Working with an organization (name omitted for safety) in Malaysia was actually my first experience working with a prostitution ministry. And oddly enough, I actually felt quite calm about that little fact. Usually the thought of working with prostitutes makes people feel awkward and shut off – unsure about what to do, what to say, timid and shy about talking to someone or even setting foot around an establishment that sells those services. For some reason though, that wasn’t me. I don’t really understand why just yet, but I do feel like God has laid those girls and guys/that type of ministry on my heart – because every time that type of ministry is mentioned my ears perk up, my focus narrows, and I get excited to get involved and help in any way I can.
Our contacts with (name omitted for safety) mentioned having a hard time getting people who are willing to get involved and help with that type of ministry. I wonder what makes people avoid it so adamantly…
When it comes to most women, I think they get a little freaked out at the thought of not being able to relate to the girls they would be working with or the guys they’d be talking to. Yet, I feel like their passion and desire to help these women, involved in the sex trade/prostitution lifestyle, allow them to overcome their fears and allow them to get involved.
When it comes to most men, I believe their hesitation to get involved or their lack of involvement also stems from fear. Though I believe their fear isn’t so much from feeling as though they couldn’t relate (though that is quite possible) but instead its more from the fear of putting themselves into situations of temptation where they might stumble. Completely understandable – and praise the Lord for men who are able to recognize that and humble enough to admit it. And I definitely would not want to encourage someone to do something that would cause them to stumble.
I’m not going to give my opinion as to what one should or should not do. Instead I’m just going to leave that decision between those men and God. One could always argue, better safe than sorry. Its just a tough and sad situation. Especially when prostitution ministries, like the one in Malaysia, express such a great need for more men to step up and help out. After all its not just women involved in the sex trafficking and prostitution arena- there are also many men involved. And who can better relate to a man – another man. I once heard someone say, that if you could get all the prostitutes off the street, then there would be no prostitution. That basically, if we were able to eliminate the supply of prostitutes around the world then there would be no one for the men to go to, thus eliminating the problem. However, the problem with that statement is that women aren’t trafficked into that lifestyle and they certainly don’t choose that lifestyle just because they have nothing else to do with their time – they choose it/are trafficked into it because there is such a great demand for it. So essentially, we can’t eliminate a supply for something while there is still such a great demand for it and we can’t eliminate the demand for it while there is such a great supply. So it has to be a joint effort and focus – rescuing the women and rescuing the men. And so, just as there is a desperate need for women to come out and serve under these ministries, there is also a desperate need for men to join up and serve. Any men feel led to bring light into those dark places?
Maybe that’s what God wants me to do…
