My friend Annick knows how to make me laugh at myself.She takes every opportunity to remind me how one day, while we were talking in the car, I drove straight through a red light.Her remark at the time was, "You know, Debbie, here in Belgium we stop when the light is red."Lucky for me, that traffic pole was without one of those nifty cameras that automatically takes a picture of your license plate if you run a red light.Thus far, I have received no traffic ticket in the mail for that offense.

A more recent experience with red lights came the week before Thanksgiving. For one night, we hosted fellow ABC missionary Lauran Bethel and 5 Hungarian Baptists who were traveling to compile information and film footage about prostitution in Europe.Invited by Lauran after her arrival to join the group for the Antwerp/Amsterdam leg of their journey, I threw some things in my backpack and climbed in the big blue Baptist mini-bus ready to see a different side of Belgium and to see Amsterdam for the first time.

Mid-morning we met with staff from a shelter for women who have been "trafficked" into Belgium.In other words, the women this shelter helps have been brought into Belgium for work in prostitution.Some of the women come knowing they will work as prostitutes...others do not.They work for the trafficker who reaps the financial reward of the women's sale of their bodies.The pressure on the women to stay in "the job" is high since these women usually have no legitimate papers to be in Belgium, and the traffickers frequently threaten physical harm to the woman and/or her family in her homeland if she leaves prostitution.

In an attempt to catch and prosecute traffickers, the Belgian government established a system through which "trafficked" folks can safely leave prostitution.In exchange for information about the "traffickers," the victims receive legal and financial assistance until they can safely return to their homeland or receive permission to remain in Belgium.

When we were done talking at the shelter, we took a walk through Antwerp's red light district."What do I do with my eyes?" I thought."Stare at the ground?Look straight ahead?Close them altogether and follow the sound of footsteps ahead of me?"

I was relieved to get back in the big blue Baptist van.It was time for a consult with Lauran, who is known for the work she did among prostitutes in Thailand."So, Lauran, how do you ever get past those walls of glass?How do you begin to establish relationships with these women?"

Her answer was simple...just look the woman in the eye and smile.If she makes eye contact, chances are she'll smile back.Then you can go up to the glass and say, "Hi."If she seems willing to listen, tell her who you are and why you're there.Ask if she'd like you to come in and talk with her...or have a little gift to offer...a book, candy, a flower for a holiday...and then ask if you can pray with her.

And, you know what, it works!At 11:30 p.m., after a meeting with staff from a Christian shelter for prostitutes in Amsterdam, I hit the red light district together with Lauran and a volunteer from the ministry.The volunteer was looking for a couple of women with whom she has been speaking over the last couple of months.We didn't come across them.But, in a neon-red-lit courtyard accessible by a small door, we found four women.We went up to the farthest door, and the volunteer took the first step.The woman behind the door was responsive, and the volunteer asked if she'd like to have one of the books we'd brought along.The woman said "yes."The volunteer asked if we could come in, and the woman opened the door and let us in.As the woman drew her curtain closed behind us, the volunteer asked her name, and she responded "Beloved."There was a short explanation about the ministry and the shelter, and the volunteer asked Beloved a couple of quick, unobtrusive questions.When the volunteer asked Beloved if we could pray with her, Beloved's eyes lit up, and she smiled and said "yes."

The four of us held hands and prayed in the glow of the red lights.Hopefully, for Beloved, our presence provided a ray of hope...an assurance that, while we might not condone her livelihood, we would never fail to love her...a glimmer of the Light of the World whose coming we celebrate this Christmas.

We never know where this Light might lead us.This loving Light knows no bounds and is only limited when we stand in its way.What looked to me like glass walls are actually doors into women's lives.Not just doors for selfish customers, but doors for all of us who will bring Light.

It was a wonderful Christmas gift for me to get this look at a ministry unfamiliar to me.Thanks be to God that we are continually challenged to grow in our love for the world and to grow in our capacity to minister with that world.

• Pray with me that the volunteer is able to find Beloved again, and that Beloved will remain open to the ministry of the Scarlet Cord and open to the Gospel.
• Pray for the Hungarian Baptists who are establishing a shelter for prostitutes in Budapest.
• Pray for Lauran Bethel who works with people in many lands who seek to minister with women.
• Pray for Jim and me as we seek to understand the culture of Belgium where "human trafficking" is not uncommon.

We include here a picture of the manger scene made by the six children in our Sunday school. The simple figures remind us that Jesus came for all of us. May the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, bring you warmth and peace and joy in this time of Christmas celebration and throughout the New Year.

Debbie (along with Jim, Luke and Ben) Kelsey