Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Last night (1/6/09)

Last night we went to the strip clubs and took gift bags to the dancers.  Each bag contained the book "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers.  If you haven't read this book, I HIGHLY recommend it.  The bags also contained an invitation to church, an encouraging scripture and candy.

It was a very interesting night, and we had a lot of long conversations with the girls and guys. One girl from a higher-end club is now working at one of the lower-end clubs.  She said the club where we first met her was "getting too crazy".  She didn't elaborate, and we didn't push it. I gave her the phone number to a recruiter in case she is ready to leave the business.

Crashawn just broke up with her abusive boyfriend, but she talks like she might get back together with him.

Keisha is a former dancer and is going to medical assistant school and graduates in July.  She was inebriated, and we encouraged her not to drive home.  She couldn't believe we were there doing what we do.

Big Bo said his son's custody issues with his baby's mamma have greatly improved.  He thanked us for our prayers.

One of the cashiers is reading Victoria Osteen's book, and I stood and listened to her, the manager and a dancer discuss how awesome Joel Osteen is and how much they like his book and his preaching. Joel, if you're reading, you have a loyal following in one Houston strip club. Go, God! 

As we were leaving a modeling studio, a man pulled up in a SUV, stared at us and drove on by.  We got in the van and didn't think much about it other than he was probably a customer who was being delayed.  After I got in the van, I heard my dad talking to a man at the back of the van.  I jumped out of the van and went to see what was going on.  The man introduced himself and said he was with Redeemed Ministries.  I said, "My pastor just met with you on Monday."  He responded, "You're the one!"  Redeemed Ministries is a ministry to victims of human trafficking.  When he saw our van, he thought we were transporting women.  We were -- just not in the way he thought.  It's okay.  We thought he was a customer.  :)  He got to meet the team, and I'm sure we will be doing outreaches together at some point.

At the last club, a couple of guys stopped Tammy and asked what we were doing.  She told them.  They thought it was the coolest thing they'd ever seen. They asked what church we were from.  Tammy told them we all go to different churches but come together to do this ministry.  They were shocked.  They couldn't believe different churches could work together.  Again, they thought that was the coolest thing ever. They asked for extra bags/books to give away to their friends.

Only God can put all of this together.  Thanks for your prayers & support.

Drenda and the PTD team