It was a Wednesday night about 6 pm. We walked to our host Hannah’s house to prepare for our prayer walk. We were walking for prostitutes, for enslaved women, and for the men that held control over their lives. We had been told the number of trafficked women in Jaco was high. In the world today over 27 million women are enslaved to the sex slave industry. This number seems incomprehensible. I had read about it, I had seen in movies, and I have heard stories about people ministering to victims involved. But I had never witnessed it first hand.
We sat down in a circle and discussed a game plan. She prepared us for what we may see, social norms, and things to expect. I felt like we were on the frontlines of a battlefield. Technically we were. We were fighting for these girls freedom, and the men that controlled them. The devil’s schemes have won them over and made them feel inadequate and unworthy. They believe lies that they aren’t good enough, pretty enough, and will never do better for themselves. So they buy into the lies, and they settle. They sell their bodies for money, expensive things, and they even sell their children. Young children here in Jaco are sold for sex daily. 13 year olds walking around pregnant. Women having 9 and 10 kids is normal so they can make money. This is nothing out of the ordinary here.
Hannah presented us with a list of places to visit. To go and pray over, and go inside and talk with women, pray for them, and form relationships with them. Anxious to leave I sat fidgeting in my seat, wondering what we might see. Before we left we held hands and prayed. Hannah told us to sit quietly at first and listen to the Lord. Hoping he would give someone a word or a vision. This is something I am still practicing and not always comfortable doing. However I sat, and waited. Then it came to me, clear as a bell; a woman in red. I had no idea what it meant or if it meant anything. Carli spoke up, she saw a woman with straight hair and neon shorts. I shared about the woman in red. Then Hannah prayed over us and we headed to our destinations.
Kylie, Rachel, Casie, and myself were going to the Beatle bar. A local pub apparently swarming with prostitutes and men ready to buy them. We sat outside the bar next door on a set of stairs. It was still fairly early and not many people occupied the place. So we sat, and prayed. I was excited, nervous, and anxious. I had no idea what to expect or even what I would say. I watched girls walk by with little to no clothing, drunk men staggering behind them, and obnoxious people driving by yelling things to us we could not understand. Moments went by before anything happened, and all of a sudden a taxi pulled up. I expected a white American Male to step out and casually walk inside to plot his assignments. To my surprise 2 beautiful women stepped out, one of which had a candy apple red shirt. I immediately felt my heart drop… The one from the vision?! I questioned. I asked my friends if I should go talk to her. They were so encouraging, but the enemy was lurking. I was quickly overcome with worry and doubt. Asking questions like what if she doesn’t speak English? What if she doesn’t understand? What if she isn’t even a prostitute?! I caught myself buying in to lies and I bowed my head and prayed. I rebuked the devil and asked for confidence and peace, that God would be present, and fill me with his power. I prayed for the words, and his timing. That he would lead my conversation, my steps and that he would get the glory. I prayed “Lord, give us luminescence like Moses and let us shine bright so people would be drawn toward us.” I grabbed one of the cards we made for the girls prior to and confidently walked inside.
I found the two women sitting in the back of the bar. I approached them with a smile. Tu habla English? I asked. A little, they replied. I told them my name and where I was from. The woman in red was from Dominican Republic. I had just visited there in March so I was excited to share about my ministry there. I asked the women what they did for a living, they looked at each other and giggled as if they were saying “aww isn’t she precious?” They said they could not tell me what they did but that they were there making money for their children.We exchanged broken Spanish conversation for about 10 minutes. At the end of the conversation I asked them if they believed in Jesus. They nodded. I said well I have been praying about who to give this card to, and he told me to give it to the woman in red. She realized I was talking about her and said ahhhh as if to say OH I see, you mean me? I handed her the card and told her to read it. I had written it in Spanish thankfully. She placed her hand over her heart and gestured that is was very sweet. I shared with her Psalm 139 that she was fearfully and wonderfully made, and she was thought about before the foundation of the earth. I told her how much God loved her and the great things he had planned for her life if she would just trust him. I hugged them both and said my goodbyes.
As I walked outside I found Casie and Rachel drinking a soda. Kylie had to leave. I shared my experience with them and we pondered what to do next. Was that it? Do we just leave now? That’s when my eyes caught a glimpse of the pool table inside. I love to play pool, so I went and asked how much a game was. FREE surprisingly! So I racked the balls and prepared to play a game. Before I could Break, a couple walked in. Lefty and Robin. They asked excitedly if we could play doubles? We thought it was a good ministry opportunity so we agreed. Almost instantly I noticed Robin had bright neon shorts, and straight hair. Carli’s vision came to mind and I smiled and took my shot. I felt so strongly the presence of God in that place. I knew we walked in the right place at the right time. Lefty had a nub for an arm due to a bad accident years ago. He and robin had been married some years before and reconnected and had just moved to Costa Rica. We shared stories together, laughed, and played a few games of pool. Lefty was very set in his ways spiritually and did not have the same faith background we did. Robin however seemed a little more receptive. My teammate Casie asked Robin what lefty’s real name was, and robin told her to guess… Casie looked intently at lefty and said Micheal. His name is Micheal. Robin was blown away. How did you know that she exclaimed. Casie was very intune with what God was doing here. Although they did not believe in God or the bible they listened to us share about our mission and what God was doing in Jaco through us. It was getting late, and we said our goodbyes. Robin hugged us several times each for quite a while. She looked at Rachel and said, I don’t know what it is about you girls. But you are glowing! There is a presence here with you. My mind was blown…It was the very thing I prayed before walking into the bar ” Lord illuminate us, make us glow like Moses did so that people are drawn toward us.” And boy were they. Robin told us we were so special, she said ” I have never heard of people willingly going to help other people before.” It was so encouraging and I was so blessed to be in the presence of God in that place.
So many times people in churches turn their noses up at people in Bars. People like Lefty and Robin who just need someone to love them. They judge them based on their past or appearance. People like the woman in red who are blind, and deceived by the enemy. They are scared to go to dark places to be a light. That’s where it’s needed the most. People think often times because they are Christians and Jesus loves them that they don’t need more of Jesus. That other people with worse problems need him. I don’t know if Robin or lefty or the prostitute will ever meet Jesus. But I met Jesus in the bar that night. I felt his love and his presence. I can only hope the seeds we planted, will be watered, and that God will continue to show his love to them. Scripture tells us that Jesus didn’t come to heal people who are well. It’s the sick that need a doctor. Jesus hung out with lepers, and murderers, tax collectors, and adulterers. Jesus came to save sinners, lost, dying, broken people like me and like you. He Loves me, he loves you, he loves the prostitutes, their pimps, and he loves Robin and lefty. I am no better because I am a Christian or because I sold my stuff and came on a mission trip. What I was reminded that night was whether you’re in a church pew or on a bar stool, you still need Jesus.
