Trapped in the sex trade

My view is that there are so many forces at work in society that will harden your heart, you really need to be doing something to keep it supple and tender to the things of God. Reading the blogs of people like Kristen Paulick does that for me. She has a way of expressing God’s heart for the widow, the orphan and the oppressed. Here’s one of her blogs that I found moving.

 

 

I
spent the weekend praying for Cara (name change) and her baby. Saturday
the girls on my team and I found ourselves sitting in Daughters’ Cafe,
Sugar n Spice. 

Daughters is
an organization that works to give former sex workers a new start at a
better life through skills training and micro-business. 

I had been a blubbering mess all day; crying at the drop of a hat. I was reading the back of the Daughter’s menu: 98% of women that come to work at Daughters never return to the sex industry. 

Suddenly Katie exclaims, “She can work here. Cara can work at Daughters! She can keep her baby and work here and make a living!” In that moment light broke forth like the dawn in the dark helplessness of my heart! YES! We then prayed for Cara;

  
       “God, make a way. I pray it is not too late. I pray the adoption
is not final. I pray when we walk in Monday she will not have given her
baby away! Please Jesus do this!“

Monday
I apprehensively walked into our ministry location. But there she was.
Cara, smiling, playing on the floor of the daycare center with her baby!
The translator told me that the adoption was supposed to be final on
Saturday afternoon; all she had to do was sign the papers. But Cara said
that when she went to sign she didn’t have peace. The agency would not
allow her to see her daughter at all until she was 18 and even then it
was the child’s choice to contact the birth mother. It was too much for
Cara. She didn’t have peace about agreeing to that. I smiled. I knew
Jesus had answered our prayers that Saturday afternoon.

I told Cara about Daughters. She said she wanted to go visit. I called the director of the organization. Her words to me, 

“Do you have a of getting a hold of the woman?! 

Do you have a phone number for her?”

In tears I said, “I have her in a tok tok right now.” 

“Well, of course, bring her to the center right now. 

Straight away. We would love to receive her.” 

Our
tok tok was filled with smiles, giggles, and vibrant anticipation. I
spoke to Cara again about the Love of the Lord. I read to her Ephesians
4:16-21. God’s love for her was deeper, wider, higher, longer than she
could imagine. He is incredibly able to do more than we could ask or
think! She smiled and told our translator. 

“I can see the glory of God resting on Kristen and Katie.” 

Standing on Daughters’ doorstep we were all filled with nervous anticipation: After a short interview we received the news: 

CARA HAD BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM!! 

SHE COULD START WORK TOMORROW! 

Daughters’
social workers arranged for her to move into a nearby apartment
building where other Daughters employees live. Cara would begin training
in the sewing room of Daughters with the promise and ability of advancing and receiving raises in her salary as she progressed in her abilities to sew! 

Fair
trade wages. A place to live. Free child care while she worked. Free
medical care. Free counseling and group therapy. Free workshops on
finance management and other such skills. A supportive, Christian
environment where the goal is wholeness and dignity. Community.

In the tok tok ride back to our ministry site Cara was smiling from ear to ear. 

She
said, “My dream is that I would be able to live in a small house, with
my daughter and work in an occupation with dignity . . . . you have made
my dream come true.”