A Testimony By Jane Soh
Jane shares her missions trip experience, where God opened her eyes to His compassion, presence, and resurrection hope in unexpected places.
My missions trip to Pattaya’s Red-Light District taught me that Jesus’ love reaches even the darkest places. When I first saw the women and men there, I felt overwhelmed by the brokenness and pain. Yet God reminded me that we were not there to judge or to fix people; we were there simply to carry His presence. I learnt that true victory is not loud or forceful but humble and compassionate.
One of the first moments that broke my comfort zone was stepping into the bars. It was uncomfortable, but in that place, God began dismantling my biases and preparing me for the unknown. I began to understand what servant discipleship truly means: to love without prejudice and to bring light without fanfare.
At first, befriending the ladies in the bars by buying them drinks and playing pool seemed simple, almost ordinary. But as we spent time together, I noticed subtle changes: their guardedness fading, their laughter becoming genuine. In those moments, I sensed God reminding them that true friendship exists and that there is a very different life waiting for them beyond those walls, a hope for them to cling to, perhaps even a quiet shift in how they see life.
There were many moments throughout the trip that revealed God’s heart to me. One highlight was praying as a team right in the heart of Pattaya Lane X at the Outreach Centre. As we declared Christ’s kingship over the city, I felt His peace and authority fill that place. I witnessed that spiritual warfare is real, yet Jesus’ presence is far more powerful.
The children’s ministry touched my heart deeply. Seeing children born out of the prostitution trade now laughing, singing, and learning about Jesus gave me a glimpse of resurrection hope. Their innocence and joy reminded me that God’s new creation is already breaking through, even in the most unlikely places.
Through these encounters, I learnt to depend fully on the Holy Spirit. I realized how limited my own strength was and how much I needed His leading in every interaction and decision we made in the field. God shifted my perspective from doing to being, from striving for outcomes to trusting in His unseen work.
This trip has deepened my understanding of missions.
I used to think missions were about preaching, teaching, or running projects for people in need. Now, I see that missions are first about presence and obedience: being available for God to love others through us, showing up when He calls, even when it feels difficult or I’m unsure of what difference I can make.
Missions are not about success or numbers, but about faithfulness: loving one person at a time in the moment that God places before me, trusting that He is at work even when I can’t see the end goal. It’s also about letting God transform me in the process. He revealed my tendency to seek affirmation through results and reminded me that the true fruit of missions is a heart that reflects Christ.
Above all, I learnt that resurrection hope belongs everywhere, even in places like Pattaya Lane X. When we choose to walk into darkness with love and prayer, we become part of God’s story of renewal. Looking back, I realize that God didn’t just send me to bring light to Pattaya; He used Pattaya to bring His light deeper into my heart.
Note: The names of locations and other identifying details have been altered to preserve confidentiality.