Before meeting Christian Lenty, I had no idea what to expect. I knew he was doing some rather unconventional work (by American standards) but wasn’t sure how “messy” it would be. Having to fill out an application before he’d visit with me, even with a credible and well-known mutual connection, I knew I was in for something unique.
What I heard opened my eyes to a new and very different world. Chris actually spends time in the Red Light District in Bangkok creating friendships with….the men…who visit red-light districts and potentially participate in what the environment has to offer.
Take a look at this 1 minute video to hear from Chris directly.
His biggest challenge: “Not to stereotype?”
He says, “The enemy has no gender preference. Men are not simply part of the problem, but should be looked at as part of the solution. Sin is the problem…and restoration begins in the home.” Chris recognizes that most men who solicit women are there because of various reasons. The cycle may have begun as children, and may include feeling rejected, alone, etc. And for some men their presence in a red-light district, in Bangkok, the US or anywhere else, is a manifestation of that cycle begun so long ago.
So, helping these men helps them become part of the solution to this issue. The best part is this is not the end of the line for these men.
In the HOPE Campaign (http://www.mstproject.com/hc), Chris and his staff walk with men in the church as they find freedom and experience victory from purity struggles.
Through Real Men Pursuing Purity (http://www.mstproject.com/rmpp), they inspire men to pursue wholeness in all areas of their lives so they can give back to their families and communities.
I’ve wanted to share his story for so long, but it’s taken time for me to wrap my arms around it…and get far enough away from it…that I could write about it. It’s a big, emotionally and spiritually complex world he lives in. Chris doesn’t need teams of people coming in to walk around with him. He only needs a few select support staff who know beyond a doubt this is their calling. It requires significant commitment on all levels.
What he does need is financial resources and interceding prayer.
Since meeting Chris in Bangkok and getting a view of a Red Light District through his lens, I’ve met him and his wife, Nui, for dinner while they were in the States. He’s also been a point of contact for me and other friends traveling through Bangkok. I consider Chris and Nui friends. If you’d ever like to meet him or talk to him, he’s just as approachable as he seems in the videos. If you’d like to support the work he and his staff do, it would be a worthy partnership. In case you’ve not been all through the website yet (which is hard not to do!), click here to partner with Chris and Nui (http://www.mstproject.com/donations).