15 September 2007

MIDNIGHT

Up to 80% of strippers were raped or sexually abused as CHILDREN.

Up to 60% of exotic dancers suffer from severe depression and other psychiatric disorders.

ONE IN FOUR (!!!!) children becomes a victim of sexual abuse (isolated or repetitive) before their 18th birthday.

The average age of a beginner prostitute is between 14 and 16 years of age and fully 42% of all prostitutes begin hooking before the age of 18.

Up to 95% of prostitutes have been raped or sexually abused AS A CHILD.

Every time you see a pornographic photo of a woman, every time you watch an exotic dancer perform, every time you pass a hooker on the street or in a hotel... You are looking at someone's LITTLE GIRL.

NO little girl dreams of growing up to be a stripper.
NO young girl aspires to become a prostitute.

This is someone's DAUGHTER.
A LITTLE GIRL who, at some point in her life, was violated physically and/or emotionally.
She is not an OBJECT or an ILLUSION.
She is just like YOUR DAUGHTER or YOUR MOTHER or YOUR SISTER.
She is someone's daughter or mother or sister.

Last night, for the first time, I participated in HPC's MIDNIGHT OUTREACH.
We left around 9:30 pm and hit various bars & strip clubs around the greater metro area. We gave the working girls roses and other gifts and we gave the bouncers/owners/managers chocolate.
This is NOT what you may think.
We do NOT go out to preach to these girls. We do not criticize; we do not chastise; we do not look down on them... We don't tell them they could do better or that they need to come to church or that what they are doing is wrong.
WHY?
Because they already know that.
Our SOLE PURPOSE is to tell these girls (and guys!) that God loves them -- that WE love them -- right now, right where they are.
They do not need to DO anything or BE anything more than they already are to receive this love.
And what they are is a precious CHILD of God who is hurting more than you or I could ever know.

Not too long ago, I asked God to break my heart for the things that break His.
I think He has answered me.
My heart ached last night for those ladies I saw. As I looked into their eyes, I could sense an unspeakable desperation. Some eyes appeared vacant -- a telling sign of the drugs that kept them going. Some would not look me in the eyes at all.
One girl stopped dancing and leaned down to thank me and as I looked into her eyes, I thought, "Dear God, she can't be more than 16 or 17 years old! This is somebody's child!"

But they are all children.
And my heart is broken.


Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
-- lyrics from HOSANNA by Hillsong

6 comments:

Carole Turner said...

Amen siter!

Joyce said...

Very sad. You go for it Summer.

I have a story for you about a little girl we know but I will tell you later in private......very similar in all those stats you listed.
It's just heartbreaking beacuse this girl went to our church and then onto BIBLE COLLEGE and was a strong Christian. We know and love her dearly. She lost her way somewhere and ended up in the pits of hell.
She herself was lost in the clubs here in B.R. and didn't think we knew....but we did. We accepted her regardless because we love her.
She's in another town now.

These "down grades" in their lives can happen to all classes of people. Even to good litle "Church" girls that have or do go through some sort of heartache or trauma.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to "draw" them with His strong love.

Donna Frank said...

The faces change but the pain doesn't. Great post...keep crying, out for them and for them.

Anonymous said...

Great post... Written perfectly...HPC Strip Clubs Outreach Rocks! Go Jesus..Go Jesus

Anonymous said...

Thanks for writing what you did in this post. DeLynn and I are so thankful you and your husband and kids is a part of HPC. We are proud you and amazed at how good God is to us letting us serve alongside families like yours.

Anonymous said...

Not too long ago, I had a conversation about this with my boyfriend, who definitely either doesn't get my point or who does not want to get my point. I basically said the same things you say here, in this blog...these girls are someone's daughter, mother, sister...none of them are doing this as their #1 choice. I wish I could hear this revelation coming from a man, or better yet, several men. It seems these type of men are an endangered species, and that makes me very sad.