So since we have been in the DR (2 years on June 28th) I have had a heart for the women on this island. Many are single moms fighting to feed and clothe there many children after the fathers leave them for another woman to start the cycle again. Some are women who are beaten and have no where to go so they take the abuse for many years. Then there are the ones that turn to prostitution as a way to make a living. Some are even fooled into thinking they are moving to another part of the island thinking they are going to work at a chicken restaurant, but find themselves far from home with no money left working in a brothel. Some have made choices, some have have been victims and some don't want to do it anymore, but where can they go?
There is a ministry here in Juan Dolio (about 15 minutes away from where we are in Boca Chica) called the Lily House and it goes out in search of these women, takes them in, shows them Jesus-like love and gives them alternative ways to make money. My friend Erica Jude has a huge part in the Lily House. She has allowed me to use my gifts of photography for special projects she is working on. I have gone out on street outreach a couple of times when they walk the streets and seek out these women at bars and in brothels.
Tonight we come to my town, Boca Chica, where prostitution is more wide spread than Juan Dolio and where we really don't know a lot, except the prostitutes are out during the day lining the highway and in the water at the beach looking for clients.
Erica had asked me to take time today to specifically pray about tonight. So I wrote in my journal and asked God for guidance on what I could do. Then I went over to a facebook page to get more info on a ministry in Las Vegas called Hookers for Jesus and I saw this testimony from the founder.....
So I got lots of inspiration from this video. What I realized at the end is that these girls just need someone to reach out to them. Someone to see them like Jesus sees them. Someone who can look at them as a child of God, not someone who sinned and made poor choices. Less judging and more loving. They are living a lie that they have believed from the biggest liar of them all, satan. They have been embraced by the devil and his false love. Yes, he lured them away from their lives with the promise of money. That they could be with their kids during the day, then lock them in the house at night and provide for them with the money they earn from turning tricks. He can even use their husbands, who want them to sell their bodies and their souls. Then he has them feeling so bad about themselves and so dirty and ashamed that they will never dig out of the pit and ashes and ever find Jesus. I drive by them on the side of the road and I don't know what to do. But doing nothing is....well doing nothing. Satan even whispers doubts to me like "You can't even speak their language...what can you do?". So I wave and say a prayer. I stop and give them a Jesus Calling book in Spanish. I don't judge. I just love. I don't know their story. I don't know how broken their hearts are. I don't know what kind of sexual abuse they have experienced that would get their precious little brains all mixed up to do this. I don't know if they just figure they are already "used" and what God would ever want to love them. I don't know how dead they are inside or how high they have to be to be with some of the men that go on sexcations to the Dominican.
There are so many unknowns, but I know this lady wouldn't be at the Lily House turning her life around if it wasn't for someone going out on the streets and looking for those who need to be rescued. And if I can help in that....I will. If I can make myself available for God to use me and my testimony, then I have to be available. I have to!
If you want to help, the Lily House needs sponsors for their ladies. It takes a lot of money to provide a home, food, housing and school for their children, salaries and more for all these ladies. Currently the Lily House can only allow ONE MORE woman to come into the house at their current budget, so sponsorships are needed now!!
Visit SCORE's website and go to the donate section.
Praying God does big things tonight and plants seeds and allows a new arm of ministry to start in Boca Chica. We are also headed to Spanish Language School for 7 weeks in June and July so my Spanish can be better! Praise God!
In His Grip,
Jodi
