Well, today I went to my friend Nico’s to get my haircut. I asked him if I could be his first client so I could get in and out as quickly as possible so I could get some other things done while I was out. (I don’t like to leave Pablo and Ziggy home for too long in case they have to go potty.)

I debated whether or not I should get an all day pass ($5.00) or just pay $1.25 every time I took the bus. I had a few places to go but some of them I could walk, but I liked having the option of taking the bus as many times I wanted if I had to, so I got an all day pass.

My appointment was at 10:30am but I wasn’t done until after two. (Haircut and color) By the time I got out of there I didn’t have much time to do what I wanted to do - and sometimes taking the bus takes longer than just walking would. So I walked to Target, got what I needed and walked down Santa Monica up La Brea to Sunset to the beauty supply. On the way there I stopped at the vet because yesterday Ziggy was throwing up and he got poison ivy two weeks ago when we went hiking - the doctor said it was probably still in his system and to bring him in. He was still scratching like crazy and keeping us up all hours of the night. I called Daryl because I wanted to see if he could pick the doggies up at home and then come to meet me at the vet or near the vet. He said he would, but probably wouldn’t be there for at least another hour. After getting off the phone, I was walking and talking to God. As I passed the bus stop I noticed, from the corner of my eye - a guy sitting on the ground behind the bus stop. He looked… “pained.” That’s the only way I know how to describe it.

I kept walking, went to the beauty supply and across the street to mail something. Now that Daryl was picking me up, I knew for sure that I wouldn’t need the all day bus pass. I wanted to give it to someone, maybe a homeless person or someone sitting at the bus stop. I had an hour to kill and thought that I’d go to Ross and shop until Daryl came and got me, but I really did NOT need to be spending any money so I asked the Lord if He wanted me to talk to someone about Him to tell me who. He brought to mind the guy I saw earlier by the bus stop. I said that I would talk to the guy if he was still there when I got across the street. He was. I’ve pretty much gotten to where if God tells me to go talk to someone - I just do it - I don’t really stop to think about what I’m gonna say - it just happens. So I just walked up to him and said, “Hi.” He looked like he had been crying. I asked him what was wrong - that he looked so bummed. He looked up at me with the most distraught look and with tears in his eyes and said, “Is everyone in this city so mean? I just got robbed, a homeless guy asked me for some money to eat and I opened up my wallet and he grabbed it and took off. I had $300 in my wallet and now I have nothing!!!”

He was obviously homosexual - his mannerisms, the way he talked, exaggerated femininity, more “female” than most females. As most of you know, I have such a heart for homosexuals - I knew that this was a divine appointment. He said his name was Shawn - he was very proper and polite. I asked him how long he’d been sitting there and he said since the night before! I asked him when the last time he’d eaten and he said the day before. I asked him if he wanted something to eat and he said, “Maam, I’m not trying to get money - I’m not a bad person - I’m so hungry but I’m not a bum, I’m not trying to beg for money.” I said, “I didn’t say you were - I just asked you if you were hungry. Let’s go across the street to Burger King.” He almost cried - he said he was starving - he’d be so happy just to have a soda.

As we walked across the street, he told me that everyone told him that he shouldn’t trust anyone because they’d just take advantage of him. He said that he was from San Fransisco and that he was supposed to sit in front of the Internet cafe and not move until his friend came and picked him up, so he wouldn’t get beat or robbed again (His friend was driving all the way from SF!) Then he looked at me and said, “Why are you being nice to me?” I told him that I had been on the street before and that I knew what it was like - but also because I was a Christian and I felt God wanted me to stop and talk to him. He said, “I’m GAY.” I said, “I know.” It just came out of my mouth - I mean, it was very obvious. He didn’t take offense.

When we got inside Burger King I told him to order whatever he wanted and he was so grateful. After he ordered he asked me if I would sit and eat with him and I said yes - then he said he didn’t know if I was just going to pay for his food and say “see ya” and leave. He kept thanking me and asked if he could pay me back somehow - give me a massage, pluck my eyebrows - he said something about working at MAC (Makeup Artist Cosmetics) and I told him that he didn’t have to pay me back. We sat and talked and he told me that he had been a Christian at one point in his life and even spoke in tongues. He asked me if I thought that God hated him. (I said No) He said that his parent’s disowned him because he was gay - and then he said that if God didn’t hate him then why’d He give him HIV?

I told him that God did NOT give him HIV - he got that because of his lifestyle choices. I told him how Daryl and I have HepC - we used to shoot drugs. I told him that having sex outside of marriage is a sin - homosexuality is a sin and there are consequences to sin. He didn’t argue that. We really had a great conversation. He told me that he was raped by numerous family members when he was 13 years old and how he’d had so many bad experiences with Christians and how God didn’t love him if he did this or didn’t do that etc. etc. - he became angry at the church and angry at God. I told him that he couldn’t use that as an excuse for why he turned his back on God. He is responsible for HIS actions, just as the people who hurt him will give God and account for their actions. We talked a lot more about a lot of stuff.

Long story short Daryl was coming to pick me up so we walked to the Internet cafe and I gave him some money for the night (I only had a 20, 5 and a couple of singles and I wanted to give him at least ten bucks, so I gave him the 20) and about $5-$10 of internet time on the computer so he could hang out in there (they kicked him out earlier.) He was again so so grateful and when Daryl pulled up I introduced him to Shawn. Shawn asked Daryl immediately, “Are you a Christian too?” Of course Daryl said yes and we asked him if we could pray for him. He asked if he could get in the car and do it, he was kind of embarrassed. So we sat in the car and prayed with him. He was so sweet, he said that he knew that God has a calling on his life - that he had been told that he was going to be a warrior. He said that he had been praying that God would talk to him - that before I walked up to him that he was suicidal and wanted to end his life. He asked God to just speak to him, say “Hi” - he wanted to audibly hear God say Hi to him. We todl him that although God sometimes chooses to speak audibly to people - most times he speaks through His word (bible) and through people. He smiled and said, “Maybe He was speaking to me through you.”

As we parted ways, Shawn asked, “When I come back down here again, can I go to church with you guys?” “Of course!” We answered. He said that he would call me for sure, I had given him my contact information. He promised that he would call me when he gets back to SF. Please pray for him!

I also got an email from a guy named Kevin, I had talked to him a few months ago in front of a pet store - he was pan handing money. He asked me for change and I said “No, sorry” and kept walking - then I got a check in my spirit to go back and talk with him. I asked him what he was asking money for - looking at him I could tell that he was a junkie. I asked him if he was dope sick - he was. Long story short, he said he couldn’t stand Christians and the reasons why. I told him that I was a Christian and gave him $5 which gave me an opportunity to tell him about the Dream Center - well in his email he said that he wanted me to give him the phone number to the Dream Center, that he needed help bad and was willing to try anything. I am a strong believer that “People don’t care what you know, until they know that you care.” I have grown to know and see that people are more open to hearing what we have to say when we are willing to open our wallets as well as our mouths when sharing Jesus with them. I’m not saying to give money to every homeless person or junkie I see - just be open and willing to do it when God tells us to. I haven’t heard back from Kevin yet - maybe he’s in discipleship at the Dream Center! That would be cool… God is so good and it is such a privilege to be used by Him. All we have to do is be willing and available. I’m so glad that He doesn’t require special talents or gifts - in that case, I’d never do anything for Him!

Sorry this is so long.

Below are two paragraphs in my book - I have about 300 pages now and I probably still have another 100 or so - the editor I spoke with said that it’s easier to work with too much than not enough, so… hope this doesn’t gross you out too much.

God is so good, He is helping me to get this written faster than I would have expected and I trust that He will lead and direct the rest every step of the way. Thank You Jesus!

We were taken to a large holding tank once we got to the courthouse and I lay down on the floor curled up in a ball. I was sicker than a dog. There were about ten or so women in the tank with me and one of them was an older black woman who went by the name “Mama”. She looked at me lying on the cold cement and said compassionately, “You’re kicking, aren’t you.” I weakly answered, “Yes” and she said, “I got arrested last night with 14 bags of dope and swallowed them. If I go to the bathroom I’ll let you know.” I seriously began to pray. As gross as it sounds – it didn’t matter to me in the least back then. I was so sick that all I cared about was finding some temporary relief to my pain. There was no way I could stand before the judge as sick as I was.

About an hour or so later, Mama was sitting on the toilet. She motioned to me when she was finished and didn’t flush when she got up. I dragged myself over to the toilet – looked around and grabbed a maxi-pad box. I took the box, stuck it in the toilet and smashed Mama’s crap onto the side of the toilet bowl until I saw a little green balloon float up to the top. The other ladies in the holding tank were screaming by this time, asking what the heck I was doing and saying “how gross” etc. I turned around and gave them the finger and said that I was going to get well. I grabbed the balloon, went to the sink and washed it off as best as I could. When I finally got the balloon open all I could do was snort it – it was watery and difficult to get up my nose without spilling it all. I was able to snort enough of it to feel it burn my nostrils and almost immediately my dope sickness went away. I was able to stand upright before the judge because of Mama, her crap and that balloon of dope! I was so grateful but man; I’d swear that the rancid stench of feces was in my nose and under my fingernails for at least a week after that! Ugh!!!

Sorry if I grossed you out… but that’s what happened, yes I did that. I was a very sick puppy.

Thank You Jesus for delivering me and setting me FREE!

Well this afternoon I went with Daryl to the Urgent care. The woman who worked with me on Thursday had asked me to come in today so she could try to get blood from me again.

Last time she stuck me ten times - which is not unusual for me whenever I have to get my blood drawn. Many times (most) the people or persons trying to get a vein give up after 5-10 tries. My friend Jennifer was with me Thursday and she was laughing because of seeing the doctor’s (nurse practitioner’s) reaction when she’d ask me certain questions like, “Have you had any surgeries?”

Me: “Yes”

Her: “What kind?”

Me: “Gun shot wound.”

Her: “Where?”

Me: “Left arm, through my side, liver, lung, diaphragm to my back.”

Her: “Any other surgeries?”

Me: “Yes”

Her: “What kind?”

Me: “Brain surgery”

Her: (Eyes widened but without turning her head toward me) “What happened?”

Me: “On drugs, tried to commit suicide and jumped off an 8 story apartment, landed on my head.”

I told her that I have been clean now for over seven years and she asked how I did it and I was able to tell her - “Jesus.”

She gave the kind of standard “whatever works for you” answer; not exactly but similar and quickly changed the subject. I didn’t feel that she was open to hear about the Lord right then.

While trying to find a vein the nurse practitioner said that I had more experience than her and that she usually let addicts tell her where the best veins to try are. After about 5 tries the only thing I saw was one between my fingers and it was crazy… Jennifer said that in all her years as a nurse she had never seen this happen. The NP was able to get the vein between my fingers and the blood started pumping through the tubing - and then started gushing out of the tubing! There was a small crack - Jen tried to close it up, the NP tried to catch the blood into a tube… with no luck. Ugh!!!

After that we tried again in both of my wrists (after trying my leg and ankles) to no avail. The NP was obviously frustrated and used GD a couple of times…

When I took the tourniquet (rubber tie) Jennifer started to stand up because she was going to help me tie off my arm so I could look for another vein - she hadn’t ever seen someone tie it off so quickly by themselves. We weren’t ever able to find a vein but the NP thanked me for being such a trooper. Not really, I just really wanted to get my blood taken because I’m WAY overdue to get my liver enzymes checked. (Like two years) Besides, it’s my own fault that I ruined all my veins, not hers.

Well today when Daryl and I went back to the Urgent care we had a lot of people praying for us. It was good because this time the NP seemed a little more friendly toward me. After trying a few times and missing she had Daryl come in and Daryl had a look at my arms and legs too. He didn’t find anything so he asked the NP if she did artery sticks. She said that she would do whatever I was willing to do.

I was more than willing to do that - I foolishly shot up in an artery two or three times while strung out and I knew that they were an easy stick. Plus I wanted BLOOD!!!

I showed her where to stick me and PRAISE GOD - she was able to get it! Yay! Thank You Jesus!

Well it was great because we were all glad and I hugged the NP and thanked her and jokingly told her that I felt a special “bond” with her after all we’d been through. She said the same, hugged Daryl and I told her that I wanted to give her a brochure of our ministry. She thanked me and I gave her some tracts of my testimony with the brochure and she said she may be able to hand them out to some of her patients.

I’ll get the lab results sometime this week and I’m supposed to see her again. Daryl asked how I may have contracted it and she said that the staph infection lives on our skin, but because of my compromised immune system, past I.V. use and the fact that I had cellulitus so many times (even after I got clean) that I was much more susceptible to MRSA than a normal healthy person. She said that there was a good chance that every time I had cellulitus I had MRSA but back then it wasn’t widely known about or understood.

On the way to the Urgent care I saw my friend G*** at 7-Eleven - pan handling. We stopped and I noticed his arm and fingers - blown up and swollen. He said that he had just gotten over MRSA and his arm was swollen from shooting up. He was dope sick and miserable… we gave him some cash… looking at him made me SO GRATEFUL that I am where I am now. I do NOT miss that life at all. Not even a little.

G*** said that he’s sick of it too and that he wants to get clean… I hope that he will one day soon. He knows the truth and he knows Jesus but isn’t willing to let Jesus be the Lord of his life. ;-(

Please pray for him and the NP - and for me to feel better soon! The NP said the strong antibiotics could be what’s kicking my butt and making me feel so bad. I still feel miserable and in so much pain. too much to sleep right now… oh well… it could be worse. I could still be strung out…

 Well….ugh.

Ok this is kind of freaky but I thought I just had a zit on my chin but it got bigger and bigger and acne medicine was not making it get any better… at the same time I thought that I had a Fibromyalgia/CFS flare up because I felt fluish, my body/joints/muscles aches so bad and I have been sleeping over 12 hours a day - all I seem to be able to do is sleep, sleep, sleep.

Daryl told me that what I had looked like a spider bite, and my friend Jen told me the same today and when I looked online to see what a spider bite looked like - I saw what looked like on my face!!! Ugh!!! I was scared to have some huge honkin’ scar on my face, plus I’ve been in bed since Sunday (and not feeling any better at all - I’ve been cold and it’s like 90 degrees outside) so Jen said she’d take me to urgent care since I just got insurance. (Praise Jesus)

The doctor there told me I had a low grade fever and low blood pressure and that it looked like I have something called MRSA :methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus”, it could have been from a spider bite but it also just could have been a boil or pimple that got infected - it is a staph/skin infection… ;-( she said that people get it because of resistance to antibiotics - she said that I may have also been prone to get it because of my low immune system and past drug use (always getting bacterial diseases like cellulitus from shooting up all the time and having to take antibiotics) and having HepC…

She asked why I waited so long to go to see the doctor (cause I hate to) and she prescribed me some heavy antibiotics and wants me to go back on Sunday. She also wanted to get blood from me but after sticking me 10 times in my arms, hand, wrists, ankle and leg she decided to try again on Sunday and told me that I was a trooper. Not really, that’s just what I can expect every time I’m going to (hopefully) get my blood drawn. It really sucks. She’s gonna try sticking me again on Sunday, PLEASE PRAY that she can get a vein this time!!!

So I’m still in bed but tomorrow I’ll get some antibiotics (every pharmacy we went to tonight was already closed).

I’m taking a months break from outreach/ministry - I really need some time off - I have 250 pages of my book written so far and now I am in the process of either finding an agent and/or publisher to send query letters to and I feel like that is what I am supposed to do - focus on getting it finished.

Thanks so much for all of your prayers!!!

Later… 

Please pray… that I don’t have this MRSA staff infection! (Better known as a “superbug”) That’s what the doctor I saw Thursday night is treating me for!!! Ugh! I thought for sure once I started taking the antibiotics that I’d start feeling better.

This is crazy - what I thought was just a stupid zit has become this gnarly abscess ON MY FACE!!!

Since yesterday I started taking Keflex which from reading - does NOT have any effect on MRSA - but I’ve also been taking Bactrim, which is supposed to help combat MRSA. All I know is that instead of feeling better, I have been feeling worse and worse every day. Weaker and in so much joint and bone pain. My neck is stiff and so sore. My lymph nodes are swollen and throat sore - I pray that this is just a FMS/CFS flare up.
The toxins from the S. aureus bacteria can cause serious, even fatal, illness in people who have compromised immune systems. Ugh.

Tomorrow I am going back to Urgent Care center - PLEASE PLEASE PRAY that this time we will be able to get a vein so my blood can be tested - if I have this MRSA in my blood or bones I would most likely have to be hospitalized for I.V. antibiotics. No!!! Don’t want to go to the hospital!!! Been in the hospital too, too much already!!!
Website:

It may be possible for people to develop MRSA infections through contact with an infected pet. The bacteria have been found in dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, cows, and pigs. More research is needed to determine if the bacteria can be easily spread in this manner.

Complications: Because they are resistant to treatment, MRSA infections often cause serious complications and widespread infection. In severe cases, skin infections can result in tissue death (necrosis). Other MRSA complications include the following:

• Brain or spinal cord abscess (nervous system infections)
• Cellulitis (connective tissue infection) (I used to get Cellulitus ALL the time when I was on dope - too many times to count)
  
• Endocarditis (infection of the membrane that lines the heart)
• Organ failure (e.g., kidney)
• Osteomyelitis (bone marrow infection)
• Pharyngitis (throat infection)
• Pneumonia (respiratory infection that affects the lungs)
• Septic arthritis and septic bursitis (joint infections)
• Septicemia (also called blood poisoning)
• Sinusitis (sinus infection)
• Thrombophlebitis (inflammation of a vein and formation of a blood clot)
• Toxic shock syndrome (acute infection that involves multiple organ systems)
• Urinary tract infection (UTI)

MRSA

Alternative Names

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA); Hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) Definition    Return to top

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an infection caused by a strain of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria that is highly resistant to antibiotics.

Causes    Return to top

S. aureus (”staph”) is a common bacteria that normally lives on the skin and sometimes in the nasal passages. MRSA refers to S. aureus strains that do not respond to the antibiotics normally used to cure staph infections.

The bacteria can cause infection when it enters the body through a cut, sore, catheter, or breathing tube. The infection can be minor and local (for example, a pimple), or more serious (involving the heart or bone).

Serious staph infections are more common in people with weak immune systems, usually patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities and those receiving kidney dialysis.

MRSA infections are grouped into two types:

Healthcare-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) infections occur in people who are or have recently been in the hospital. Those who have been hospitalized or had surgery within the past year are at an increased risk. MRSA bacteria are responsible for a large percentage of hospital-acquired staph infections.

Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections are ones that occur in otherwise healthy people who have not recently been in the hospital. The infections have occurred among athletes who share equipment or personal items (such as towels or razors) and children in daycare facilities. Members of the military and those who receive tattoos are also at risk. The number of CA-MRSA cases is increasing.

Symptoms    Return to top

Staph skin infections normally cause a red, swollen, and painful area on the skin. Other symptoms may include:

• Skin abscess
• Drainage of pus or other fluids from the site
• Fever
• Warmth around the infected area

Symptoms of a more serious staph infection may include:

• Rash
• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Chills
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Malaise (general feeling of illness)
• Headache

Exams and Tests    Return to top

Depending on the extent and severity of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend the following tests to detect and confirm the bacteria causing the infection:

• Blood culture
• Culture of the drainage (fluid) from the infection
• Skin culture from the infected site
• Sputum culture
• Urine culture

Treatment    Return to top

Draining the skin sore is often the only treatment needed for a local skin MRSA infection. This can be done at the doctor’s offcie.

More serious MRSA infections, especially HA-MRSA infections, are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Antibiotics that may still work include vancomycin (Vancocin, Vancoled), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Bactrim DS, Septra, Septra DS), linezolid (Zyvox), tetracycline (doxycycline), or clindamycin.

It is important to finish all doses of antibiotics you have been given, even if you feel better before the final dose. Unfinished doses can lead to development of further drug resistance in the bacteria.

Other treatments may be needed for infections that are more serious. The person will be admitted to a hospital. Treatment may involve:

• Fluids and medications through a vein
• Oxygen
• Kidney dialysis (if kidney failure occurs)

Support Groups    Return to top

For more information about MRSA see the Centers for Disease Control web site — www.cdc.gov.

Outlook (Prognosis)    Return to top

How well a person does depends on the severity of the infection and their overall health. MRSA-related pneumonia and blood poisoning are associated with high death rates.

Possible Complications    Return to top

From another website:
Serious staph infections may lead to:

• Cellulitis
• Endocarditis
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Pneumonia
• Blood poisoning

Organ failure and death may result from untreated MRSA infections.
Patients with infections due to Staphylococcus aureus often need antibiotics. Infections due to normal strains of Staphylococcus aureus are often treated with flucloxacillin (eg Floxapen), but this is ineffective against MRSA. To make matters worse, MRSA are often also resistant to other types of antibiotics such as erythromycin (eg Erythroped) and ciprofloxacin (eg Ciproxin).

Although MRSA are resistant to many drugs, most remain susceptible to the antibiotics vancomycin and teicoplanin (Targocid). Infections due to MRSA are therefore often treated with one or other of these drugs. Both must be administered by infusion or injection, and for this reason, they are used for treatment only in hospitalised patients. Injection of vancomycin into muscle is painful and thus not used, while rapid administration into a vein may produce an allergic-type reaction (the so-called ‘red man’ syndrome). To overcome these problems, vancomycin must be given by slow infusion into a vein. In contrast, teicoplanin may be safely administered by injection into muscle or rapid infusion into a vein. (Oh Lord please no…no more veins…)

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

TODAYS OUTREACH I JUST GOT HOME FROM OUTREACH THIS AFTERNOON. IT WENT REALLY WELL! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE PRAYING FOR US AND ESPECIALLY FOR ZIGGY AND PABLO. WE WEREN’T ABLE TO STAY OUT VERY LONG (IT WAS AND STILL IS SOOOO HOT OUTSIDE) BUT THE SHORT HOUR THAT WE WERE OUT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE. WELL… OH DARN. I JUST GOT A PHONE CALL FROM DARYL AND HIS TRUCK STALLED, THE STARTER ISN’T WORKING - SO HE’S WAITING FOR A MECHANIC. UGH. SO… ASIDE FROM THAT HAPPENING - THE OUTREACH WENT WELL. WE SAW ABOUT TEN PROSTITUTES - TWO WE MET BEFORE, AND THE REST WERE NEW FACES. ONE WENT BY MICHELLE, WHO WASN’T VERY OPEN - ANOTHER WHO WENT BY “FANTASY” ANOTHER “STAR”, ANOTHER “PROMISE”… WE WERE ABLE TO HAND OUT TEN BAGS TO THE GIRLS AND TALKED WITH THE GIRL WHO WENT BY “PROMISE” FOR A BIT. SHE SAID SHE’S GOING TO COLLEGE AND HAD BEEN TURNING TRICKS FOR THREE YEARS. A GIRLFRIEND OF HERS TURNED HER ON TO THE GAME. THEN WHILE WE WERE TALKING TO “FANTASY” AND ANOTHER GIRL (WE DIDN’T GET HER NAME) A PIMP IN A LIME GREEN SUV CAME BY CUSSING AND “SPITTING” (NOT LITERALLY SPITTING - IT’S A TERM) AT “FANTASY” AND HER FRIEND - SO WHILE MY FRIEND WAS TALKING TO THEM I RAN UP TO THE PIMPS SUV AND HANDED HIM A PIMP TRACT. AT FIRST HE LOOKED AT ME CRAZY AND I JUST SMILED AND INTRODUCED MYSELF AND NOTICED HE HAD THREE GIRLS IN THE CAR WITH HIM. HE READ THE BEGINNING OF THE PIMP TRACT AND WAS VERY RESPECTFUL TOWARDS ME. I ASKED HIM IF I COULD GIVE HIS GIRLS SOME GIFT BAGS AND HE SAID YES - I TOLD HIM THAT I HAD TO GET THEM IN THE CAR AND HE SAID THAT THEY WOULD WAIT FOR ME TO GET THE BAGS. WHEN I CAME BACK HE THANKED ME AND TOOK 3 BAGS AND I ASKED HIM AND THE GIRLS WHAT THEIR NAMES WERE - HIS WAS J*****, AND THE GIRLS HAD TRIPPY NAMES I COULDN’T HARDLY PRONOUNCE LESS REMEMBER - AND I NOTICED THAT THEY SEEMED VERY VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT GIVING ME THEIR NAMES WHICH IS TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE… I TOLD THEM WE’D PUT THEM ON OUR PRAYER LIST (GOD KNOWS THEIR NAMES) AND JEREMY SAID THAT THEY NEEDED PRAYER - AND THANKED US FOR PRAYING FOR THEM. ALL IN ALL IT WAS GOOD AND J*****’S CAR IS VERY RECOGNIZABLE SO WE’LL KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR HIM NEXT TIME WE’RE OUT. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Today’s Outreach - Awesome! First of all - Praise God I got a voice mail from a young man named C**** - we met him on outreach one morning when we had a team from Fresno with us. This guy has SUCH a calling on his life and has such a beautiful spirit. He received Jesus as his Lord and Savior - he’s a meth addict and is still on the street - but he kept my phone number and called me to let me know that he is SO READY TO GO TO THE DREAM CENTER!!! But when I tried to call him back at the number he called from some guy who said he didn’t know C**** answered - then I called another number he left and got a voice mail so I left a message and left the for the Dream Center and for him to call me. PLEASE PRAY that he will get the message and that he’ll call me back!!! Now today’s outreach - it was great - I’m beginning to notice a pattern… Pablo has gone out on outreach with us since we starting going out during the day… and he has gotten car sick. He threw up on me one day after we had a really good outreach and last week he threw up again. (Not on me this time thank God) So I didn’t take him out with me today - and lo and behold - instead Ziggy got sick - I came home to the smell of poo poo… UGH. He had an accident (BIG ONE) all over my kitchen floor - literally ALL OVER. (The reason I can tell when it’s Ziggy (his signature) is because he does “circles” - poops in at least three or more spots - whereas Pablo stays in one spot.) Plus he must have had an upset stomach other night too. So I’m really going to have to MAKE sure to pray over the boys before outreach. Daryl and I always pray for them but I think they need some extra protection when we go on outreach. This afternoon we prayed the whole way to the track and when we got there no one was out (no girls) and so we drove around and then saw one girl we could tell was a “working girl” so we pulled over and got out of the car. I gave her a gift bag and she thanked us and asked what was in it and why we were giving bags away. This girl called herself “H****” and she was only 19 years old. She said she’d been working for about 2 and a half years. I asked her if she had a pimp and she said she was renegade but that he was in prison. H**** said that the way she started turning tricks was she had a “boyfriend” who knew about the Game and she wanted to “try” - so she went on one of the tracks here in Hollywood and she didn’t know that she “wasn’t supposed to get in a black guys car” - well she did and the guy was a pimp. He took her to a different track and wanted her to work and she was crying - well another pimp saw her crying and he “rescued” her and beat the other guy up and so she ended up staying with him - he taught her all the rules and language of the game. She said he had 6 girls - she also had his name ‘branded’ on her chest - and I didn’t think about it until later - he has the same name of another girl we met a while back - a 17 year old named Y** Y** - I wonder if that’s the same pimp? I haven’t seen Y** Y** on the street for a while now - it would make sense that if that was the same pimp and he’s in prison now for like 8 months… why we haven’t seen her on the street for about that amount of time now. Anyway, “H****” said she didn’t have a pimp right now and was mostly working off the internet but then her old pimp’s brother called her while we were talking to her and asked who we were and why was she talking to us etc. So who knows. She said she has a boyfriend but I’m thinking that maybe her “boyfriend” is her old pimps brother. Everyone is “family” (what they call their “folks”) in the Game and it really reminds me of my gang friends/homeboys - how my husband used to have his homeboys watch me whenever he couldn’t - he’d always have a couple of his friends watching me wherever I went, even at work. We were ‘closer’ than any family I knew of until I became a Christian and was ‘adopted’ into God’s family - now my friends that God has put in my life are closer than any family I’ve ever been a part of. Even my dad and I are closer than ever before because of the bond we have in Jesus. Well, I got H****’s phone number and we asked her if we could take her to lunch sometime and she said “Yes” - so Lord willing, we’ll be able to do that sometime soon. Thank you for your prayers!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Outreach and STBEP Today we went on outreach to talk to the girls/prostitutes again. We only had about an hour to be out there because of our schedules - there were 3 of us - me and a woman who prefers to be on the “down low” and Lauren, a college student from Reality. It was great, because it seems like girls are pretty consistent out there - regardless of what time it is. We saw a few girls we hadn’t met before, prayed with two and then saw a couple of regulars, K***** and A**** that we didn’t recognize right away because they got hair weaves! But they recognized us right away and said, “Hey! There’s our friends!!!” We talked with them a bit and then K***** pointed at two Hispanic girls (yes, GIRLS) who looked VERY young (13-15?) and said “Those girls are working - they’re fro across the border. You guys should go talk to them…” Then A**** said “Yeah, go talk to them, and they better not mess wit you guys, you guys our friends, I’ll kick their butts…” Funny. Not like we’re worried about a couple of girls messing with us. Unfortunately, the two girls disappeared down a street and we weren’t able to find or talk to them. Maybe next time… Please continue to pray for STBEP - she’s going through some VERY difficult stuff right now. Physically, medically, spiritually and definitely emotionally as well. I cannot believe how strong she is sometimes. It seems as if SO MUCH of her past keeps coming up like a flood and she feels disgusting, dirty and horrible about herself and things she’s done and been through. It’s so so so sad… My heart is broken for her. Truly… sometimes I almost wonder - how can any person go through the stuff she’s gone through - and why? I mean… she’s asked me before where God was when certain things happened to her when she was a child… and there is no cut and dry easy answer to give her… I mean, sure He was there - I totally believe that the only reason she’s still alive is because He’s been watching over her - but seriously, when she tells me that she was a little girl and she prayed and asked God to protect her from certain specific people and yet those people still hurt and violate her over and over… what do I say? I KNOW that God’s heart was broken for her, but… Some days I honestly do wonder how, or IF she will ever get through the stuff she’s having to deal with. Some days I just cry. But I DO TRUST that we serve a BIG BIG God. I have to trust and believe that HE will see her through this - otherwise honestly, some days I just want to break down and cry for days. Daryl and I are seriously - TOTALLY believing God for her to come through this and for HIM to totally set her free and make her whole one day. She has been doing AMAZINGLY well, working with her counselors… Last night her counselor gave her some “homework” - to have Daryl talk to her and tell her how a man is supposed to treat a woman when he loves her. It was very good - She kept saying that a woman (in the game) is supposed to be disciplined and corrected - and Daryl told her that it is NEVER OK for a man to lay hands on a woman, no matter what. She had a hard time believing that. He was told her that a man should encourage her and build her up and treat her like royalty cause she is - she’s a daughter of the King - NOT discourage her and bring her down… she’s having a hard time accepting the FACT that she is valuable and that she deserves to be treated well. Plus she’s still got people consistently speaking otherwise - no matter how she tries to stay away from them… people that make it very difficult for me to continue to behave “Christlike”… Grrrr. Anyway, please just pray. We love her so much, and God LOVES her so much more than we ever could. Thank you…

After Hours Needs, Prayer and Update on STBEP Thank you SO MUCH for your ongoing prayer, encouragement and financial and support! Well, we have been working on our 501c3 and are in the process of getting a lawyer to help us complete the last form we need to fill out to send to the IRS. Our friend Kim is helping us revise and complete our bylaws. We will need to raise $750 to pay the IRS with the paperwork. Finances for the gift bags are always something we need on a regular basis - we are now going on outreach during the week (Wednesdays) and there are SO many girls out. We are still doing what we can to help meet STBEP’s needs - phone, gas (even food) and money when we can. I can only imagine that there must be some people wondering why we are still helping her (including her) and all I can say is that SHE WANTS TO CHANGE SO BAD - she is taking BABY steps - I was talking to my dad last night and I was telling him how it is SO HARD for STBEP to understand God’s LOVE without having to ‘earn’ it - in the game (and the world in general) NOTHING is free - there are always strings attached… she feels like such a failure if she just makes one mistake she beats herself up and wants to give up because she’s not changing ‘fast enough’… She is so scared that people are only helping her because they expect something from her, and she’s afraid that she won’t be able to live up to people’s expectations and then everyone will be disappointed in her and write her off. My dad asked if STBEP knew that it is a process - change doesn’t happen overnight - and “Have you told her how long it took you????” Lol! Yes - I have shared that it took me YEARS to screw up (and I still screw up - just not as much as I did before), learning to understand God’s love for me. I totally always felt like if I screwed up - He looked down at me like I was a failure and He didn’t want to look at my face ever again - I was disgusting to Him. Then I would get mad and think He was a jerk. I was SO mixed up. WHY would God love me??? WHY? I remember one night after ‘doing’ (a large amount of guys in the back room) a bachelor party one night — feeling like a piece of trash, a rag doll… after I left the party, I remember taking a cab, being dropped off at a Taco Bell just standing in the empty parking lot…with nowhere to go - crying, shaking my fist at God, “So You still love me now? Yeah right, how can You still love me!? (screaming through my tears) How can anyone love me??????” People prayed for me, people tried to get me to come to church, people prayed ‘OVER’ me - I WANTED SO BAD TO BE FREE - but I was in SUCH BONDAGE… it took YEARS for me to come around. And God used a NUMBER of His people to show me His love, in spite of what an idiot I was - people who did not give up on me, who loved me unconditionally. Even when I was a jerk. STBEP isn’t even a jerk at all like I was when I was living in my madness. I used and abused everyone that tried to help me. Let me say that STBEP is one of the MOST APPRECIATIVE person I have ever met. She is almost childlike when she opens a card or package one of us send her. She is so happy and so grateful!!! Her family grew up very poor… She doesn’t have the slightest chip on her shoulder as if the world owes her something - I have met so many people from down on Skid Row or the projects, ghetto - who are so ungrateful and act as if the world owes them something. To be honest, I was a bit surprised at STBEP’s attitude when I first started talking to her - she doesn’t have the ‘victim’ mentality at all. She said that people keep telling her that her pimp doesn’t love her - and the hardest thing about her admitting that he doesn’t love her is that if he don’t love her = then no one does, that she’s worthless. (Only in HER mind - she is worth MORE than Rubies to God!!! ;-)) She is so afraid that she has started to care a lot for those of us who are helping her now and that we expect something from her - so if she doesn’t do what people expect - they’ll all drop her. She said that’s happened to her over and over and over - all by Christians. ;-( This is why even though her pimp treats her so bad - at least he is consistent - at least he will always be there for her. She said that it is better to have people who will mistreat her and still be there for there than to have no one at all. It is so difficult for us as well - it’s hard allowing ourselves to get close to someone who we don’t know will live through the week… (even through the day!!!) But friendship is taking a risk - and we do love her no matter what - she is VERY lovable - not only that - GOD HAS SHOWN US SO MUCH LOVE through other people that it is a PRIVILEGE to share His love with someone else!!! TRY TO UNDERSTAND, that there is NO WAY I would spend so much time on the phone with her, helping her, sending her things etc. - if we didn’t believe with ALL OUR HEARTS that SHE WANTS TO CHANGE - and if BOTH Daryl and I didn’t feel that GOD has put her on our hearts. There are a lot of girls who we’d love to help - but there are VERY FEW who actually WANT help and who are actually TRYING to take the steps to change. I realize that there is a time when a person who is using drugs (like when I was) is sucking everyone dry and using people and we can see that a person is not ready and who does really want to change… that we have to step back and let the person go (my parents had to do that to me and it was the best thing that ever could have happened but I didn’t think that until after I got clean) until they really do what to change… so you let them go so that the person can come to an end of themselves… I can’t explain how I can tell that - but I can… I’ve just been there - and I can recognize it in someone… and every person is an individual, each person is different… but drugs are also a little different than being addicted to the game… because there are PEOPLE they are addicted to as well - and in such a strong strong way… I wish so bad that I could explain the dynamics and relationship in just a few sentences but I can’t… and there usually is alcohol, drugs, money and a whole bunch of other stuff involved as well… it is so complicated… ;-( I wish I could explain it better. Well, maybe one day STBEP will be able to explain this to people much better than I ever can. She is so smart, so articulate and communicates herself so well. I believe that one day she will help so many people, not just women trying to get out of the game, but all kinds of people from all kinds of different backgrounds. PLEASE continue to pray for her!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for your ongoing prayer and support!!! We love you!!!

Friday, April 25, 2008

PROSTITUTE OUTREACH… I DO WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE I’VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH STBEP, IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT I AM NOT STILL DOING OTHER OUTREACH AND REACHING OUT TO OTHER GIRLS. MONDAY KIM AND I WENT TO COURT WITH THE 18 YEAR OLD WHO JUST STARTED PROSTITUTING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. HER JUDGE GOT HER OFF WITH “OPERATING A BUSINESS WITHOUT A LICENSE” !!!!! - SHE WAS ARRESTED FOR SOLICITING - SHE TOLD ME SHE GOT BUSTED FOR PROSTITUTING AT A HOTEL… ANYWAY - SHE WAS GIVEN 5 MONTH PROBATION, AIDS CLASSES AND SHE WASN’T ALLOWED TO ADVERTISE IN CRAIG’S LIST ANYMORE. HER PIMP WAS THERE AND HE MADE HER MOVE WHEN HE SAW US SITTING NEXT TO HER. (HE WASN’T IN THE COURT ROOM WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE) I WAS ABLE TO GIVE HER A TWLOHA http://www.twloha.com/the_story.php CARD AND SHE READ IT AND PUT IT IN HER PURSE, ALONG WITH MY NUMBER. SHE HAS NO MORE COURT DATES, SO WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW… THE OTHER DAY MY FRIEND AND I WENT ON OUTREACH LOOKING FOR GIRLS AGAIN AND WE SAW SOME OF THE SAME GIRLS WE SAW OVER THE WEEKEND. IT WAS GREAT - THEY WERE REALLY HAPPY TO SEE US AND WE HAD PABLO WITH US AND ONE OF THE PIMPS HAD A CHIHUAHUA TOO SO HE CAME OVER AND LET PABLO AND HIS DOG PLAY TOGETHER. WHILE TALKING TO THE GIRLS K***** ONE OF THEM SAID THAT SHE DIDN’T WANT TO BE OUT THERE EXCEPT THAT HER HUSBAND IS IN PRISON. SAME WITH ANOTHER GIRL, A****. A**** AND HER FRIEND P****** ARE GOING TO SCHOOL (COLLEGE) AND I ASKED THEM IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WE COULD HELP THEM WITH (MAKING SURE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE COULDN’T PROMISE THEM ANYTHING) AND THE TWO WHO ARE GOING TO COLLEGE SAID THEY NEEDED BUS PASSES, AND K***** SAID SHE NEEDED A JACKET. SHE’S STAYING IN A MOTEL. IT’S SO AWESOME CAUSE MY GIRLFRIEND TOLD ME TODAY THAT SHE BOUGHT K***** A JACKET!!! I CALLED THE METRO AND THE LADY I TALKED TO WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL - SHE TOLD ME THERE ARE ONLY TWO PLACES I CAN GO AND GET A PASS AND WOULDN’T TELL ME PRICES SO I’M GONNA TRY TO GET SOME BETTER INFORMATION, AND SEE IF WE CAN AFFORD TO GET THEM PASSES. ANYWAY, I’VE GOT ALL THE GIRLS NUMBERS AND ONE OF THEM CALLED ME YESTERDAY… I TOLD THE ONE GIRL WHO’S STAYING IN A MOTEL ABOUT THE WALTER HOVING HOME AND DREAM CENTER AND SHE TOOK THE NUMBERS DOWN. I SHARED THAT WE WANT TO START OUR OWN HOME TO HELP WOMEN AND ALL THREE GIRLS SAID, “IF YOU GUYS START A HOME WE WOULD COME!!! WE BE KNOWIN’ YOU - IT’S HARD TO GO SOMEPLACE WHERE WE DON’T KNOW NOBODY - BUT IF YOU HAD A PLACE WE’D GO!!!” SO WE NEED TO BE PRAYING ABOUT GETTING A HOME GOING ONE DAY - I WOULD LOVE TO START A DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAM FOR WOMEN OUT OF THE GAME… ONE DAY. AND HAVE STBEP WORK WITH US!!!!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

OUTREACH YESTERDAY… I DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME TO WRITE AND I’LL BE GONE ALL DAY SO I’M GONNA TRY TO DO THIS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE SO I GET IT DONE AT ALL… LAST WEEKS OUTREACH WAS AMAZING TOO - WE HAD “CHURCH ON THE STREET” - WE MET THREE PROSTITUTES AND GAVE THEM EACH BAGS AND PRAYED WITH THEM AND AFTER THAT MET THREE MORE - BUT THEY DIDN’T LOOK LIKE THEY WERE IN THE GAME, MORE LIKE THEY WERE CRACK/COKE PROSTITUTES. ANYWAY, IT WAS AWESOME, WE LITERALLY WERE PRAYING AND THEY WOMEN WERE CRYING OUT TO GOD - THEY KNEW GOD AND WERE BACK SLIDDEN. LAST NIGHT WE RAN INTO THREE GIRLS, ONE WHO WE REALLY HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY FOR AND TALK TO - SHE IS ONLY 20, BEAUTIFUL - BEEN IN THE GAME SINCE SHE WAS 14 AND HAS A SON BY HER PIMP. SHE HAD TEARS IN HER EYES WHEN SHE SAID THAT SHE REALLY DIDN’T WAT TO BE IN THE LIFE BUT THAT IT WAS SO ADDICTING, THE MONEY - SHE SAID SHE DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO GET OUT BUT SHE DIDN’T WANT HER TWO YEAR OLD SON TO GROW UP WITH HIS MOMMY BEING A PROSTITUTE… HE SEES HER GET DRESSED EVERY NIGHT BEFORE SHE HITS THE STREETS… SHE WAS SO SWEET AND SHE GAVE ME HER NUMBER TO TRY AND FIND HER A PLACE TO GO WHEN SHE’S READY. JULIA AND JENNIFER PRAYED WITH HER AS TWO GUYS PULLED UP AND I WENT AND TALKED TO THEM - THEY WERE REALLY STONED AND ONE WAS SAYING THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT WHAT WE WERE DOING AND SAID IF HE HAD A PROSTITUTE HE WOULD MAKE HER BE A SQUARE. THEN A COP PULLED UP BEHIND THEM AND I WENT AND TALKED TO HIM AND THE GUYS PULLED OVER - IT WAS CRAZY CAUSE THE DRIVER CAME AND TALKED TO THE COP TOO - HE SAID HE PULLED OVER TO TELL US WHAT A GREAT JOB WE’RE DOING (HE WAS CRAZY, I’D NEVER BE WANTING TO TALK TO A COP IF I WAS STONED!) THE COP TOLD HIM TO GO ON HIS WAY AND THEN DARYL WALKED UP AND THE COP (I THINK HIS NAME WAS CULLEN) AND HE KEPT SAYING THAT HE DIDN’T WANT US TO GET SHOT OR KILLED, ASKED ME IF I KNEW WHERE WE WERE (LOL - LIKE “SURE, WE JUST ENDED UP THERE ACCIDENTALLY”) AND I TOLD HIM THAT YES, WE KNEW WHERE WE WERE, AND YES, WE REALIZED THE RISK WE WERE TAKING, SHARED THAT DARYL AND I CAME OUT OF THE SAME BACKGROUND - HE WAS GENUINELY CONCERNED AND I COULD TELL HE THOUGHT WE WERE CRAZY AND SAID HE’D WISH WE’D GO OUT EARLIER, BUT WISHED A GOOD NIGHT. ANYWAY, I’M IN A HURRY BUT WE RAN INTO CHRISTIAN AGAIN (THE GUY WHO GOT SAVED A FEW WEEKS AGO) AND HE IS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING GOING TO THE DREAM CENTER DISCIPLESHIP AND WANTS ME TO CALL HIM TODAY. OKAY I’VE GOTTA RUN GOT A LOT OF STUFF TO DO TODAY GOD BLESS!!!

“Don’t cause your brother to stumble…” What does that mean? I was talking to a friend yesterday and she was asking me a bunch of questions - questions about why some Christians still party and drink, smoke, party…

I was trying to explain to her that there are some Christians who have never lived a life that we have - being dope fiend, junkies and/or alcoholics or all of the above - so they are able to take a drink or smoke and it doesn’t cause them to want to get drunk, smoke crack and shoot heroin like it would me, her or most other addicts!!! Lol. They can drink socially, like wine with dinner or champagne with brunch… see, someone like me or a lot of other addicts I know - we can’t stop with ONE drink - if I drink I automatically want to shoot coke or smoke crack which in turn makes me want to do heroin. NOT good.

That may not happen right then - I mean, I’ve drank a glass of wine in the past but once I do that it makes it easier for me to do other things and it causes something inside of me (flesh) to rise up and want to take over!!! I’m not trying to be legalistic with this - I DO believe that there is freedom in Christ and everything is permissible for me - but like in 1 Corinthians6:12 - “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

She said that she’s ‘talked’ (written) back and forth to some Christians on myspace and looked at some of their profiles she was wondering why some of them look like they’re out partying, and some women dress like they’re still trying to get a man or like they were still turning tricks. I just found it interesting - because her friends were over a few weeks ago and they said the same thing while they were looking at some people’s or ministries myspace profiles, saying that IF they became a Christian they wouldn’t want to dress the same way they do now. (She has a lot of stripper/prostitute friends)

In no way am I trying to judge anyone - just trying to get people to think… I just found it so interesting because this friend of mine said that she doesn’t want to hang around Christians who are still drinking and smoking and partying - she can do that where she’s at - and that she wants to hang around people who have overcome that lifestyle - because when she sees other believers still partying it makes her think, “If they still have to do that - what’s the sense of me trying to stop - I might as well give up, because if they can’t stop, there’s NO WAY that I can!!!”

She said that wants to surround herself with people who are walking a victorious life, people who are not out drinking or going to bars - but people who have overcome something and who are living free and are good examples to her. That really made me think and want to strive harder to continue to:

Hebrews 12:1-3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

She said that she has some Christian friends that aren’t like us (addicts) - but that they have decided not to drink because they do not want to make other believers, especially new believers - think that “if they can do it (drink, smoke, etc.) then so can I” - when in fact maybe some CAN’T. (Like me!!!)

Romans 14:13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

Just something to think about…

Thank you so much for all of your prayers! Three people got saved!!!

It was amazing last night (this morning) - we met a team of 6 from Fresno who went out with us at 1am. We prayed before we drove out to Compton around 2am and got there about 2:45. There were cops all over as soon as we got off the freeway - we weren’t even able to turn off of our exit because the police cars were blocking the road. So we had to get back on the freeway and exit again further South (East?).

We drove around and there were hardly any people out - we didn’t see any hookers at all. So we stopped at a Burger joint and prayed again and then decided to loop around the track one last time. This time we saw one girl - walking pretty fast - so we turned around so that we could get ahead of her before got out of the car so we wouldn’t scare her. Me and another woman, Gina - walked to the girl who I’ll call Eva - she looked scared so we told her that we just wanted to give her a gift bag.

She was in tears, and we asked her if we could pray for her and she said “Please do, I’ve had a really bad night.” I asked if she wanted to talk about it and she said “no” so we just prayed for her. Then we asked if she needed a ride somewhere, and she said that she would appreciate a ride down the street where she was meeting her friends.

I asked she if she was “working” and that I used to work too - and she said, “You could say that”. She got in the car with us and we dropped her off at a gas station where some (about very intoxicated girls were getting gas - and Gina and I went to talk with them after Eva went to meet her friends. The girls (about 17-18 years old) were kinda of joking and laughing at first but when we asked them if they’d let us pray for them they said yes and after we finished praying they apologized and I think they were convicted and they thanked us.

Before Eva got out of the car I gave her a matchbook with my number on it and she said she’d keep it and that she’d be calling me real soon. We’ll see - hopefully she will.

Then we saw Eva’s pimp and one of his girl in the passenger seat was a girl we always see - “Peaches” - she’s so pretty - (so was Eva - gorgeous - and even though she said she was 21 she couldn’t have been over 17) and Peaches said Hi and got out of the car and we gave her and the other girl in the back seat gift bags. I gave their pimp and pimp tract and then he told them they had to roll.

After that we drove down the track one more time - saw one girl and stopped - this time myself and a woman with us named Rachel went to talk with the girl but her pimp must’ve been nearby cause she kept looking around and she wouldn’t take a bag. But I noticed that she kept staring at my dog chain, which reads, “Not for Sale”…

Then we decided to go to WEHO (West Hollywood) where there are always people out. When we got there there was a BUNCH of people out as usual (at like 4am) and we split up in teams of three and went to talk to people. Gina and her husband Leo were with me - and after talking to a couple of guys, we went into the donut shop and we heard a guy at one of the tables say, “Well he may not need it but I do” and he asked us if we were from a church.

We told him that we’re Christians and he told us his story - it was heartbreaking. I won’t go all into it, but his whole family (father, mother, siblings) died in a car accident and his grandmother just died in February on his birthday. As he was talking, tears started running down his cheeks and we could see that he was in so much pain. He said that he and his friends all wanted to be a part of a family - so they made up their own family, calling one ‘mom’, another ‘dad’, etc. There was so much pain in his eyes.

He said he was Catholic and Leo asked him if he knew how to receive Jesus and if he believed he was going to heaven if he died. His name was C*******. Ch******** said that he thought he would go to heaven if he did good and we told him that it’s not about good works but about having faith in Jesus Christ, and being obedient to His Word. Long story short, Leo led him in the sinners prayer and he was crying and when we went out side he saw his friend S** and told S** to talk with us…

In the meantime, Ty was talking to another guy who is supposed to come to church tomorrow, and another group from Fresno with Julia were talking with a young black guy and they led him to Jesus and God is so awesome!

Anyway, at first S** was embarrassed to talk to us but C******* had his arm around him and kept telling him to talk to us so finally he said okay. Gina started sharing her testimony with him and telling him about how God loves him and will forgive him of all his sins etc. and before long S** was in tears too!!! We asked if he wanted to pray to receive Jesus and he said YES! He prayed the sinners prayer and afterwards they said they wanted to come to church Sunday and (Lord willing, they will) and I asked if they had bibles and they said no but they wanted one so we got some from the car and they said they’d read them to all their friends.

The whole night was such a blessing, the team from Fresno was great and here through the weekend. God is moving in such a powerful way!!! Please pray that God will cause the seeds that were sown this morning to GROW and that C******* and S** and the other guys will come to church tomorrow!!! God is so good!!! Thanks You Jesus!!!

Okay, this woman is REALLY trying - and Satan is doing whatever he can to keep her in bondage!!!

BOTH pimps over to her place again - this time when her (main) pimp said that he owns her - she said, “No, Laurie said God owns me.” (softly) He said, “What’d you say?” she repeated, “God owns me.” she said he started mocking her again and she kept saying it until he grabbed her, put her in front of the mirror and pulled up her shirt where her “branding” is (many pimps do this to their girls) and said, “See - I owe you. That’s my stamp of ownership.”

She felt defeated after that. I told her that she has been sealed by the Holy Spirit, etc. (Eph.1:13-14) so that she could memorize it.

She’s seriously trying to memorize verses and has scripture all stuck up on her walls everywhere in her apartment. While we were talking, she started reading some of the verses she has up on her walls - and then all of a sudden stopped - because her pimp had written all over some of them.

He wrote, “Out of Pocket” (A prostitute is not allowed to look at any man except a John or her pimp. Otherwise, she’s “reckless eyeballing” or “out of pocket”) Well - He must be threatened, to think that she’s “out of pocket” reading scripture and having her eyes on Someone other than him.

She said that her pimp HATES me - and she told him that’s okay because I pray for him. He said, “I don’t need her prayers” and she said, “She loves you and believes that you’ll be a great man of God one day.”

I am SO SERIOUS - I TOTALLY BELIEVE WITH ALL MY HEART that this man IS GOING TO GET SAVED!!! God is going to do a radical transformation in his life and he is going to influence a great number of pimps!!! She said that he is THE Mack Daddy of all the Mack Daddies where they are at. (A Mack daddy is an older, distinguished, established and respected pimp by all the other pimps) He is also a Gorilla (one that uses violence) pimp, which I already knew.

And, she’s his bottom b**** of course - she’s been with him for like 30 years… she teaches all the younger girls and even the popcorn (new) pimps the game.

She is STRUGGLING letting go of the game, as well as the people (especially her pimps)in the Game - and she KNOWS that she is supposed to come out here - she said, she feels like He wants her to just pick up and leave everything behind and GO, and that scares the heck out of her! She feels like something is going to happen when I go to LA and I don’t know what!!!

(All of us believers know…!!!) That struggle just confirms to me that God is going to do something AMAZING when she’s here. She said that even Her pimp said, “You’re going to LA.” (She doesn’t even remember telling him where in California she is going) and then he said, “I’ll give you four weeks, and then I’ll come and get you.”

She said, “Why does He (God) want me to go to LA? I don’t know anyone there! Why do I have to go there?” (Exactly the point - she doesn’t know anyone from the GAME here)

I told her that it wasn’t about WHERE she goes - she could go anywhere - it’s about being where God wants her to be, in His perfect will. I started saying, “You could go to NY, or Florida…” - she stopped me and screamed, “BUT I KNOW THAT I’M SUPPOSED TO GO TO LA!!! IT SCARES ME SO BAD!!! SOMETHING IS GONNA HAPPEN!!!”

Okay, we know that this is spiritual. Let’s just keep praying for God’s will to be done and that He will begin to close the doors for her to do anything BUT what she’s supposed to. I also want to pray that she gets so SICK of the Game and of her old life that she’ll never want to go back.

Soon after talking to her…

Praise God…

God is moving…

A friend of the woman (soon to be EX prostitute - I’m gonna call her STBEP from now on) from Chicago - who’s known her since she was a kid - it was crazy cause out of no where, STBEP got a sudden urge to smoke cigarettes after years (she can’t drink cause of her liver) and so she went to the store and didn’t have enough money and decided to go to her cousins and (I was on the phone with her) and she said, “Oh - I think they’re having a party here - I’d better be quick - OH! there’s my friend L*****! I haven’t seen her in years!” (I thought, “Oh no” cause I was thinking she was in the game and friends with her pimps, etc.)

She was looking for STBEP and another girl - so she could talk to them. L***** was in the game too - and she told STBEP, “It’s time for you to get out of the game - if you don’t, you’re gonna die. Look at you, you’ve been trough too much - you can’t take anymore beatings.”

She started WITNESSING to STBEP!!! L***** has been out of the game and has been with JPUSA (Jesus People USA) and she’s serving God!!! Hallelujah!!! I don’t have time to go into it all, but L***** told STBEP that she and her cell group has been praying for her and that they’ve been praying that God will send her somewhere far away where she doesn’t know anyone!!! (LA!) Because if she goes to **** that’s her second home (she grew up in the projects with L*****) if she goes to ******, she worked there - and where she is now is a bad place for her to be out of the game.

STBEP told L***** about us trying to get her to LA and L***** told her that she needs to come out here (where I am) and start learning to trust the people that God has brought into her life.

PRAISE GOD!!! I was crying when I listening to this - God is SOOOOOO GOOD!!! The way He pursues us…

Even STBEP said that she knew it wasn’t a coincidence - that she “was touched that, God sent L***** here all the way from ****** to talk to me.”

God is SO AMAZING! And He IS DEFINITELY working!!!! PRAISE HIS NAME!!!

I have not written any blogs lately because I have been involved with helping a woman who has been prostituting for… many, many years. I am not going to give enough details for anyone to be able to figure out who she is because I want to protect her identity, but i will say that God has SUCH a HUGE plan on her life that the enemy is doing whatever he can to try to keep her in bondage.

I’m sorry that I haven’t responded to letters or comments to anyone or a while - I’ve only checked my inbox but have hardly responded to anyone. I feel that this situation is is of utmost importance and a priority right now. I literally have been on the phone with her for sometime 2-3 or more hours a day. The Lord has given me the grace and the time to do this somehow and it hasn’t been a burden.

I DO need prayer for my health though - the enemy does attack my health spiritually, so if you think of me - I’d appreciate your prayers very much!!! God IS MOVING BIG TIME - even if she doesn’t see it (she doesn’t think she’s changing and the enemy lies to her and says she’ll never be able to change) God is doing a MIGHTY work in her life!!! Thanks and God bless!!!