30+ Years in the sex industry

Gianna 30+ years in the industry…

“names have been changed to protect identity”

Wrinkles lined her forehead.  Leathery skin made her body look older than she was.   The harsh smell of her smokey breath nearly took my breath away.  Scars all over her feet and hands.   Face to face with a women who has given her years, 30+ of them to working in the sex industry, Gianna knows no different.

You’d never know it, but she’s married.  In fact 25 of these devoted years have been in a marriage that is rotting of disease and pain.   So much abuse, so many children, so many day’s completely gone.

I wonder each time I see Gianna how she’s made it this far.  Drugs corrode her self esteem and ability to think clearly.   Alcohol is not far behind her reach. We long to know more of her story.   The story God is so desperately trying to restore.   She longs to listen to us, talk with us, tell us stories of her days.

$6.00 is what she made last night. Not even enough for a cab home.  How is she going to make it, I wonder.   Sitting in a small, smokey dressing room looking face to face with this leather skinned, brown eyed women something was telling me there’s more for her!   More love, more dignity, more hope for her than what the enemy has taken from her!  He has beaten her down, told her she’s worth nothing, made her believe his lies of deceitfulness.

But tonight was a bit different.   Kate straightening her hair, Debbie painting her nails, and I was doing her makeup all at the same time…. and for the first time in her life she felt beautiful. She felt special enough that God would reach out and touch her.   We believe he did just that tonight!

Think of the healing power of touch.   They say that when babies aren’t touched when they are born they can literally die.  When we aren’t touched and reaching to God our spirit will eventually die.  He not only gives us life, but he feeds our spiritual soul so that we can live in Him.    We long to share that with the girls that feel as if they are literally the “lepers” of today. Outcasted and deemed unworthy, these women each need to know how precious they are!

Carella was in town this evening.   A 28 year old single mother of 4.   Something was a little uneasy as we applied makeup and did her nails.   She was quick to ask why we do this and how we got started.   We shared with her that we love the Lord and looking her straight in the eyes told her He Loved her too!   For a split second it was a moment that I pray she’ll not forget.  I believe in the very words, God loves you, His power and light shine through. She felt it.   She then told us of her sinful life as a bisexual.   She travels down to see her girlfriend because no one in her community knows that she is a bisexual, stripper.   Her kids don’t even know.

Over and over again Carella said, ” I know it’s a sin, I know it’s a sin”...so Debbie asked her “did you used to be a Christian?”   They got to sit and talk about Christ and her parents religion and what she believes and doesn’t.    Shortly after talking all together Carella decided it was time for her to leave for the night.  It was before her shift was over and she didn’t spend much time dancing, but more time in the back with us….asking questions and sharing her story.   Praise God for the Spirit of conviction.  We saw that tonight in Carella’s life.    Though we may never see Carella again as she is from Wisconsin, we know that God planted many seeds and watered them right before our eyes.

These two women mentioned are in need of your prayers.     Please continue to pray for the lives in this ministry and for God to do miraculous things within the life of this ministry to women in the sex industry!

Thank you for your time and your commitment to supporting Scarlet Hope.

Much Love,
Rachelle & The Scarlet Hope Team