Wednesday, February 18th 2015:
I’m walking through one of the biggest hotspots for sex trafficking in the Philippines. My chest is feeling the heaviness of Papa’s heart. I feel like I’m going to cave in. My feet don’t know what they’re doing, and my eyes and my ears have no idea what they’re about to partake in.
“Welcome sir.” says a man with a smile on his face, as he opens the gargantuan glass door to one of the biggest, most intense bars around.
I take one step through the door, and with a deep breath, I reach out my hand to peel back the curtain that separated the party inside, from the “innocence” of the outside world.
Never have I experienced such culture shock in an instant.
It’s dark, but so bright.
Lights are flashing. Music is blasting. Smoke is rising.
There’s an ocean of half-naked girls all around.
Each with an ID number written on their lower back with a black marker.
Everyone is having fun and is smiling.
I look again – not everyone is smiling.
Then I look again – actually none of them are smiling.
We get escorted to a table; we sit down, and I order a beer. Before I knew it, the bottle was almost empty.
My team and I take a few minutes to just take everything in, and pray.
In the midst of all the madness, it’s in that moment that God takes the time to speak to the other guy on my team about a girl who is sitting in the back of the bar, off in the distance, in the shadows. The only visibility we have of her is because of the cigarette she was holding in her left hand.
We call our new friend over, and like a typical interaction, we buy her a drink and start making small talk. We start talking about our families, hobbies, jobs, and futures. She has no idea what we’re actually there for. To her I’m just another customer – another lap dance – another hotel room. After a few minutes of exchanging details and dreaming together, I lean in and whisper the real reason that I was at the bar that night.
“I want you to know that I came all the way here, to this very bar tonight, just to see you.”
She giggles.
“Not so that I could have sex with you, but instead to tell you that you’re incredible, and you are worth something better than this place. I believe in you, and I want better for you. You’re hearing me saying it, but I hear God saying it.”
Instantly, I could see fear and shame overwhelm her; but what I was saying was complete truth.
And the truth shall set you free.
Her shame turned into curiosity, and her fear – hope.
I began to tell her about an opportunity to get out of the bars, and to graduate from college with a degree she was passionate about, that would provide for her future, and her three-year-old son’s future. I told her that if she wanted to, she had the option of never working in the bars ever again.
Though she was so interested, she was in such disbelief. It sounded way to good to be true.
I knew she wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea of leaving with us, so, that’s when I asked her if she had any friends that would be interested in hearing what I had to say. Still in disbelief, but with hope, , she pointed to a girl on stage.
“That one.” She whispered to me.
