Journal Entry #86 – I feel like a queen..
May 20th 2010
Scarlet Hope had the privelege of having 3 ladies representing cities, Indianapolis and Muskegon, MI this week. Each of these ladies are praying and are starting ministries in their city to reach the women of the sex industry. Â God has blessed Scarlet Hope with joining together with these ladies to make that happen and help them a long the way.
Catherine from Indy writes:
“This past Thursday night was my first time in a strip club. It is hard to put into words not just what was experienced but what was felt and what I am still feeling today as I write. My experience started that day with a drive down to Louisville from Indianapolis. The plan was to meet with Rachelle and hear about Scarlet Hope, but instead of just hearing about Scarlet Hope she invited me along with them to the clubs that night. This was something good.
Before we went to the clubs we shared in a great Bible study about Ruth. This study was special because on the way to the study I went with Rachelle to pick up a dancer who joined in the Bible study. I had the honor of sitting next to her. We did not talk much, she seemed a little shy, but what was so great about sitting next to her was that I could feel her desperation. I could feel her longing for a better life and her knowing that she was in a place surrounded by people who are supporting her in the hard, pain infused, pursuit of getting that life. It was good to sit next to her because I could see and feel what God was doing in her life through Scarlet Hope. She is coming to realize who she is and the woman she is created to be. It doesn’t get more beautiful than that.
After the Bible study I got to go with three other women (Amy, Kate and Valerie) to a club to do hair and makeup. What was good about this was the confidence and determination that these women go into the clubs with. There is no fear in the eyes of these ladies that are on a mission to lavish love on the dancers inside the dark and smoky walls of the strip club. We hopped out of the cars, got the hair and makeup supplies out, walked right into the club and straight to the dressing room.  As soon as we got into the dressing room Kate and Valerie immediately started doing one of the dancer’s hair and makeup, there was no hesitation. Soon after this another dancer came in and had her hair done along with her nails. My favorite part of this was watching the women look in the mirror after their hair and makeup were done and saying they were beautiful.  Not just saying it but I believe realizing that they are indeed beautiful.  Another incredible part was the fierce love that the Scarlet Hope girls go to the club with. They walk in and immediately start loving on those with women with the love of Jesus. There is no holding back in how they love these women.
I had the chance to go to a second club that night where hair and makeup was being done. I met a group of ladies already in this club (Rachelle, Hannah, Heidi, and Sharon. The latter two ladies visiting from Michigan). I found the same thing in this club, the women of Scarlet Hope fiercely loving every person they came into contact with. One of the dancers in the club may have had my favorite line of the whole night. After she was done getting pampered she looked into the mirror with a hug smile she said “I feel like a queen!†I love this and I am so thankful for the women of Scarlet Hope. I am so thankful that they could help this girl feel like a queen, because I am guessing she does not often feel like anyone close to a queen. For that moment I believe she was seeing herself how God sees her, beautiful.
There was of course more that went on during the night and all of it was good. And when I say good I mean good in the deepest sense of the word. It is good to see women loving others the way God has created us to love each other. It is good to have a dancer say she feels like a queen. It is good to have a bouncer chase you down at the door because he wants to carry the big container full of makeup to the car for you. It is good to see the dancers as God sees them, “He doesn’t see her as some stripper; He sees her as one of the most beautiful things He ever created. He sees her as she is now: in her Lucite heels and cheap lace costume in the dank back room of a strip club – and she is beautiful. He sees her as she could be: healed, free, whole – and she is beautiful. (Journal Entry #85)â€
Being able to see firsthand what Scarlet Hope is doing was good. Good, in the deepest sense of the word. Â It was good for my soul to see God working with his people the way he has created things to work. It was refreshing for my soul, and if it was refreshing to my soul I can only imagine how refreshing and good it is for the women in the clubs to have people come and love on them every week. They may not know that what they are feeling is Love, for God is Love, but that is my prayer for the women in the clubs. Â My prayer is that they come to know that the love and goodness shown from Scarlet Hope is Love himself passionately pursing them to a life with him. A life where they are redeemed, whole, free, and beautiful, just the way he created them to be.”
Much Love,
The Scarlet Hope Team
