Lent Week Two: Transforming Encounters

by Dr Scott Dowman

In 2003, my wife and I met Naomi* at a ‘safe house’ in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. The house was part of the first anti-human trafficking ministry set up in Thailand in 1989, called the New Life Centre. At the centre, we were working as English teachers. During this work, we had a transforming encounter with Naomi, a courageous and faithful young follower of Jesus who challenged us deeply about the type of Christians we aspired to be.

Naomi’s story was tragic. She was trafficked from her village in a remote part of Myanmar as a 14-year-old. She grew up in a Christian family and was an active member of her local church. An intelligent girl, she had completed all the schooling available to her in her village. But one day, a man came to her community and promised her work as a domestic helper in Thailand. Poor, and with few opportunities, her family agreed to allow her to go. But when she arrived, she was enslaved in the sex industry. For two years, she rarely left the room where she was held captive. Despite her situation, she told us she never gave up. She prayed each day that God would rescue her and use her to help the other girls, some of whom were only 10 years old.

She said she never believed God was not hearing her prayers.

Not long after her 16^th birthday a man entered her room. But instead of wanting to harm her, he wanted to talk with her. He was an undercover officer with the Thai Government’s anti-trafficking squad. He was the answer to Naomi’s prayers.  After several meetings a rescue operation was launched, and 20 girls were rescued. But as the social workers entered the room where Naomi had been held captive nothing could have prepared them for what they found. Written in pen on the wall of her room were the words from Psalm 27:

The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,

When my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear, though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

Naomi told us she had memorised the psalm at Sunday School and as she endured the horror of human trafficking, it sustained her, even when she thought she couldn’t go on.

This encounter impacted us greatly. We learnt that just because we are Christians, we are not immune from suffering. Her faithfulness, in the worst of situations, showed us that God listens to our prayers and rescues us from the evil in this world. In Jesus, there is always hope.

Naomi* not her real name

Questions to think about:

God often brings people into our lives that impact us deeply. Can you think of a transforming encounter you’ve had? What was the impact of this encounter?

God also uses the Scriptures to create transforming encounters. Can you identify a Bible verse that has been transformative in your life?

Missionary Amy Carmichael once said: “One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving”. Jesus’ death on the cross is the ultimate expression of love. How can we express transformative love in our own communities?