story from Daniel (DTS student)
The sun had set hours ago, the street brightened by neon lights promising Girls, Girls, Girls. The couple, if you could call them that, caught my eye when they walked past my window at the coffee shop. He, an older gentleman, clearly foreign, put his arm around her shoulder. She, a much younger Thai woman, pushed his arm away and lightly held his hand instead.
The emotions that played across their faces was what I had seen on so many others walking by that night: anger, sadness, bitterness, rejection.
The way he had put his arm around her shoulders seemed like a casual gesture, like how you would walk down the street with someone you loved dearly. It made me sad — that longing for love and intimacy misplaced.
I had always felt compassion for women in the sex trade, and typically anger at the men. One the victim, the other monster. But in that moment, I realized something. Both of them are broken. Both are daughters and sons of God. Why, then, do we only show love and compassion to the women when the men are also hurting and broken? They both need to know God’s love.
Working with the MST Project (Men in the Sex Trade) opened my eyes to see the brokenness the would drive men to find love or pleasure in the arms of a prostitute. They need help just as much as the women. They are just as worthy of God’s love.
We are called to love all God’s children, no matter what.
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