Yesterday, I met Susan, Blessing, Isabella, Blanca, Luna and Bella. Some were Spanish women and some were Nigerian women. They walked the boulevard of Guadlahorce. Some in tennis shoes, high heels, boots or even in just a jacket with no bra on. It isn’t the bar scene in Thailand where sex tourism is glamorized. This isn’t the corner of Hollywood Boulevard where Vivian waits for Edward to come into the scene with his Viper. These women are trying to make a living. This is Guadalhorce.
Guadalhorce is about a 30-40 minutes away from where I live in Mijas. Guadalhorce is apparently “the Scum of the Earth” prostitution. Men come to this area and will drive around in their cars looking for women to pleasure them and have sex with in their own cars. Some women are choosing to be there while some are being forced to be there.
As Steph Fisk, Birkleigh Foreman and I walked across the street…I couldn’t help but notice the trash on the street and the numerous amounts of used condoms thrown on the street.
The women we met were beautiful. They each said that if they could, they would want another job. Some had dreams of being a teacher or working with kids. They all said that they did this for the money.
Blanca said she had been doing this for 14 years while Luna (in Spanish her name means ‘moon’ and was wearing moon boots) had been doing this for 25 years. They said that there was no point in doing anything else because no matter what the money would not compare.
My heart broke for these women because in each of their eyes, I saw the glimmer of hope, love and self worth. I could see it in their smiles that they were excited that someone wanted to talk to them… and actually talk to them.. Not use them for their bodies. My heart broke as we walked away from Blessing, who thought we were new to the streets and wanted to help us and give us tips “on walking.”
I have never been one to like when people stare at me but especially this time here when cars drove and circled us more than once or honked: I wanted to vomit. I wanted to hide. I wanted to become so small and unnoticeable. I had never felt so degraded. I felt cheap and dirty. I was enraged. I wanted to cry. I really felt the hurt for these ‘women of the night’ in just that hour. The only difference is… is that I get to walk away from it.
Andrew Shearman said before the world was created that it was empty, chaotic and dark. We were created to FILL THE EMPTINESS, STRUCTURE THE CHAOS and BE HIS LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS.
And I will. I will stand in the gap for these women. I will fight for these women. I will do everything I can in this life time for these women so that they know that they are loved and can provide for their families.
I hate absolutely hate having to walk away from those women. I hate that some of them have let this defeat them. I hate it. I hate that I can’t offer them anything but love and prayers. I cannot wait for the day where I can say, “I have a business that makes shoes.. Come with me!”
There is a purpose and a reason for every season. In my ignorance I didn’t know that prostitution and human trafficking even existed in Spain… nonetheless 30 minutes away from where I am living. Spain and Italy are the top 2 European countries where women are trafficked. It’s because the government is pretty lax on it.
I love love love God’s beautiful plan. Andrew prophesied over me that I would be setting captives free. That’s what I am here to do. The Costa de Sol area reminds me a lot of Phuket but has many differences. If we can stop this before it gets any larger… than maybe we can prevent Phuket and Bangla Road happening here. Maybe this can legitimately be a place where families come to vacation and not a place of desperation and darkness.
With that said, if you believe in the mission that I am doing here and while at G42, please please donate here. Be sure to indicate me as the intern you want to support or e-mail me here.I am still in dire need to be financially supported. I need to raise $4,800 to support me for the next 5 months of my time here in Spain that will go towards my kingdom dream and to offer ‘the women of the night’ another option.
