A church youth group leader is seen going into a gay bar – he has a secret struggle with homosexuality. A wife leaves her ten-year-old son and husband for her lesbian lover. David, 22, after living as a transgendered prostitute since the age of 15 becomes a Christian and comes to us for counseling.

This is modern day Kuala Lumpur, steamy capital of Malaysia. Pursuing Liberty Under Christ (PLUC), an Exodus Member Ministry in Malaysia invited Peter and Dot Lane, director of Exodus Asia Pacific, to work with them – speaking in churches, counseling people and leading seminars. Peter says, “We arrived to find that sexual problems, once considered to occur only in the decadent west, were present everywhere in Malaysia and the Malaysian church.”

Malaysia has 50,000 HIV patients but few hospices or houses where they may stay and be cared for. Educational programs educating women about protecting themselves from sexual assault are beginning. The police have recently started a program for victims of childhood sexual abuse. These are evidence of the country’s willingness to admit that sexual problems occur in Malaysia and begin some kind of response to them.

Although YWAM and several Christian counseling ministries reach out to the red light districts of Kuala Lumpur, they only scratch the surface of an enormous need. Sadly, the Malaysian church has struggled in responding to this need. Peter Lane reveals, “Pastor after pastor told us, ‘We cannot talk about sexuality in this conservative culture.’ In Kuala Lumpur we found that only 2% of Christians received any education from their local church about Godly sexuality, while 20% know someone who is gay and want to know how best to respond to them.”

The price of this silence has been enormous. The enemy has worked in this silence, enticing many young Christians into immorality and homosexuality.

Peter reports that one of the major issues concern Chinese Christian women (there are very few Indian Christians in Malaysia) who came forward during ‘invitations for prayer’. Their problem? Major gender confusion. Sadly, the parents of many girls (whether Islamic or Buddhist) rejected their daughter’s gender, seeing daughters as less important than sons. Because of this, many daughters are disposed of illegally – sold into prostitution or as child brides. Now, as adults, these women struggle with their womanhood and feel it is safer to have relationships with other women than to with men.

Peter said about their work, “It was an extremely busy time with regular weekly counseling appointments, fortnightly men’s and women’s [support] groups, then up to four night [speaking engagements] per week. In addition, we wrote a small book called Setting the Captives Free, which is designed to be culturally relevant in Malaysia. We are looking for a publisher for this book.”

So where will Exodus go from here? The needs Malaysia (let alone the rest of Asia) to hear the Gospel of Sexual Redemption are overwhelming; opportunities to minister are endless and truly the fields are ‘white unto harvest’. Peter and Dot plan to return to Kuala Lumpur in the middle of 2004 to help organize an Exodus Asia Pacific conference.

What Can I Do?

Pray. God works through Exodus only when you pray. Exodus needs people who will pray for its ministry in Malaysia and through out the Asia Pacific region. Will you send us a letter telling us that God has called you to pray?

Give. Exodus Asia Pacific needs your financial support to enable Peter and Dot Lane to take the good news of the gospel of sexual redemption to countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand. Exodus Asia Pacific has launched the 25/20 Initiative. They are seeking 25 friends of Exodus to give $20 / month towards the missions work of Exodus Asia Pacific. Your gifts can bring the good news of hope in Jesus to men and women struggling with homosexuality and other areas of sexual and realtional brokeness in these places. Will you give as God directs you? Information about giving to Exodus Asia Pacific is available here.

Participate. Some Christians feel they cannot participate because they have never been a homosexual. As a result, Exodus works without the resources that many other Christian ministries have received. We need people to bring their gifts and talents in ministry service and ministry development to Exodus — the potential harvest is vast, the workers are few. God has no other plan than to work through the people He has called. Exodus Asia Pacific has missions opportunities for people interested in ministry to homosexual men and women as well as those who struggle with pornography, immorality or the effects of sexual abuse. Will you let God use your gifts and talents at Exodus?