I don't know if you all know this - I am sure you kiwis know this - but most of us foreigners don't (or didn't before coming to New Zealand)! Prostitution and brothel operation and any type of sex work is legal in New Zealand as of 2003. Here is a quote from the Wikipedia article (click link to go to that Wiki article) for this topic - "Prostitution (sex work), brothel keeping, living off the proceeds of someone else's prostitution and street solicitation are legal and regulated in New Zealand....These laws were changed by the Prostitution Reform Act, passed in June 2003. The decriminalisation of brothels, escort agencies and soliciting and substitution of a minimal regulatory model created worldwide interest; New Zealand prostitution laws are now some of the most liberal in the world." Most of us would be saying 'wow' about now. I did.
In any case, all that to say, that I just found out that there is a brothel less than 200m /635 ft (as the crow flies) from our house. It is basically on the next street over from ours, and down a bit (see foto). WOW, I did not know that.
Last week, I met with another pastor from the other side of the valley who ministers to girls working in brothels. He and his wife are currently ministering to a few Asian girls near his church who are operating a brothel. He shared with me that often, girls from Asia are brought to New Zealand under student visas, but they NEVER study. They end up in the brothels! And when their visas are up, they are either rotated out and fresh girls brought in or are 'discarded'.
Now, the 'legal' age for prostitution and 'sex work' is 18, but I have read that police have raided some brothels and found girls in their early teens 'working'. Just imagine that - 13, 14, 15 year old girls! How many of you have daughters that age? Sickening, isn't it.
My heart is broken knowing that so close to where we live there are young ladies selling their bodies like this! I have been told that the 'operator' of this particular brothel near us is a single woman with a teenage daughter (did you know anyone can get an Operators License to run a brothel?!?). Whether the daughter is involved in the 'business' or not we don't know, but imagine what she sees and hears and experiences. Imagine the home situation she grows up in! Oh, my heart aches!
So pray with me - I am at a loss as to how to help and minister to them. Do we just walk up and knock on the door? Do I call first? What do we do? I jog right by the house every now and then - there is a footpath a couple houses down that is on my running route. Do I stop by and see? I will do nothing for now except pray, and invite you to pray with and for us. Pray that God will open a natural door for us to minister to these ladies (and child). Pray that God will begin even now to prepare them. Pray that there will be others who will go with me to minister - I definitely will not be doing anything alone. We are all called to shine the light of Jesus and share the love and truth of God with all people - so pray that we will be shining and sharing!
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Shining and Sharing
Brought to YOU by onHISturf - dvp at 04:35
Labels: davey, dienst/ministry, nz
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
That is truly sickening, to put it mildly. I remember when the law was being debated, I wrote to the MP for my electorate, not that he took any notice. I got a form letter reply by email saying they needed to legalise it so that it could be better regulated and protect the sex workers, since he was resigned to the fact that prostitution was here to stay. I fail to see the logic in that! Why not make burglary legal, after all, there will always be some people who want to burgle other people's houses? I hate that our country has stooped this low!!
There are groups calling for (a) repeal of the law, or failing that (b) tightening up of the law e.g. allowing council by-laws to overrule it (for instance, if the council decides it doesn't want brothels in a residential neighbourhood, or within x metres of a school). But the fact that anybody can set one up (as an owner-operator business) makes it such a slippery thing to try and control.
As for ministering to those caught up in this trap, I agree we shouldn't ignore them. They need Jesus just as much as anyone else. Be led by the Holy Spirit; He knows the best way to approach them! I will be praying :)
hi bridget,
yeah, pretty sad. you have some good points about the legalization - not very logical of them is it?
in any case, let's pray! I thought about going house to house in our neighborhood to introduce our church - maybe that would be a way to knock on their door without any 'intrusion'. will see.
Post a Comment