I'm posting my most recent prayer letter because I know not all of you are on my prayer-letter-email-list. If you want to be on the list let me know. If you received and read this letter already, sorry.


Dear Friends,

God has been working in amazing ways over the past month. After more than a year of praying, seeking God’s will and waiting for his timing, God had opened doors into the red light district. It seems that the time of preparation has come to a close and a new phase is beginning. Praise God!

Last month, I decided to take an exploratory trip into the red light district with a translator to do research on the area. My goal was to talk to as many people as I could and gather as much information as they would allow. As I expected, we were met with suspicion. The madams didn’t have much to say and we couldn’t even get close to the prostitutes. I pressed on, until one madam said I should try the office. The office? When I finally found the office, I was surprised to find it looking very official, much like any typical small business office. The men who ran the office were distrustful but after asking a few questions, I tactfully inquired if they would be interested in free English classes. To my surprised, the four men liked the idea.

A week later, I returned to the office with my two other team members. Since the men I had met the week before were not actually in charge, we again encountered heavy suspicion. After carefully explaining who we were, the men seemed to relax a little. They were afraid we were a radical feminist group whose only interested was to forcefully eradicate prostitution in Korea. We explained that our goal was to help women in prostitution by giving them other viable options for employment. Although we didn’t say this at the time, it is also our goal to help to eliminate prostitution on some level, but even more importantly, to expose these women to the gospel of Christ. After four hours of discussion, which included dinner and a guided tour through the red light district, the men decided to accept our offer to teach English. They even to suggested that we use their conference room as a classroom and offered to advertise the class to the women!

We could not have been more in awe of God’s greatness. After a year of praying and wondering what God had in mind, we are now being welcomed in to Seoul’s largest red light district. We decided to start our first English class at the beginning of October to allow word of the class to get out to the women and to allow us time to prepare a solid curriculum for the program.

Just a few days after all this happened, I finished my second term of language study and left to return to the United States. I was disappointed to leave at such a critical point but I was desperately out of money. With no way to pay for another term of school, I lost my student visa and was forced to leave the country. Even though I will not be in the country, the English class in the red light district will be conducted by my team members.

I am now back in the States attempting to raise support so I can return to Korea. It has been a difficult process and many things stand in the way. One major issue has been the fact that I am an “independent” missionary and not under the authority of a particular mission agency. This being true, it has taken time and energy to convince churches that, despite my independent status, God really is working to bring salvation to prostitutes in Korea.

If you are interested in helping me financially, here are a few things you should know. I am in the process of discussing the possibility of gaining non-profit status through a church in the US. If this works out, I will be able to receive money through the church and issue tax deductible receipts. However, since this system is not set up yet any monetary support you wish to provide should be sent directly to me. I unfortunately will be unable to issue tax deductible receipts, but I hope that will change soon.

In order for me to live, work and study in Korea, I am asking 100 people to commit to supporting me for $25 monthly. If you are interested in doing this, please let me know. Beyond monthly support, I am in dire need of one time gifts to help pay for language school, my airfare back and to pay for the enormous housing deposit required when renting apartments in Korea.

If you feel led to support me, please send checks payable to Rochelle Potter at:
9101 Deers Tongue Circle West
University Place, WA 98467
USA

I would also appreciate your prayers for the following:

1. Pray that planning for the English classes will go well and that many women would attend. Pray that we would be able to build relationships with the women and that we would have opportunities to share Christ’s love with them.

2. Pray that we would continue to find favor with the men who run the red light district and that they will be open to the word of God. Pray that they will allow women to leave should they choose to do so.

3. Pray for my team members in Korea that they would remain vigilant and safe as they work in the very heart of sin and darkness. Pray for their physical safety as well as their spiritual well-being.

4. Pray that God would continue to open doors for me to speak to individuals and churches about this ministry. Pray for prayerful and giving spirits so I would be able to return to Korea as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continuing prayers and encouragement!
God Bless.