CLS Christian Lawyer Magazine June 2014_Proofforweb.pdf Jun. 2014 | Page 16

ATTORNEY MIN I ST R I ES

SELLING
PRICELESS
GOODS

WENDY L. PATRICK, J.D., M.DIV., PH.D.

I

n beautiful downtown Pohang, South Korea, there is a dirty
secret. One block of the main drag, right next to the police
station, there is a dark street with glitering lights . . . a street
that comes alive at night. No signs advertise the merchandise
displayed in these windows . . . it is obvious what is for sale.
Customers window-shop, inspecting the wares, sometimes
stopping to inquire if there are any deals. I walked through
the glitering street recently with a group of Christian law students—although for a very diferent reason. While customers
were there to question the worth of the merchandise, our mission was to redeem it. As you have probably igured out, the
merchandise was women.

Balancing Grace and Justice for a Living
As a deputy district atorney in the sex crimes and human traficking division of the San Diego District Atorney’s Oice, I

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prosecute human traickers for a living. At the same time, as an
ordained minister, I also understand grace. What was I doing
in the red light district of Pohang, South Korea? In connection
with teaching a class on Human Traicking at Handong International Law School, I accompanied a group of Christian law
students who visit the red light district as a ministry, hoping to
inluence the women there to abandon their lifestyle and accept Jesus Christ. hese women probably have not heard that
as negatively as they view themselves, they are created in the
image of God.

“God created human beings in his own
image” (Genesis 1:27)
I have to admit that when we turned into the alley and I saw
the irst scantily clad woman striking a provocative pose in
the window, teetering in heels so high she could barely balTHE CHRISTIAN LAWYER | JUNE 2014