Scarlet Hope – Journal Entry #65 – December 10th 2009
Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. “I took on the troubles of the troubled,” is the way Scripture puts it. Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us.
Romans 15 1-6 (The Message)
Club 1
Reporting: Rachelle S.
Team: Valerie S and Brittani C.
Guys filled Club 1 Thursday night. There weren’t a ton of girls working, but even though their were men in the club, the girls mostly complained that they weren’t making any money because the guys weren’t spending any money.
We had delicious, warming home feeling potato soup with rolls, cookies and brownies for dessert. When there are new girls in the club we always get that vibe of “who in the world are you..†but once the regular girls start to eat they quickly file in line and are very excited that we have come.
I can’t imagine what it would be like to be a first time dancer and in such a dark atmosphere at the end of your rope and then a bunch of ladies come in to “serve dinnerâ€. I hope and pray that it gives them a glimpse of Light that shows them they are worth more than what this world tells them they are.
As I sat down at one of the tables in the club to have a bowl of soup with one of the dancers, FA a new dancer I had never met came and sat right by us. She is 23 and has a little girl that is 5. I began to ask FA questions. Did she have any kids, how long had she been doing this, on and on….her answers were all very short and to the point, but then something just went off and she started sharing a lot of different aspects of her life. I listened and she talked and talked, when she got done talking she sighed a huge sigh and said “wow, that felt so good to get off my chestâ€.
FA has been in the industry for about 6 months and got into a car accident not to long ago and totaled her car. She is trying to save up money while taking car of her daughter to get another car. She talked of how she has contemplated prostituting herself out for more money because when she goes home at night and looks in her cupboards to eat she has only oatmeal and a cans of tomato sauce. She said that’s what her and her daughter have been eating. She told me that the club penalizes you when you leave early and she said several times she has to go take care of her daughter and they have fined her over $150.00. This week she has worked every day and only made $50.00 total. This is the life these women become sucked into. They tell you you can pay off your fines if you stay there and work extra etc. etc. We talked about this idea of her prostituting herself out and she said with her own lips, I can not, do not want to do that. And I made sure she knew that there would be no way she would ever have to get to that point and how it is not worth anything in this life to do that… God will provide a way out.
Towards the end of our conversation she told me that her daughter talks about how much she is excited for Christmas because all of the kids she knows gets presents, so she is so sad that she can’t provide a Christmas for her daughter. She said she went down to sign up for the Angel tree the other day and they told her she was too late. After listening, and praying while listening to her, the Holy Spirit prompted me to tell her we will find a way to help her for the holidays. Praise the Lord, we have a family that is willing to sponsor a family for the holidays and God is going to provide for that need.
Before she had to go back up on stage to dance she asked me the question…..I get so excited about “why do you all do this?†I got to share Jesus with her. I told her because we loved her and wanted her to know that there is a God that created her and that loves her more than she will ever know. Jesus! She looked me straight in the eye for the first time at that point and said “I don’t know what to say….that is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard…â€
I wish I could say she turned around and walked out of that club that second, but God planted a seed that night and he will water and grow that seed, I know.
It’s so awesome to see how God works in these women’s lives and in the life of this ministry! We are never without, because he provides the way.
Club 2:
Reporting Kamille B.
Team:Â Hannah D., Natalie G., Mandy L.
Club 2 had an eerie feeling about it Thursday night. We kept trying to bring the dancers cookies and food, but they all were very busy and seemed to want their privacy.  We would give them plates of food smile and go to the other side.
They ate their plates fast with some sincere thankfulness.  The bartender V looked terrible.  She talked to Hannah briefly and told her about some troubles with her kids.   There weren’t a lot of girls working this night and the abundance of customers kept the girls very busy and unable to talk.
I did get to talk with, R.  She said the food was delicious and the warm soup hit the spot on this cold night. She lives with her brother and his family, but feels she needs to support herself.  She has worked there for years on and off…this was the first time I had met R.
J the DJ has become increasingly more talkative when we are around.  J has been coming to service at NCC off and on and he has been helping serve by cooking every now and then. The first two songs J played once we got there were dedicated to us.  One was “son of a preacher man…” he came over and told us he did that for us.  We weren’t to sure what to say, but thank you.
I watched for H the dancer, but she has moved to be one of the daytime bartenders and we won’t be seeing her very much anymore.  She needs some special prayer regarding her family, relationship stress.  She is a single mother who is financially struggling and her car was impounded.  Please pray for H.
The girls have come to trust us little by little and they know we are true to our word by just showing up every week and fulfilling our commitment of showing them love every week.
Trusting and Loving Him,
Rachelle & The Scarlet Hope Team
www.scarlethope.org
