A prayer to make God's name known in the red light district

A few days ago we went to the red light district of this area I am living in. We worked with the children of the prostitutes there and helped them with school work.

I was sitting in the middle of a slum, in a small room filled with kids with smiling faces, who are being beaten by their fathers or not cared for by their mothers. Just the fact that they are getting an education is very rare, and some of them will never leave the slum that they have grown up in their whole lives.

We walked up and down the streets of this place, and there was woman after woman sitting outside of their small, one bedroom house, waiting for customers to approach. It was the most overwhelming thing I have experienced in my life.

One young woman and I locked eyes, and I knew she was hurting. She had tears in her eyes, and it was as if she had no hope whatsoever. Really none of them did. I smiled at each of them and took their hands in mine, trying to show them someone cared. I prayed that they would see His light and the hope inside of me as I was walking along the way. Some of them would not even smile at me, which I can understand why.

Many white people come through this area. They come and say, "Hello." They will stay for a few weeks and do ministry, but then they will leave, and these women will be left exactly where they were before. The women are still there, selling themselves daily, feeling worthless and ragged.

I left that place feeling completely overwhelmed and not having any idea of what to do to help these women. It is so much bigger than myself, but I had to remember that it is not bigger than my Father. He can bring deliverance to this place. So, during my time here, I will continue to pray for this area of my city. I will pray that He might reveal some way that I can help. I will pray He would send people full-time to do His work and invest deeply into making His name known. I will pray His love and hope would find its place there, and those women would be delivered out of that place and shown they are worthy daughters of the King. Please join me in praying for these women.

Gina* is a student at WTAMU serving in South Asia as a Go Now semester missionary.