There were no flashy lights, no bars, no girls dancing, no facade of “entertainment,” it was just an average city street.
This past month four of us World Race girls have been working with an organization called Samaritana (www.Samaritana.org ) which reaches out to women working in the red light district of Manila. They offer the women life training skills and courses as well as counseling, and other services, as a way and a chance at a different life.
Last night one of my teammates, Jessie, and I went out with three other girls from Samaritana to do night outreach.
Mildred, the outreach coordinator, Laurie, and Rosa Lee; two trainees of Samaritana who have left the streets, as well as Jessie and I all met for dinner and talked about the evening. They explained that when they do night outreach they conduct focus groups in which they get some of the street girls together and have directed conversations on topics such as AIDs, pregnancy, or simply hopes for the future. In doing these focus groups they build relationships and let the girls know about Samaritana. Our focus for the night was going to be reflecting on the past year and hopes for 2008. They shared that they usually meet in a nearby fast food place, but the managers of the restaurant do not want them meeting there anymore so Mildred would have to be resourceful.
We then piled into a taxi and headed downtown. I thought because of my experience doing night outreach in Phuket, Thailand I was pretty much prepared and knew along the lines of what to expect. Little did I know I did not have a clue. As I got out of the car I was surprised at the plain street. There were no flashy lights, no bars, no girls dancing, no facade of “entertainment,” it was an average major city street.
We walked over to one girl and Mildred gave her a warm greeting, and then called over about 3 more. Some of the
women decided not to stay, while others were curious about tonight’s discussion. With the fast food joint unable to accommodate us, Mildred just plopped right on down beside a curb on the street and began the discussion complete with object lessons and materials.
The discussion was continually interrupted with girls coming in and out of the conversation as customers drove up and the pimps calling over to the girls. They would run over to the car, the man in the car would point at a girl and she would get in. No other exchange of words, just a point of the finger. No questions asked they just got into the car seeming excited that they were the one “picked.”
It was raw. No facade of “entertainment” here. No bars or bar owners trying to cover up what was really going on. Instead, the pimps were there soliciting business and putting the girls in the cars.
Our numbers continued to dwindle as the flow of customers increased.
With the fast food joint behind me I felt as if it was just a continuation of the drive through. The men can go pick up fries and a girl on the way home. I did not know whether to throw up, throw myself onto the car and beat the guy up, or to cry but in the end I looked to the girl who was on my left and tried to talk with her about her life. Come to find she had a four month old baby at home and was now back on the streets after some time off. I also found out that she is the youngest of six, as am I, so we were able to talk about the plight of the youngest child.
We were unable to get through the discussion as all but one had gone with a customer. We decided to just pray with her and to end as it may be a bit overwhelming with five of us and her. We also gave her a card and invited her to the Friday community meeting at Samaritana. She said she wanted to come.
We then walked down the street a bit more to a group of girls getting ready for the night. They were sitting on some flattened out cardboard boxes primping, putting on make-up, and doing there hair. Their pimps, an older woman and a younger guy, were with them. They knew we were with Samaritana and invited us over. We sat down and talked with them for a little bit. Most of the conversation was in Tagolog the local language, so I did not understand a lot of it, but the pimps knew english and talked with me a bit, while the girls continued to get ready.
Now when I say pimp and street girls, get the idea of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and Gangsta rap videos with a guy sporting a lot of bling out of your head. And instead think of your sister, mother, father, or brother driven into a desperate life caused by extreme poverty. I would say many have come to accept their life the way it is and may even tell me they like it as they make a crass comment about a boy walking past.
What is one to do in these situations? When I see poverty driving people to the depths of desperation?
If I have learned anything this year, it is that I am not here to save the world and have become so very aware of my limitations and how I am absolutely incapable of doing anything. What can I do? Nothing, but listen to their stories with a heart of compassion and know the heart of a Father who weeps over each one of them. What He asks of me is to go and love them with a heart of compassion and trust that He will supply the resources from there.
In the end you have trust that they felt love. real love. For that is the only thing that compels a change of heart, that gives people hope. And hopefully that will compel them to seek help from those who wan to give it.
I don’t want to sound hokie, but that is the simple gospel. Its not a ten step program, or a long list of does and don’ts. Love God, love others. I have heard this said all my life but how much of that compassion do I have? I have the do part – but with out love I am only a resounding gong and clanging symbol. The poor can see right through that. Am I there just to get another brownie point, gold star, and pat my self on the back, or do I really care about them. The one.
I asked Jessie as we were leaving if that really just happened. Did I really just do a focus group discussion with girls who were working the streets but should have been finishing up their homework and getting ready to go to school the next morning? Yes I did, and the girls at Samaritana will continue to go back and do it again and again, as they continue to show these girls a heart of compassion and offer them real hope.
