I[1] work in a ministry with prostitutes. We organize afternoons for them with a fun activity and create a place for them where they are seen for who they are. One day, a young woman came in. She came with others that we had seen before, but she seemed very closed off. She had her arms crossed in front of her the whole time, was leaning back in a protective angle and was looking at us with caution in her eyes. She didn’t speak, and when the activity was over, she left quietly. I prayed that she would come back the next week, but I wasn’t sure that she would. Thankfully she did, and the second time was already different from the first time. She laughed a little and joined in with the activity with a more open attitude, it even showed physically that she was more at ease. When she left this time I got the ‘mandatory’ kiss on the cheek. It made me smile. After that she came every Tuesday. She opened up, told us about her struggles in the work that she does, told us about her family and her kids and about her dreams for the future. She relaxed more and more, opened up, became vulnerable. She mentioned that she was to leave in 2 weeks. (The women are only here for three months, then they have to go back due to work permits) We wanted to say goodbye to her the last meeting she would join, but there was no electricity in the city that day, so we had to cancel that meeting.
A few days after that, I saw a text in the WhatsApp group that we have with the women. She had sent us a picture with the phrase ‘I am home’ The picture was of her, with her young son. They were smiling.
I believe she has seen the love of God during a very difficult time in her life. And I believe that something changed for her because of that. This gives me hope! For her, for the other women I get to meet and for everyone in general. God can and will make a change in people’s lives for the better!! They just need to meet Him.
[1] This blog is written by Hanneke.
Ana is a fictitious name.
Photo by Jordan Whitt on Unsplash