In 2015, I booked a nearly two-week multiple destination business trip leaving Auckland for Xi’an, Shanghai, Guanzhou, Kuala Lumpur, then back home. On the eve of my trip, we invited a close friend to come over for a prayer session.
The trip was a significant one, meeting up with three Asia-based business partners to broker a global distribution deal with a prominent Chinese firm.
The destinations were strategic; a) Xi’an was where the Silk Road started from; b) Shanghai Port was one of the first Chinese ports to open trade with the Western world, and c) Guangzhou was where the firm’s HQ was based. I arrived around Chinese New Year, so there was a spirit of celebration in the air.
Xi’an and Shanghai meetings went smoothly, and eventually, we arrived in Guangzhou. Our host picked us up in his Bentley and drove us straight to his five-star hotel to check in. In the evening, he took us out for dinner. Wine was served to toast our arrival, and for future success of our collaboration. I took a sip of the red wine to respect our host, but for the entire trip I was drinking water only.
Dinner took three hours, then we headed back to the hotel where we were led to a private karaoke room on a different floor.
There were two large square coffee tables full of finger food and all the top-shelf spirits you can think of. I was happy with my NZ pump water bottle I had in my hand.
Within 10 minutes of taking our seats, six women entered the room. They stood in a line in front of a large tv screen facing us. I turned to one of my associates and he explained they will just come and sing with us. Then I heard our host speaking in Mandarin and pointing at me, he wanted me to pick first. In my heart, I’m calling out to Jesus for help. Reluctantly, I said OK, and as I looked up, I saw the youngest of the girls who later I found out was 19 years old. Everyone else followed suit and the karaoke began. Throughout the evening, I communicated with the girl now sitting next to me through a translator app on my phone and her phone. I showed her photos of my wife and my children. I found out more about her; her age, her current student status, and how she was following her older sister in this line of work to earn and pay for her college tuition.
At the end of karaoke, it caught me completely off-guard that our host had organised for the girls to accompany us to our room. It led to a short but heated discussion with my associate. In the end, I felt like God had given me a plan. I didn’t run like Joseph did from Potiphar’s wife, but boldly and at the same time scared, headed to my hotel room with the girl.
I would advise anyone to do the exact opposite of what I did.
The minute we entered the room, the translator app was useful to explain to the girl that I was not interested in s*x. She seemed both relieved and confused. For the next hour, I opened my NIV Bible to John 3. Using the app, I translated the whole chapter word for word. The presence of God entered the room, and I was in tears, she was in tears, and she accepted Jesus to be her Lord and Saviour.
Then, I felt the Lord ask me to give her my Bible that was gifted to me by a close friend from the USA during our DTS. I quietly said, “yeah, but no”. It’s got tears and snot marks, highlights of all the colours of the rainbow. The third time I heard the Lord, I said to the girl, “I want to gift you this book, which will do two things; it will improve your English, and you’ll learn more about Jesus.”
A smile appeared across her face, then I asked her to leave. As I held the door for her, the Bible was lying on the bed, and for a moment, I was almost glad that she may leave it behind. But she turned to pick it up, clutched it tightly under her arm, and with a big smile, said thank you and left.
I was relieved but exhausted, and my legs were shaking. I closed the door and contacted my wife before I realised it was nearly 4am at home and told her what just happened.
At breakfast in the morning, I joined one of the associates, and he asked me how my night went. I told him what happened. I told him about my faith. For the next thirty minutes, I witnessed to him about salvation. By the time the other two associates joined us, we were both in tears as I listened to his testimony and how he was brought up Catholic.
When I’m reminded, I pray for that girl, that God would just keep watering the seed planted in the most unlikely event of my life. Maybe, one day, it would be good to have my Bible back.
I ventured across the world to collect silver and gold of this world, but the Lord had a plan to collect the soul of one prostitute, and God knows how many more through her.
With courage and boldness, don’t be afraid to take risks for the Lord, for “…the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” (Deu.31:8).
In His richest blessings,
Frank Po Ching