Atlanta day 7-8

By: Emily Wilson

Yesterday was probably the most powerful day any of us have ever experienced. It started with the big bald guy we call Jason telling us we were going to go paint a homeless shelter. yeahh.. he was wrong. turns out we were going to the rollar rink with our kids from kid's day out earlier in the week. A lot of us didn't have socks.. so we probably got some weird foot disease. It was great reconnecting with our kids though. D-Mac stuck to Trevor like glue and even Kiki wouldn't leave me until she had her meltdown at the end and didn't want to have anything to do with me. Mallory convinced one of the girls, Celest, that Justin Beiber was her boyfriend... Matt looks a lot like Justin Beiber. Poor Celest... Ashae wasn't there which made Jason very sad, but it was probably a blessing because he couldn't rollar skate to save his life. That took up most of our day and after dinner, some of us got ready to go out for Princess Night and minister to the prostitutes on the streets: Me, Bailey, Makayla, Anna, Lauren, Jen, Amber, Jessica B, Yusi, Karl, Tucker, Matt, Rod, and Jason and Patrick. The time spent in the van is usually all prayer so there wasn't much talking in the van. We stopped by our first girl, Diamond, and the first group of girls went, gave her flowers and her card, told her how loved she was a walked back. The same story happened with the next girl. When my group went though, something incredible happened. I'm going to tell the story soley from my point of view and what I witnessed.

There is no feeling in the world like that of seeing a pimp walking down the street with a scantily dressed girl at his side. All of our boys were tensed up in the back seat, thankful that they had been in homes where girls are respected and loved. No matter how hard you try, the image of a rundown hotel with women inside and men on the outside will forever be burned in your mind, especially when you can see the children of the women only a hotel room away from where such disrespect is occuring. As we continued driving, all the while praying that God would put someone in our path we came across two ladies walking down the side of the road. Patrick pulled over and it was my group's turn to go out. Amber, Bailey, Jen, and I got out. Amber was holding the flowers, but I felt in my heart that I was supposed to be the one to talk to her so I asked her for them and walked up to one of the ladies. Turns out, it was a mother and daughter. I was talking to the mother and I began telling her how beautiful she was and how loved by the Lord she was and if she ever needed anything the Dream Center is always open. I asked her if I could pray with her and she agreed so I put my hand on her shoulder and felt the presence of God just pouring into her. She began crying as did her daughter who Jen was talking to. We offered to take them with us in our van and bring them to the Dream Center and give them a place to stay. They were hesitant at first, but God was definitely on our side and they agreed to go. Turns out they were from Mississippi. The daughter has had some background in prostitution before and a man offered her lots of money and good food if she came to Atlanta to work for him. Her mother, who has had no experience only began in the time they were in Atlanta, came with her also. The man used them for a little while then ditched them and left them with no money. A new pimp picked them up and began working them so hard that by the time we met them they were incredibly weary. He had pumped them full of crack, didn't let them sleep or eat for 4 days. Every time they came back to rest he would send them out again. They had blisters all over their feet even on the tops from walking so much. The mother remembers praying for a nice big man to come and get her and take her away to a place where she could be safe and hide, God definitely answered her prayers. They were so greatful to us. We gave them food and clothes and a place to stay in the safe house. The Lord was definitely preparing Jen and Karl for this when they made way too much lasagna for no reason. Jason even had a vision before we went out dipicting the exact looks of one of the ladies we saved. I am so thankful that God used me in all of this. It goes to show that God can take horrible things that have happened to you and turn them into something beautiful. I am so greatful that he decided to use me. I am sure to give him all the praise and all the glory. The two ladies are safe and this morning, Amber, Bailey, Sandlyn, and I went to walmart to buy them clothes and food and neccessities for their bus trip back home to Mississippi. Keep them in your prayers and pray that God will have touched their lives in some way. Another team will be going out tomorrow so pray that God uses them for something big too. This experience has changed me. And I am sure it has changed others too. Karl told me earlier in the week that God was going to use me to save someone's life. I didn't think it would actually happen, but I serve a really big God.

Today we have mostly done Words of Life and we got to pull weeds down the street on a man's property who has a restraining order against the Dream Center, so it was a great ministry opportunity when he allowed us to help him. Tonight after worship, we are going out for compassion night so pray that God opens up lots of opportunities for us.