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.