Update from last week's street outreach.....

So last week we went out to walk the streets of Boca Chica last night around 9:00.  Normally street outreach is in Juan Dolio and a group of ladies seek out women enslaved in sex trafficking and prostitution.  I think it was only my second time down on the strip at night.  They close off the street and restaurants put tables out in the street.  So we started walking and talked to a couple of girls standing outside of a restaurant with skimpy attire where we could find some girls.  They told us they are all around from here to the end of the street any girl you see is probably working.  There were a lot of girls, more than are in Juan Dolio where the Lily House usually does outreach.  So we walked and talked with some of the girls.  One girl in particular "D" was Haitian and she spoke English.  I woke up this morning with her on my mind.  I felt the Lord saying...."here is one for you and she even speaks English".  Right off the bat she was very blunt "I don't do this because I want to.  I do it for my baby girl.  I am Haitian and no one wants to give me a job.  So this is what I can do."  Partially true, there is a constant struggle between Haitians and Dominicans, they don't like each other....and it goes WAY back!  It is very sad!  I had some bags with travel size shampoo, conditioner, lotion and soaps that I had with a little card printed out with some qualities that could be had with a life in Christ.

I had probably 10 or so in my purse and I was quickly surrounded my many eager for their "free gift".  Even one Dominican guy wanted one "for his woman" he said.  We quickly realized that there were many, many girls out and they all wanted what we had to give out.  We met a woman they all call "Mom" who is a street cleaner.  She told Erica that "You should just gather up all the girls and take them somewhere" which is funny because Erica had said months ago, maybe we just need to have a gathering and invite them all to it during the day, it might be easier.  So we left thinking that might be best...to take them out of their element.  We then drove around to some other hot spots in town.  The Candy Shop where you can pretty much order a drink and then a girl.  The next place was the "Yellow House" which we think is pretty much a brothel.  We talked with a lady who was a cook there and she said that she could get us in.  We told her to talk to the boss and we would come back next week.  There was another club with a Playboy bunny on the front and we talked to 2 girls sitting outside eating.  We didn't get too far there.  It was a great night of gathering information and we are excited to see how God uses us in the future!!

In His Grip,

Jodi