Angeles.
City of Angels. The city is named for the thousands of girls dancing in the bars, and the freelance girls and lady boys (an endearing name transgender girls give themselves) who roam the streets selling themselves. It is a destination for sex tourism, which I had never heard of before coming to the Philippines. The harsh reality hit me like a train when I found myself on the Walking Street in Angeles.
In my group of one Filipino girl, my squad mate Ethan, and our parents, I entered my first bar. As silly as it may seem, I expected to be walking into a strip club like what you see in Hollywood films, but that is not at all what I found. It was a small, dimly lit bar. Two rows of tables, one in the middle and one along one wall, faced the stage where a crowd of girls stood dancing, clearly feeling awkward and uncomfortable, and at the end of the room was a pool table. The bar wasn’t very crowded. A few customers sat at some of the tables while dancers rested at other tables. We took a seat at the end near the pool table.
We weren’t totally certain what to do, so for a little while, we just sat and took in what we were seeing. I quickly noticed a common theme among all of the girls. Despite the smiles they had on their faces, I could see so much pain in all of their eyes. They smiled and laughed and danced because that’s how they made money to support their families, but their eyes told the truth. They were suffering and hurting, but they had no way out.
After seeing that, what else could we do but bring a little joy to the room? It was Ethan’s idea, and I reluctantly agreed. We went on stage and made fools of ourselves dancing amongst the girls. No doubt everyone in the bar thought we were idiots, but it certainly made them laugh and brought real smiles and laughter to girls faces as well. As ridiculous as I felt up there, I believe Ethan and I actually made a difference in those girls nights.
When we went back to our table, our parents had begun to talk to a few of the bar girls, doing what we had gone to do. We were working with an organization called Wipe Every Tear that goes into the bars and rescues girls. Partnered with Wipe Every Tear, we were in the bars talking to girls in hopes of bringing them out. After dancing, that is what we began to do. We told them all about the opportunity Wipe Every Tear offered them to leave the bars, have a home in Manila, and go to school for free. Some believed it while others thought it was far too good to be true.
Each bar, though all of them looked different, was a similar experience, and each bar, more girls told us they’d come with us to Manila to visit Wipe Every Tear’s safe houses. For two nights we visited the bars, and after the first night, two of my squad mates and I were planning to meet a couple girls at a nearby Jollibee restaurant. We were going to take them to meet the Wipe Every Tear staff, so they would be able to believe what we told them. When the girls didn’t show up, though, I realized that rescuing the girls wouldn’t be so easy as I had thought.
The real challenge came for me the second morning when we were supposed to take the girls to Manila to visit Wipe Every Tear’s safe houses. I was so excited to see the girls I’d talked to over the previous two nights. Many had told me they would come, but I was disappointed when not a single of the girls I had talked to came.
As a whole, 19 girls and lady boys and 1 child came with us to Manila. It was a huge victory for the Kingdom, but I was discouraged as I felt like I had offered nothing because none of my girls had come. In my disappointment, several people encouraged me. They told me that even though they hadn’t come today, I had offered them a hope and opened a door for them in the future. I was humbled and comforted at that thought as I learned to celebrate with the Kingdom. I felt that I had failed, but I knew God hadn’t failed, and I celebrated in that.
“‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:6-7
I believe there was an enormous celebration in heaven for the girls who were rescued that weekend, and I was able to join in that celebration with all my fellow racers, all the parents, and the staff of Wipe Every Tear that day.
“Angels” is a gross irony. They are beautiful daughters of the King who deserve so much more. Be in prayer for the girls trapped in Angeles and for Wipe Every Tear (check out their website at wipeeverytear.org) as they continue to do the work of the Kingdom in the Philippines.
