I shook the hand of a pimp.
I never thought the day would come that I would be translating a prayer to a pimp. My heart sank and my stomach turned inside out. My team and I were walking around a neighborhood praying from house to house. We came to the end of the road and the other half of the group was not done yet. So, my group and I sat across a brothel and saw two beautiful blonde curly little girls neither one older than 7. My heart went from sinking to shattered pieces.
I kept seeing them but, at the same time I saw this man sitting on the stairs of the brothel watching the two little girls play. As I watched my teammate Scarlett approached me and said “Gen, can you come with me and translate. Please.” I said yes without hesitation. We walked across to the brothel and asked this man what were the names of the little girls and told him that they were beautiful. As we asked him more questions I realized young women would approach the door in silence. One of the girls was wearing a white tank top that had the bottom buttons undone and then realized she was pregnant. In that moment I just wanted to scream and tell them they didn’t have to live that life.
My friend proceeded to pray for this man, and I just couldn’t concentrate well enough to translate so I asked God to give me the ability to translate the prayer. After a brief moment in silence I translated the prayer. The man, wouldn’t look at us in the eye, he fist pumped us, and he wouldn’t speak loud enough.
God showed me something that day in that moment.
I had prayed many times “God, give me the heart to love the unlovable’s. Give me eyes to see the way you do. Give me your heart that is filled with compassion and love.”
Though I was just translating that moment changed my prayer. Jesus, loved those the world had deemed unlovable. That day, I understood the love the father had. It was no longer love the fatherless, love the widow, the disabled, your enemies only; it was about LOVING the murderers, the thief’s, the rapists, and LOVING THE PIMP. Though, he didn’t want to shake my hand I shook his. By the end of a one sided conversation that led to a prayer and my friend Scarlett and I walked back to the other side of the road I was a broken hearted woman not only for the girls but, for the pimp as well.
First month of the race and God has worked in me in more ways I could have imagined. I never thought I would shake the hands of a pimp… but, God has his ways for us to do things we thought we would never do. I shook the hand of the pimp and I will never forget him and when I remember him I will remember him as a man created by God and for God with a purpose. I believe we are plowing the way and faithfully believing that God will change things.
So here I am on my last full week in the DR and I cannot wait to see how God will work in our last week. Month 1 is almost done and soon Month 2 will begin.
I wanted to ask you all to pray for myself and my team as we have hit some bumpy roads with out health. Pray for healing and pray for grace.
Also, I am $2,300 away from meeting my second deadline and my third deadline is fast approaching. In order for me to continue on the world race I need to reach both deadlines. If you could please consider donating. Any amount will help and all adds up. I can’t do this without you. Thank You!
