February 9, 2018
Friday night, we were able to go out to the streets of LA to reach out to the women being trafficked there. That night, the vibe was different than usual - where we normally felt peace, both physically and spiritually, there was more uneasiness in our hearts. There were more men, runners, and pimps out watching both us and the girls we were trying to encounter.
Despite the weird vibe we were feeling, we met 12 women that evening! Most of them accepted our gift bag and some even allowed us to pray right there with them. Getting our gift bags into their hands is such a victory, giving them a way to contact us and get the resources they need. One girl we met was completely ready to get off the streets. She had just had a baby three weeks prior and knew she wanted her life to change. Please be praying for courage and boldness for her to reach out to us and allow us to help her!
There was a corner that we kept driving by with about 3-5 girls at any given time and they were being heavily watched by a few men. Our hearts were breaking because we felt like it was unsafe for us to stop to talk to them. As we continued to drive past, we cried out to the Lord, asking Him to provide us even a moment to stop and love on these girls. Towards the end of the night, we drove past one final time, saw that the guys were not around, and felt peace about stopping. We quickly pulled over to talk to the three girls standing there. As we walked over to talk to them, two of us ended up talking to one girl who was a bit younger; she was so filled with joy and gratitude for the gift! Another one of us ended up talking to two slightly older women. As she talked to the women, she could see the hopelessness in their eyes. Their guards were up as they made crude jokes, trying to see if they could scare her. As we got back into the cars, our hearts broke as their faces - filled with despair and years of trauma - flashed through our minds. These women were only acting that way out of a place of hurt, from years of abuse and rejection.
People often think our outreach is exhausting due to the time of night we go out and the emotional toll it takes on our hearts, but it is actually the complete opposite. It is indescribably beautiful to witness the atmosphere in the vehicle throughout the night as we interact with the women on the streets. Often, there is a rise in energy, passion, and joy for them as we pray for the things they request. Of course, there are different seasons when ministry gets difficult and tiring but, each time we do outreach, I am reminded of our mission and purpose and I gain a fresh revelation of God's heart for these women.
Every Saturday we go out, I think that my love for them couldn't grow any deeper but, each week, my passion and desire for their freedom increases! I hold onto this for the future to remember that as we bring light and blessing to others, we in-turn receive a blessing as well as witness the depth of God's love for His people. It is a privilege to play our part in this ministry!