This month team Bold Radiance has been working with Word Made Flesh – Bolivia.
WMF is a ministry that reaches out to women in prostitution in the city of El Alto. The ministry site is a three story drop in center which houses a workshop where the women are able to have a job by making purses, hand bags, and notecards. There is also a kids area, kitchen, dining room for lunch and tea time with the women who work there, living room area where they do studies, and of course a chapel. The WMF staff make frequent visits to the red light district of El Alto to build relationships with the women working in brothels, show the love of Jesus, and encourage them to come to workshops and activities that are held at the drop in center.
The second level of the drop in center which has the kitchen, living area and dining table.
We have been doing ministry alongside team Open Arms this month and our day to day projects have differed according to the ministry’s needs.
Whereas a few girls have been taking pictures of the staff and ministry to use for promotional purposes, others have been doing networking for the ministry, cleaning walls and rooms in the drop in center, helping with VBS for the children of the women, sorting clothes for a sale, reading for a book study, engaging in discussions on the subject of prostitution, and also helping cut fabric, do quality control checks and tagging purses in the the Sutisana workshop. We have also done a prayer walk through the red light district.
The kids/activity area. This was for the clothes sale we had yesterday.
Working downstairs with the ladies has been one of my favorite places to be during ministry. The staff informed us that usually they do not allow visitors in the workshop because they like that to be the women’s own space. However, since we have been here for a bit longer, we have been allowed to go in and help.
Lizzie at the door of the Sutisana workshop with their logo (an eagle).
To me, the Sutisana workshop is a peaceful place of refuge. There is always music playing, the gentle hum of sewing machines, and Bible verses covering the walls.
Part of the Sutisana workshop where the women create and build a new life for themselves (sutisana means healed name)
One of my favorite days was last week when Lizzie and I were in the workshop cutting fabric. We were just finishing up when one of the ladies asked if we knew how to sew. Seeing as I took lessons from my grandma as a little girl, confidence in my sewing skills quickly gave me a seat at the machine, pedaling away on a strap for a multicolored purse.
To my dismay and amidst tears of laughter, I realized too many years have passed since the days of my sewing-in-a-straight-line ability. Lizzie took a seat as I gave up my post, and it wasn’t long before the two of us were standing above our new friend, laughing as we pulled stitches from our handiwork and she commenced at the machine, cracking jokes at our incompetent sewing skills. One of the women watching across the table from us was smiling and giggling right along with us. As the last few minutes of the work day commenced, she actually packed up and was starting to head out the door before coming back and kissing us on the cheek telling us goodbye. The first lady who was so good natured and kind enough to invite us over in the first place, told us to come back again so we could get some more practice in! Haha
The Sutisana shop where all the bags and purses are sold
All in all, it has been a wonderful month so far, getting to know the women, helping in whatever way necessary, and learning more about the growing need of Jesus in the worldwide problem of prostitution and human trafficking.
There is much darkness in the red light district of El Alto. Even more so, there is much hope…for we know that Jesus came to bring light to the darkness. He came to release the captives and shine His light upon the nations! All praise and glory to Him, our everlasting hope and salvation.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” – John 1:5
“You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.” – Psalm 18:28
