up a few things, I lost most of my personal files.

--

While I was at the airport, there were two women who were also dealing with a great loss.  But, I really can't compare mine to theirs, at all.

"Two Thai sex slaves in Hong Kong rescued by consulate".
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1282083/two-thai-sex-slaves-hong-kong-rescued-consulate

Here is an extract from the article:

Their ordeal started earlier this month after they met another Thai woman, believed to be 38, in Thailand. She offered them an all-expenses paid trip to Hong Kong to work as masseuses for HK$22,500 a month - a big sum by Thai standards.

Isra and Ratana (not their real names) accepted the offer and landed at Chek Lap Kok [Hong Kong] airport on July 4.

They were taken to an address identified as a "massage parlour" in Yau Ma Tei, where their modest dream became a nightmare. Shocked by the dirty, cramped conditions in the brothel, they tried to leave but staff threatened to beat them and to report them to police for working illegally on visitors' visas.

Isra and Ratana were told they could not leave until they either repaid the cost of their air fares or had sex with scores of men. Fearing for their lives and with no money, they worked from 7am to 2am, having sex with men paying HK$160 per session.

Other Thai women worked in the brothel, alongside mainlanders and women from Vietnam and Russia.

Two days later, the pair managed to escape, but with no money or identification. They hid at the airport for three days with little hope of returning home until...a series of calls to Thai foreign affairs officials and to the Thai consulate in Hong Kong.

--

Hong Kong definitely has one of the best airports in the world.  In 2012, Hong Kong International Airport was rated #3 by World Airport Awards (as well as by the very useful Guide to Sleeping In Airports). Honestly, I like spending time there. And, it feels safer (and cleaner) than any major U.S. airport I've been in.

Of course, I've never hidden at HKIA for three days, in fear of violent pimps.

So, again, there's really no comparison between my ordeal and theirs. But, since I was attending the Homecoming Conference (and the conference center is connected to the airport) I was there both when these women arrived in Hong Kong, and when they returned to the airport to hide for three days.  I had my laptop stolen the same day that they had their freedom stolen.

Again, my laptop was extremely valuable to me.  But, I didn't become a slave, or get beaten and raped.  This is the situation of too many women who come to Hong Kong for work.

All this to say...I want to see freedom for captives, and restoration of all that's been lost.

--

To be fair, Hong Kong is one of the least corrupt cities in East Asia.  And, most of the prostitutes who come from other places (thousands every month) prefer Hong Kong to their home cities. And, they usually know more or less what they're getting into before they come.*

Regardless, they are being exploited.  And the exploitation of the vulnerable in this city has got to stop.

Near Shanghai Street in Mong Kok.  This is several blocks away from the massage parlor that the two Thai women escaped from.

*Note: I'm not okay with prostitution "if she consents" (or "if he consents").  Please see this, this or this on how "consent" is typically experienced in the process of entering a career in the sex trade.

Stealing Dreams, Restoring Vision

Well...I lost my laptop.

Here's the short version:  I was at the 4th annual Homecoming Conference, held at the AsiaWorld-Expo by the Hong Kong Airport.  On the second day of the conference, after I got on the bus to leave, I opened my backpack to take out my laptop.  It wasn't there.  I went back later and checked Airport Security and the Lost & Found unit.  It wasn't there.  And I'm pretty careful with my laptop.

So, I think it got stolen.

After all that this incident entailed, I attended a few more sessions of the conference. That weekend, I regained a vision for what God's purposes are for the churches in Asia, for my generation, and for me personally.

My laptop is gone, along with two years' worth of photos and journal entries (including many dreams).  But, I'm not sad.

Why?  Because that weekend, I was able to stand with thousands of Chinese Christians who are living radically for Jesus, and who have been operating for decades with a vision and a conviction that God wants them to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth, and back to Jerusalem.

There is no way that my personal dreams and memories--however great--can compare to the vision and the future of the Church in Asia.

My gaze is set, and I am looking to what lies ahead.

Asia, will you be the faithful one?
Yes, Lord, we are willing.

--

There's more to the story.  And I know God has a purpose for all that happened.

I had woken up very early that morning, at 3:55.  In fact, I'd slept less than 90 minutes, but I was awake and ready for the day before 4 AM.  It was strange.

That morning, I had FINALLY decided that I was going to start backing up all the files on my computer.  Of course, I had previously thought about this, and had known I needed to do it for a long time. But I didn't actually start until that morning.  So, I actually did save some of my Hong Kong photos.  But with the speed of the program that I was using, I didn't have time to back up all my personal files and still attend the conference.

Also, thanks be to God (and some good friends), I have continued to have regular access to a laptop to work on.

Hit and Run

This morning, I got on the minibus outside my apartment, just like I do every day.  And, even though I often joke about Hong Kong's crazy driving, I've never actually seen a crash in Hong Kong (at least, not when it happens).  But today, I did.

Actually, I didn't see the crash.  I only saw the man.  The car had already sped away when I saw the man fall to the ground, in the middle of the road.  He seemed to be an educated businessman in his late 30's, wearing casual clothing.

He laid there, trembling slightly, bleeding from a long gash in his head.  The pool of blood became bright red on the black pavement beneath his head.

And I was in the minibus, 10-15 feet away from him, just watching.  And dozens of others were watching, while one man tried to help somehow, and others called the ambulance.  All I knew to do was pray.  I don't know Cantonese, and probably would have just confused the situation if I'd tried to get involved.

I spent an entire minute watching a man die, and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

I don't know what I could have done differently.  Even if I were a Cantonese speaking doctor, I don't think I could have saved him.

But I can't watch men die and do nothing.

Facing the Facade of Prostitution

Xenia Chan wrote this piece yesterday on a recent rescue of sex trafficking victims in Hong Kong.  Besides the awesome storyline, it's really a great piece of journalism.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1282083/two-thai-sex-slaves-hong-kong-rescued-consulate

Here's hoping that we see many more stories of rescue.

--

Tonight was a good night, but also weird.  I spent the evening with a couple friends in Wanchai, and we prayed intentionally on behalf of the Lockhart neighborhood, and for the men who come there to buy sex.

It was weird because I'm not usually faced with prostitution so obviously as I was tonight. There were several incidents, but here are three.

1. After our prayer meeting, we were walking through the red-light district.  As we walked along, one girl asked me repeatedly, "Buy a drink?"  She's one of hundreds of happy-looking "bar girl" prostitutes on Lockhart Road.

2. My friend needed money to buy dinner, and he went into an ATM room to get money.  I noticed a scantily clad young lady standing by an ATM with a giant old European man.  I also saw a few other "obvious" couples heading to nearby hotels.

3. Later, on my way home, I got on a minibus from the MTR station to my apartment.  A smart looking 40-something British guy also got in, and sat directly in front of me, along with an extremely happy and flirtey Hong Kong girl, who seemed to be a new acquaintance of his.  She was probably doing the "compensated dating" form of prostitution...doing it occasionally for extra cash, or because of some financial emergency.  From all appearances, it's a happy and innocent arrangement, fairly common in Hong Kong.

All the women I saw tonight fit the popular image of prostitution.  They are the "face" of the sex industry.  Understandably, they all have very pretty and happy faces.  Unfortunately, their faces are also a mask for the unseen victims of sex trafficking, who are rarely seen in public.  Even as bad as some of the bar girls' exploitation may be, a far greater number of prostitutes are stuck inside massage parlors (servicing more clients, in worse working conditions) than are standing out on the sidewalks.

If those two Thai women hadn't escaped, they would still be trapped in a massage parlor in Yau Ma Tei.  They would still be working day and night, along with the thousands of unseen prostitutes whose suffering will never be discovered--because it's hidden behind the sex industry's facade of happy bar girls.

Exploring the Complexities of Consent

How do you choose?

Beyond The Streets :

Late-Night Snacks and Midnight Minibuses

The first thing I want to do in this article is to share this post from a friend's blog.  This guy has traveled the world, and has intentionally spent time in very difficult, oppressive areas.  But, he was still surprised when he visited Wanchai's red-light district in Hong Kong last month.

I've been to this neighborhood many times, going with friends who want to go pray and minister around Lockhart Road.  Honestly, during the day, it's a nice enough place to hang out and eat.  But at night, it's...not good.  Reading the perspective of someone who hasn't been there before reminded me just how bad it can be.

Here's his experience: mytravelswithfather.wordpress.com/2013/05/03/a-documentary-film/

--

So, after having spent most of the evening in Wanchai praying with friends, I then got to hear testimonies from some other friends in Wanchai.  They had just come back from China, and shared about their interview with a great hero of the underground Chinese church.  He is very old, and this may have been his last interview...it was beautiful, sad, stirring, and provoking to hear what he shared.

After we finished talking, I left my friends' place well after midnight, which meant the metro was closed, and I had to look for a minibus to take me back to New Territories.  On the way, Google Maps directed me to the wrong bus stop, and I ended up seeing Big Pizza (the restaurant mentioned in my friend's article).

<I actually took a picture of the restaurant, but I lost it.  No worries--it wasn't a pretty place, anyway.>


--

I finally found my bus stop and went on my way.  But, I had to transfer buses in Mong Kok.  Instead of transferring and moving on, though, I wandered around for maybe 40 minutes looking for my bus.  Ai-ya!

And it was raining torrentially.  And the traffic was crowded. And it was 2 AM.

That's Mong Kok.

While I was walking around, I realized that this neighborhood was also exactly the place where I had spent my first night in Hong Kong last June, when I moved here from Shanghai.  Housing had not lined up before my move, so I was planning to stay at hostels for my first few weeks in Hong Kong.  I knew Mong Kok had a lot of cheap hostels.  But I didn't realize how cheap (i.e. cramped, dirty, and shady) they were.  It could have been worse, but...

Strolling down memory lane...ish?  (This is where I spent my first night after moving to Hong Kong.)

Anyway, back to the torrential rain and impossible-to-find minibus. Even though it was late, and I was tired, it was actually a beautiful night.  Really, the rain and lightning were awesome. And, I got to "prayer walk" Mong Kok for half an hour.  Honestly, I'm glad it worked out this way.  Mong Kok is the center of a lot of Hong Kong's darker activities, but I was able to look around with great hope.  God has plans for this place.

--

Just a warning...if you don't speak and read Cantonese, the minibus system can be a real challenge.  But, I finally found an Indian-Hong Kong minibus driver, who spoke clear English, and was happy to help me.  It turns out that the minibus stop was actually less than 50 meters away from the spot where I'd been dropped off.  Whoops!

I'm grateful to God (and to Google Maps) for a memorable night on the streets of Hong Kong.  But...I do really need to learn Cantonese.  Fast.

(Photo taken from China Daily HK Edition story, "Midnite Motor Madness", 2009-11-14.  Cached article here.)

Cutting Crime at Hospitals

Today, I ended up walking by the North District Hospital. I had wanted to see this place, because it's only several blocks away from where I have been staying in Sheung Shui, and it was recently in the news as the scene of some shocking criminal activity (see Independent article here).

Last month, there had been some infighting among Wo Shing Wo leadership about business in Sheung Shui. (Wo Shing Wo is the largest of the Hong Kong-based Triad gangs, boasting a membership of 150,000 men). A henchman in Sheung Shui had been in a fight, and had to go to the hospital.  As he was coming out of the North District Hospital, two men came up to him, quickly and skillfully slashed him to death, and were then driven away in a car.

And, there were dozens of innocent bystanders watching. I guess they wanted to make their point loudly and clearly.

Later, there was a large wake, held for the murdered man outside, in public, where many of the man's fellow criminals were present.  But, since it was a wake, apparently the police just let them do their thing.

So, back to today.  This afternoon, after I took the photo above, I had lunch with a couple friends. I mentioned the story of the Triad murder, and my friend Doug started telling me that Sheung Shui can certainly be dangerous.  Several years ago, Doug was living in the nearby neighborhood of Sheung Shui Wai.  He was riding his bike, when he was suddenly cut off by a man in a minivan.  The man happened to be a Triad, and was experiencing inexplicable road rage.  The man stopped his car, got out, took out a torch (?!), and started beating Doug's head and chest.  (He bled profusely, and did not recover for some time.)

Despite the bleeding and pain, Doug was able to protect himself from his attacker, while a large crowd gathered to watch.  Finally, the man had to run away. People in the neighborhood definitely knew this man, and that he was guilty for many crimes.  But nobody was willing to speak as a witness against him, because he was a Triad, and the Triads can do whatever they want to do.

--

Hospitals are places for saving lives, not taking them.  People definitely should not be chopped up outside of hospitals.  But these men knew what they were doing. They had it planned out perfectly.  They were confident that if they killed this guy, they would be solidifying their financial interests (see SCMP article for details).  So, they chopped him up.  And, they did it in front of dozens of onlookers, knowing that nobody would stop them, because they're Triads.

I am also personally opposed to people being chopped up inside of hospitals.  But the men who do it are trained well--and they are confident that they can chop up a dozen a day.  They become very rich in the process, and know that nobody will dare to stop them, because they're government-licensed abortion doctors.

--

This evening (I often do this on my birthday), I spent time outside a hospital where they do abortions.  I prayed quietly for about an hour, thinking of all the members of my generation who have been intentionally erased from the human family.

Again, I think people should be healed and saved at hospitals.  Not poisoned and killed.

I know that abortion can be a really awful and awkward matter to talk about.  But, please...while we're in the process of working through the moral, legal, social, and  medical complexities of the issue, let's just lay down a simple ground rule for the discussion:  Whether they're inside or outside, nobody should be chopped to death at a hospital.

Nobody should be chopped to death at a hospital.

--

June 7 via Facebook mobile

So grateful for this life today on my birthday. Now taking time to remember the tens of thousands of unborn Chinese children whose lives will end tomorrow.

God, turn the hearts of fathers to their children. — at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.

Gay Marriage Equality...in China?

Recently, I've been really concerned about the growing LGBT movement in Hong Kong.  Just as the idea of marriage equality laws would have sounded crazy to most Americans 20 years ago, it still sounds crazy to most people here.  But, like the rest of the world, it's just a matter of time before the laws start being argued, then passed.  And how long will it be before they spread into China?  What that means for the world's largest nation is a little terrifying.

Think about it. Chinese people already have a laissez-faire, "没办法" attitude towards sex.  Chinese culture accepts, (and even expects) that wealthy or upper-middle class men will engage in adultery, prostitution, and bigamy.  Sex slavery in China is a huge industry.  Given the current situation of Chinese sexual mores, their laws outlawing homosexual practice in China are like laws to outlaw throwing gasoline on an already burning building.  Possibly helpful, but...we're missing the point.

My only hope is that God "turns the hearts of fathers to their children, and of children to their fathers". (Malachi 4:4-7)

--

Here's a piece from a fascinating article, written by Robert Oscar Lopez, a self-identified bisexual English professor at California State University-Northridge.

"Many have dismissed my story with four simple words: “But you are conservative.” Yes, I am. How did I get that way? ...because I lived in precisely the kind of anti-normative, marginalized, and oppressed identity environment that the left celebrates: I am a bisexual Latino intellectual, raised by a lesbian, who experienced poverty in the Bronx as a young adult. I’m perceptive enough to notice that liberal social policies don’t actually help people in those conditions. Especially damning is the liberal attitude that we shouldn't be judgmental about sex. In the Bronx gay world, I cleaned out enough apartments of men who’d died of AIDS to understand that resistance to sexual temptation is central to any kind of humane society. Sex can be hurtful not only because of infectious diseases but also because it leaves us vulnerable and more likely to cling to people who don’t love us, mourn those who leave us, and not know how to escape those who need us but whom we don’t love...

So yes, I am conservative and support Regnerus’s findings."

(See related findings here.)

Missions in Asia: Some Book Reviews

In March, I stayed for a weekend with some friends in Iowa.  They had an amazing selection of books on China and Asia, including a number on missionary work. I looked at a few, though, and thought I'd share these.  They're really good, and full of stories that will make you want more of God, and more of His kingdom.

Between Two Tigers: Testimonies of Vietnamese Christians, by Tom White (1996)
In Vietnam, some tigers have four feet.  Others have only two feet.  Vietnamese Christians courageously spread the Gospel between the government tiger and the religious tiger.  A Vietnamese rice farmer shares, "I try to carry little Bible tracts with me and one Bible.  I would rather carry the literature than food, so I don't bring food with me.  Sometimes we run into wild animals.  We can hear the voice and see the footprints of the tigers.  There are many snakes.  The people follow witchcraft and animism; they worship the plants and rocks.  When we are walking on the trail, we pray constantly.  We are not scared of the jungle, but we are scared of the Vietnamese border police.  If we meet them along the way, they will shoot us...  But my favorite Bible verse is, 'Go and make disciples of all nations.'"

As you walk with these brothers and sisters between their tigers, you will become renewed and strengthened with a modern-day view of those who are called "Christians."

--taken from back cover

Stories From China: Fried Rice for the Soul, by Luke Wesley, Foreword by Brother Yun (1997)

Not long ago I spoke with Pastor Zhou, a leader of a house church network that asked us to partner with them in establishing an underground Bible school.  As we discussed what the school might look like, Pastor Zhou emphasized that they wanted a strong missions component in the curriculum.  I thought this was terrific, but assumed that he was largely interested in preparing their students for cross-cultural ministry within the borders of China.  But as he explained further, I quickly saw that I had underestimated their vision.  Pastor Zhou stated that they felt God had called the Chinese church ‘to take the gospel back to Jerusalem’.  He noted that the gospel was first shared in Jerusalem.  And then, for the most part, the gospel was taken westward to Europe and then North America.  Finally, missionaries brought the gospel to China.  Now, Pastor Zhou affirmed, the Chinese church believes that they have been called by God to take the gospel back to Jerusalem.  ‘We believe that God wants us to send missionaries to Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and on to Jerusalem.’ He looked at my white, American face and said, ‘It would be difficult for you to go there, but we Chinese have a long history of dealings with these peoples and nations.  We can fit in easily.  God is calling us to go.’ Back to Jerusalem—what a wonderful vision!

--Meditation #12: Back to Jerusalem

Restricted Nations: China, by Voice of the Martyrs, Riley K. Smith (2008)

…a group of Protestant missionaries working in Guitan, Fujian province, and retreating at Huasang village was attacked by a...Secret Society known as the Vegetarians.  The Vegetarians were an odd crew of insurgents.  Anti-government rebels who claimed to abstain from meat, the Vegetarians would bring nuts, seeds, and fruit as part of their worship ritual.

The vegetarians had gathered to cast lots, asking the spirits for guidance on the plans they had devised to carry out, one of which was attacking the missionaries retreating at Huasang.  Three nights in a row, the lot fell on the missionaries, and 120 men were sent to carry out the ruthless murder of the missionaries.

The morning of August 1, 1895, the Vegetarians descended on the unsuspecting missionaries…

The murder at Huasang was the first that Protestant missionaries had experienced since their arrival in 1807.  But the slaughter did not deter the gospel in China.  In a letter dated August 28, 1895, the remaining missionaries with the organization appealed for ten more workers to take the place of those who were killed.  Many responded.  In addition to the number of missionaries arriving, the martyrdom of these faithful ones created a hunger among the Chinese to experience Christ’s salvation.

The only adult missionary to survive the attack, Flora Codrington, recovered in England and returned to China.  Her deep commitment to the Chinese made a lasting impression, and thousands turned to Christ as a result.

--Secret Societies, p 40-42

Hong Kong Police Culture

Last night, I arrived really early to a prayer meeting at my church.  So, I went across the street to a cheap noodle shop.

I got inside, ordered beef noodles, and since it was a bit crowded, I sat at a table with another guy.  He was in his 30's.  We started talking, and I found out that he had grown up in this neighborhood, and was now an officer at the local police station.

We chatted a bit about Hong Kong, and he talked about how lousy Hong Kong's government is.  But, I really wanted to ask him about the area where he works in Wanchai, and specifically about the neighborhood around Hong Kong's world-famous bar district on Lockhart Road.  Incidentally, it's right by Hong Kong's largest police station.

I asked him, "As a police officer, what is the biggest problem you see in the neighborhood?"

"There are always many events and gatherings, so traffic is a big problem."

Coincidentally, I had also been thinking about the traffic problem--just not that kind of traffic.

"Anything else?"

"In the bars, there is a lot of drugs.  This is a problem."

Drugs in Hong Kong...that could have been an interesting conversation.  But, I didn't know when I'd have another opportunity to talk with a police officer about sex trafficking in Hong Kong.  So, I went for it.

"Okay.  I know people who say that there are many prostitutes at the bars on Lockhart Road who do not want to work there."

He lifted up his finger energetically.  "Oh, no!  No problem. There are no under-age.  All of them are legal age."

He meant that most of the prostitutes on Lockhart Road are 18 or older.  Unfortunately, most of them are also foreigners, employed for bar work and sex work.  This is sex trafficking, and it's definitely not legal.

Just to clarify--in talking with the officer, I assumed that he didn't know that, according to Hong Kong law, hiring someone from abroad for a job that involves sex work is considered sex trafficking.  Hong Kong law actually has a fairly reasonable definition of this crime--but these laws are rarely enforced.

"Oh, no under-age?  That's good.  But I hear that there are many women who have a six-month contract, and they are only paid for 2 or 3 months.  They get tricked, and their employers or agencies lie to them about their expenses."

"No, their boss and work agency has to explain to them."

"So, they all understand what they are getting into?

"Yes, they must know before they come."

In fact, many prostitutes do know what they're getting into before they come.  In fact, there are many who come to Hong Kong on a six-month contract, go back to the Philippines or Thailand, and then return again. Sometimes they bring a friend or a sister with them!  As bad as it sounds, there are certainly worse places to be a prostitute than in Hong Kong.

But, there are also many young women who come here and have no idea that they will be conned out of half their wages.  And there's nothing they can do.  After all, it's just a temp job, and things don't always work out your way, right?  It's just tough luck.

I continued talking with the officer.  "Well, I hope they know.  But, of course, most prostitutes in Hong Kong are in massage parlors, not on the streets, right?"

He looked confused, and surprised.  Eventually, he slowly said,  "There are some places that are not legal."

I tried to look laid-back and matter-of-fact as I explained, "Yeah, just like any big city, you might have 90% of prostitutes hidden away inside massage parlors and other businesses, and just a few out on the sidewalks."

I'm really not sure why he had to leave so suddenly.  But he had already finished his noodles, and didn't seem to be enjoying the conversation nearly as much as I was.

Anyway, after he left, I paid for my noodles, and went up to the prayer meeting.  A few people gather at my church weekly to pray for an end to sex trafficking in Hong Kong.  We prayed for Hong Kong's government, especially members of the judicial system.We also prayed for the police officers of Hong Kong (and for one in particular).

--

I read last year about some sex workers going to four different police stations in Hong Kong, to notify police that a prostitute had been raped.  The policemen's response at all four stations was the same.

They laughed.

I don't have the exact wording, but the idea was: "How can you rape a prostitute?  That's their job, right?"

Well...it's hard to know how to answer that, if you're talking with people who don't believe that prostitutes are full human persons, who share a common dignity with every other member of society.

But it's not just the average Hong Kong police officer who doesn't believe that prostitutes are worthy of having their dignity respected.  Most cultures see prostitutes as women who just really want to have sex and make a lot of money. That's a problem.  Because it's usually just not true.

Back to Hong Kong police culture, though.  If the police were to develop a more humane attitude towards prostitutes (and towards women in general), then the sex trafficking industry would...

Well, it would be ruined, wouldn't it?

Let's make people a little uncomfortable, and ruin things for Hong Kong's sex trafficking industry.

American Pastor Briefly Detained

Dennis Balcombe has been ministering in Hong Kong for decades, while also frequently ministering in China.

Over the weekend, an American pastor was detained in his hotel room in China, and was interrogated at length.  Nobody was imprisoned, and things seem to be okay now.  <sigh of relief>

This was a surprise, because these detentions/interrogations of foreigners have not been very common the past several years.  Regardless, his response was very hopeful, and informative.

What should our response be?

Pizza with a Pimp

The night before Easter, I was invited to dinner with a bar owner.  The friends who invited me are Christians, who actually have dinner with him each week.  This man—like many bar owners in many countries—employs Filipinas as bar workers and illegal prostitutes.  These workers are given very long hours (which are even longer on holidays, or when U.S. military ships pass through for R&R). The workers’ contracts are badly violated, so that they often earn a fraction of what they're promised.  Most of what I know about bar owners has never been attractive.  Until I met this guy.

It turns out that he is a happy-go-lucky man in his fifties, and he and his wife both run bars in the same red-light district.  He’s educated and well-connected in the city. He’s fun, intelligent, and generous (he treats my friends to dinner each week).  So, although the Filipinas he employs are quite scared of him, I think he’s mostly a really nice guy.  (But "nice" doesn't mean "good".  He still needs God!)

He doesn’t seem to know what he believes, or whether perhaps he should give up his line of work.  But he does really like hanging out with these Christians, he explained: "Because you all have a lot of joy!"

Please pray for this man, and for other businessmen like him, to repent of their involvement with sex trafficking, and to experience joy in knowing Jesus.

Jesus Loves Me

Musicians from RCMI led in singing "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" in English and Mandarin. I thought it was so cool to sing this song with 3000 Chinese brothers and sisters (many from mainland China), in the downtown Hong Kong Convention Centre.

(Note: No videotaping was allowed of the conference speakers, hence the discreet recording of myself).

Hong Kong Kingdom Culture Conference with Bill & Beni Johnson and Dean Fujishima, Feb 1-3, 2013

Let it rain

Exodus Cry has just sent a representative from Missouri to Hong Kong, to show their film Nefarious at several locations here.  This evening was my first time seeing the film, and it was a very powerful experience.  (P.S. Watch it!)

Before the film, I got to talk with Exodus Cry's Director of Prevention, Terry Mosteller.  He told me that whenever Exodus Cry sends people to a certain city or country, they focus on praying for that place, in partnership with the International House of Prayer.  (See 8:00 PM Mon Apr 01, 6:00 AM Tue Apr 02, and other Monday 8 PM intercession sets, for times of extended praise, followed by fervent prayer for the end of sex trafficking.)

Following the film, I went to a different meeting, to hear the director of European Freedom Network.  The discussion revolved around how they are helping to build a bridge to freedom for sex trafficking victims in Western Europe.  They are brought into Western Europe at the rate of 120,000 per year, and very few of them ever escape from the industry.  In the words of EFN director Jennifer Tunehag: "That's not okay."  She then briefly brainstormed with us about what a similar effort will look like in Hong Kong's context.

After that meeting, a few of us went to a nearby red-light district, where Sons & Daughters were ministering to prostitutes, mama sans, and bar workers.  I wasn't able to stay along, but did get to pray for a couple minutes with friends there.  Even as we stood on the sidewalk near the bar workers (who were trying to pull men inside to buy drinks and girls), we were able to pray with confidence, trusting that God will deliver and transform this place.

Just after that, I talked with a friend about an important event taking place this Monday. With fairly short notice, a meeting has been called to draw together anti-sex trafficking groups in Hong Kong.  It sounds like it will be pretty important in terms of developing partnerships, and clarifying vision and strategy.

A lot's happening...I think God is up to something here!

--

I just opened my bedroom window, because it's raining outside, and I just love to listen to rain after midnight.  There's lightning and thunder in the distance, and it's raining loudly.

At the moment, even in the middle of obvious darkness and injustice (in my neighborhood and city), I'm really enjoying this sense I'm experiencing right now.  I have a feeling that justice is coming to Hong Kong.

Let it rain.

I want to know Christ...

But now, I think that all the things I used to have to do on a daily basis to be "good enough", and all the ways I used to categorize myself and my special form of spirituality--basically, it's all garbage.  I just want to know Christ, and be identified simply in relation to Him (not any other holy person or group--just Him).

And I'm yearning to know the power of His resurrection in practical and transformative encounters, and real-life, daily experiences.  I also want to participate in His suffering, becoming like Him in His death, and then, eventually (I don't know how), get out of the grave with a life that will never die.

--Philippians 3:7-11

Justice Conference

Since I attended the Justice Conference last month in Philadelphia, I've been meaning to do a write-up on initiatives who are tackling sex trafficking around the world.  For several reasons, I actually missed most of the talks.  But more important than the talks was my time in the booths hall, talking with NGOs who are doing amazing work all over the world.

So, I don't have too much to share from the speakers.  But, I did take some pictures!

The speakers I heard were pretty great.  This is Gary Haugen, president of International Justice Mission.  His staff are tenacious.  Whatever country they're in, they want to prosecute traffickers.  So, they just keep working--for years--until the traffickers are in jail.  One of my favorite quotes (ever) is from Gary Haugen's talk: "What's so great about this is that, when they go to jail, they can't hurt the children anymore."

There was also a number of musicians.  They weren't all my style, but I really liked Leeland, and Gungor (who will also be performing at the conference in Hong Kong!)

I actually spent more time out in the booth area than in the main conference hall.  I think there were over 100 different justice initiatives represented.  They were almost all based in the U.S., but the majority had projects around the world.

There were too many to do justice to them all here.  So, this blog post will be specifically addressing anti-human trafficking work, as this was my main focus in attending the conference.

This will be long, so you might have to skim through and come back later.

Intervarsity Press, with books and resources to fight sex trafficking, including Refuse To Do Nothing: Finding Your Power to Abolish Modern-Day Slavery. (See video promo here.)

Vanguard University's Global Center for Women and Justice. See their "Ending Human Trafficking" podcast here.

IAST is a branch of the Salvation Army dedicated to fighting sex trafficking.  I spoke with Lisa Thompson, whose presentation was remarkable.  Here's an interview she gave about her work last October.

This year's Freedom Climb will see 44 women climb Mt. Everest, to Summit Kalaphatar (18,192 feet). On top of being an awesome hiking trip, it's also an awesome fundraiser, whose proceeds are used by Operation Mobilization to fight sex trafficking around the world.  What's also really cool is that the Freedom Climb team brings dozens of people to the base of Mt. Everest, who spend two weeks praying and crying out to God for an end to slavery, while the others are climbing.

The main work of Zion Project is to rescue and care for trafficked girls in Uganda.  Unlike some NGOs, their primary objective is not just to give every poor African extra condoms.  They know that real change requires long-term relationships, and reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit to heal and transform.

FAAST connects major Christian NGOs to combat trafficking.  They also provide training resources and workshops to educate about specifics of preventing human trafficking, and caring for those who have been freed.

The mission of Hagar International is to restore lives broken by sexual exploitation in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore...and now in Hong Kong!

From love146.org: "Pimps are strategic, organized, and committed in getting to children.  We must be more so."  Read the beautiful story about how they chose their name.

See Remember NHU's 5-minute documentary on how they prevent children from entering the sex trade.

Unseen Ministries gives valuable media support to help NGOs fight poverty and sex trafficking.  Interserve provides opportunities for people to use practical skills to meet real needs, all over the world.

The Justice Experience is set up at churches, schools, and events all over the United States.  It gives eye-opening (but not graphic) visual aids about what it means to be a slave.  (This project is coordinated by Calvary Chapel of Delaware County and the International Justice Mission.)

Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company does community-transforming work in Rwanda and Haiti.  This group doesn't specifically address human trafficking, but it was certainly one of my favorites at the conference.  Besides giving out free coffee each night of the conference (!!!), they also have a great motto: "Drink Coffee, Do Good."  (Maybe I'll take that as my life's motto.)

Justice Ventures International helps small "justice ventures" to grow by offering legal advice and  capital investment.   Justice--sounds like a very worthwhile investment idea!

Freedom Street Ministries is a ministry that YWAM coordinates to bring freedom to street sex workers. They have a pretty holistic approach to deal with this problem in the community of San Jose, Costa Rica.

I snagged a photo of Shane Claiborne, who was certainly a superstar of the conference.  Here, he is doing an interview with the Bruderhof Community.  (I'd never heard of them, either.  But I recommend looking around at their website for 90 seconds.)

World Relief is involved with many projects to help the poor and oppressed, including anti-trafficking work in Washington State, Florida, and North Carolina.  They also helped to launch FAAST.

Okay, I think International Justice Mission was my favorite.  They are dedicated human rights lawyers and activists who believe in the power of prayer. One of the staff told me that their daily office hours include private prayer time and a 20-minute all-staff prayer meeting.  By the way, they are also running the annual Global Prayer Gathering April 5-7.

Venture Expeditions.  Adventures + Missions = Justice for the Oppressed.  Way cool.

From the homepage of Better Way Imports, about their staff in Calcutta: "They would like to see the 10,000 sex workers in their neighborhood empowered with the choice of leaving a profession they never chose in the first place."

Exile International works with war-affected children and former child soldiers in the Congo and Uganda.

I didn't stay for it, but there was also a film festival.  Not Today is on the plight of slaves among India's dalits (untouchables").  It will be in U.S. theaters in April.

Stopping in briefly at the film festival were Pastor Andrew Gardener and Justice Advocate Tony Read, from my home church in Hong Kong.  They are now preparing for the Justice Conference Asia, to be hosted at the Vine Centre, May 16-18.  (Photo taken without permission--hence the covert rear shot.)

You may not read this whole post, or view all the websites and videos here.  But I'd like to suggest that you pick one that looks interesting, check it out, start praying for trafficking victims, and just do something.

Go for it.

Bold as a Lion

I was visiting a couple churches in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 10-11.  At one church, we heard from a couple people representing Operation Mobilization.  They were talking about their work, including Logos Hope, a ship of 400 missionary staff that travel the world.

On a side note, the ship actually recently docked for several weeks in Hong Kong, several blocks from my church in Wanchai. I got to meet several of the OM missionaries there last month during Thursday night street ministry.

Logos Hope docking in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong.

The Logos Hope ship contains the world's largest floating bookstore.

During OM's presentation in Cedar Rapids, they gave away a number of books. I got a copy of John Piper's Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die (free pdf available online).  A good friend in Fredericksburg had told me several days beforehand, "You have to read this book."  So, now I get to.  And it's really good!

--

Okay, now to the point of this blog: All I really want to write here is an excerpt from the book.  In chapter 12, Piper examines Romans 8:34:

Who is to condemn?  Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

And, though this doesn't do it justice, here's my personal translation of the verse:

Who can actually condemn us? Come on, guys! Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us!

This verse means a lot to me, because of its power in addressing the enemy's ploys to accuse God's elect.  When I experience the condemning voice of the "accuser of the brethren", Romans 8:34 is a "shield of faith".  I hold it up to remind the enemy that the case is closed--and Jesus has won.

Piper spends a a page unpacking the verse, and then he writes:

The world will bring its condemnation.  They may even put their sword behind it.  But we know that the highest court has already ruled in our favor.  "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).  No one successfully.  If they reject us, he accepts us.  If they hate us, he loves us.  If they imprison us, he sets our spirits free.  If they afflict us, he refines us by the fire.  If they kill us, he makes it a passage to paradise.  They cannot defeat us.  Christ has died. Christ is risen.  We are alive in him.  And in him there is no condemnation.  We are forgiven, and we are righteous.  "And the righteous are bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1).

Taken from simplesparrowart.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (...and Family!)

Yesterday was a pretty cool day.  Here is my Friday, roughly categorized into 3 sections: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I spent this past Thursday night with relatives in Chesterfield, Virginia.  It was a beautiful time of catching up, for the first time in a few years.  I forget sometimes...I have a really cool extended family!

So, Friday morning, I had breakfast with relatives near Richmond.  We'd had a great time the night before, catching up about all  our interests and involvements.  My cousins shared about everything from the Air Force and beekeeping, to music and blacksmithing.

Afterwards, I drove to Staunton (my "hometown"), and got a standard physical exam.  A medical intern happened to be at the clinic to shadow the physician.  The doctor especially wanted him to be there during my examination, because of how unusual my health is!

Then, I had an amazing lunch in downtown Staunton at "Taste of India".  I was able to meet up with my dad and my brother Daniel.  Regrettably, I didn't take pictures of them.  But I took pictures of the food!

All-you-can-eat Indian buffet, $7.95.  <cheers>

Over lunch, my dad told me that my old Nissan pickup (the same little blue truck I had during high school and college), has been turned into a tap-tap bus in Haiti!  After the last major earthquake, he set up a non-profit, to receive donations for projects to help the poor there.  Among other things he's done, he bought and donated several used cars in order to start a tap-tap service, to help fund a medical clinic there.

After lunch, I went with my brother Daniel to visit my mom's house in Swoope.  Oh, memories!

I didn't have time to mow the lawn...sorry, Mom!

From there, I drove to West Virginia to spend time with my grandparents (mom's side).  I took Route 250, which is a very windy road through mountains, with plenty of steep, hairpin turns.  Google maps claims that it takes about 3 hours to get there.  But I don't think they factor in the "Suggested Speed" signs (e.g. 15 mph) along the way.

This was one of yesterday's mountain-top experiences: entering West Virginia. 

It was pretty cold...

When I arrived to my grandparents' house in Lost Creek, West Virginia (close to 10 PM), we had a great dinner/late-night snack of vegetable beef soup, with cheese and crackers.  (Note: For people who haven't lived in the South, I don't think you can quite appreciate this sort of cuisine the same way.  Just trust me...it's really good!)

My grandparents, Jim and Virginia White, are retired Methodist ministers, and always have fantastic stories to share.  And I heard once again, with at least as much appreciation as ever, the story of my grandma Janie (his first wife), and her death.  In 1974, while they were in Vienna, Austria, she encouraged him to go behind the Iron Curtain.  He was ready to go, but she was sick, and needed to stay behind with friends in Vienna.

He had begun his trip, to preach and to encourage underground Christians in several countries.  But he received news that my grandma Janie had died of a brain tumor (CT scans were not common in those days, so they had no idea of this until her biopsy was done).  With no way to reach his underground contacts, he simply had to return to Vienna, and then to the funeral in Virginia (which my mom coordinated while a college freshman).

The course of my grandad's ministry eventually took a very different turn, and he ended up being planted as a minister in West Virginia for many years.  This calling, although not what he had envisioned, was certainly part of God's purpose.  He and my grandma Virginia (his second wife) have raised up an extended family with a strong dedication to God, and service to the needy.  They are now both retired Methodist ministers, and serving the Lord wholeheartedly.

I am truly blessed to be in this family!