Desperate and lost

Last Saturday night, 2 members of the group went on a scouting/prayer walk to one of the most notoriously "dark" areas in Seoul.  We went out to see if this could be a potential area for future prayer walks, and it proved to be an area of great need. This area houses many foreigners, is near to the U.S. military base, and is known for its clubs, gay bars and prostitution street called "hooker hill."

Our first experience of the night was at the muslim mosque. As we were casually walking past to look at it, many people were going in for the nightly call to prayer for the Ramadan season. We decided to ask if we could go inside, and they said yes. So we walked up to look at the mosque itself, which is hidden from the road, and then we proceeded to go in for the prayer call. After almost wrongly entering the men's prayer section, we went up to where the women were, put on our head coverings, and stood in a line to prayer. We were calling on the name of Jesus to be made known and for eyes to be opened. The overwhelming sense of saddness for these people was so strong...everyone so ritually praying to a false god. We know that as we speak to the Lord, he responds and we hear him. But does this god speak back?? Do they hear from him? If only these people's dedication to prayer and fasting would be directed to Jesus!!

After the mosque, we walked down what is called "hooker hill"...a place known well by many foreign, and Korean, men in Seoul. Though this is supposedly not a true "Red Light District", it was lined up and down with bars offering much more than just drinks. We saw many men walking up and down the street, searching for the right girl, or the right price. We saw one foreign man in particular who looked so completely desperate that we literally felt sick to our stomachs watching him. The loneliness and desperation on his face was terrible. As we watched him for a while, he strolled alone down this street, then down the neighboring street lined with gay bars, never finding anything to satisfy him.

There is a city...a nation...a world...full of lost people. Desperate to find something more. Desperate to find someone to share with, talk to, love. Our one reaction the entire night was "Uh. Oh, Lord have mercy!"

Though this is all heavy and heart-wrenching, we are so thankful to the Lord for revealing things to us. He is revealing the depravity of man. He is revealing His heart for His people. He is revealing what He is calling us to do in this hour. Thank you Father for your faithfulness, for never giving up on the ones you love, and for opening our eyes and ears to see and hear what you do.

I love this song by Kim Walker. "It is finished. He has done it." Amen. Amen.