Nepal (MNN) — If Jesus were walking the earth today, where do you think He would be spending most of His time?
Would it be at malls or coffee shops? Business offices or grocery stores? Prisons or hospitals? Perhaps.
But what about brothels?
That might not be far off according to Patrick Klein, founder and director of Vision Beyond Borders: “I believe if Jesus were walking the earth today, He would be in those deepest darkest places and bringing the truth to set the captives free,” says Klein, “I believe that’s where we as Christians need to go and set these captives free, tell them the truth about Jesus Christ.”
That is the conviction of VBB. And as faithful servants seeking to follow Jesus’ footsteps, they are working to bring the Gospel to people trapped in a life of sin. In Nepal alone, 250,000 women have been trafficked into India for prostitution.
For years, VBB has been working in India and Nepal to help these women. They have established a safe house in India. “We’ve seen the success of the work done in India. So we thought: let’s replicate it in Nepal.” And so, they are.
The safe house is just the beginning. So far, the project has progressed quickly. They have half of the money raised that they need to set up the house. Thirty women are ready and waiting to come out of prostitution. One of the first steps completed was to build a beauty salon in Kathmandu. This has helped them get the initial connection to trafficked women so that they
can begin sharing the Gospel.
Eventually, VBB hopes that the safe house will move from housing ten women to housing 50. “The goal is to see these girls come to faith in Jesus Christ. We’re different from the world. The world says, ‘Let’s just take these girls out of the environment and try to change it.’ But we believe that when God changes the heart of a person–especially these girls, they find
forgiveness for their own sins. Then they can forgive those that have wronged them or abused them,” Klein explains. VBB plans to disciple the girls and teach them skills with which they can begin to support themselves.
In time, VBB wants to set up a compound where they can teach the women to grow vegetables and take care of animals. This would be a long-term, self-sustaining place of residence for the women while they get on their feet. They want the women to be able to go back to their villages and witness to their relatives, or find a job in the city.
Everyone involved in this all-too-common scenario need your prayer, whether it’s the women themselves, the people who enable the trade, or the ones trying to get them out.
“This is really a spiritual battle. We see all levels of corruption whether it be government officials, police [standing] on the street corners, or the brothel owners. But we know only the Gospel can change it, and we know that it’s a sin issue. And we need to pray that God would break through and show these brothel owners the truth.” Klein says there are instances of these brothel owners coming to Christ and forgiving the debts of the women they had enslaved.”
VBB still has a long way to go before they can get the house rented and ready for women ready to escape the harsh life of prostitution. The ministry must have a deposit of six months ready, and they need to purchase furniture and other necessities. If you feel led to help VBB raise the second half of the needed funds, click here.
