Broken in Las Vegas

So I have done several touristy things, but I have also been broken in many ways for the lost people here. This morning, I got up and went to see a live taping of The View. Then I went to the pool to people watch and semi-sunbathe. :) Then I went to lunch with my new Indian friend Sakthi. She just got married to Daniel's coworker, Mahendra. It is so strange to me - an arranged marriage. In Jamie-fashion, I've already found out why she eats meat and he does not. He believes it is a sin and she does not. They are Hindu. And, I cannot remember the city in which she is from, but it is not illegal to be a Christian there.

I prayed for the time I would spend with Sakthi before I left, but it wasn't a whole lot - I hope my Jesus was represented nonetheless. I am intrugued by her and Mehendra and the whole arranged marriage thing. It seems neat really.

Okay, so as I'm finishing this blog, I am already home again. Yes, I was broken by the people in Las Vegas, but the world is lost everywhere. I guess I was struck by the men giving away the tiniest of brochures about nude women you could have in minutes. The "brochures" were small like giving someone a "tract" with the gospel truth on it. And, I was thinking how much audacity does one have to hand out a brochure to a man with his wife in tow! They were not successful, but attempts were made nonetheless - in the day light, at night, whenever, by men, by women too. At first, I was a little angered, but then I just thought how sad that one feels like they must do this to earn some extra cash! And not only them, but the women secretly out there behind the scenes.

Prostitution is illegal there, but this is really no different to me - T-shirts that read, "Women to you in less than 20 minutes..." It is heart-breaking, especially knowing that our church is going on mission there at the end of the month. Because of this I know that these men and women passing out tracts may represent homeless children that are aided by a program called Surgance. What will our church teach their own children about these things and how to view them? I mean, there are barely dressed men and women posted as soon as you land in the airport, so...

I am just reminded that the mission field is wherever you are, with whoever you are with. So this is just a taste of all that I could write about Las Vegas - I haven't thoroughly thought through a lot of it.