As soon as she began to speak, some of us were crying, without really knowing why, as if the Holy Spirit was the One crying in us and through us. She told us about her marriage at an early age. When this broke up, although she had everything she needed, she went into prostitution.
The speaker, Aunty Pat (Patricia), was a special guest at our Thursday meeting last week, 8th June 2006. We were about 80 people attending. We started with an excellent praise session and the Lord was speaking to us repeatedly, through the gift of prophecy, about love.
Aunty Pat was in prostitution for some years until the Lord lifted her out of it. A certain pastor helped her to give her life over to Jesus and delivered her of evil spirits and he and his wife looked after her until she was strong enough to stand on her own feet.
She told us how the Lord sent her back to the brothels. She was most unwilling to go. The Lord, however, was insistent since He wanted to help other girls, women and boys as He had helped her. It took her two weeks of prayer before she could obey.
Aunty Pat revealed to us what it is like to be a prostitute. The money they earn is often not enough to pay their rent or to supply their needs. Their ages range from young girls of 11 or 12 years to women of 50 years. Some of the young girls are pregnant. Their living conditions are squalid. About 75% of them are HIV positive. When they die, there is often no money even to buy a coffin and the municipality gives them a pauper’s burial.
Aunty Pat has started a group or organization called ‘The Cave of Adlem’, (see 1 Samuel 22: 1-2). Any who wish can escape from a life of prostitution to this refuge. Right now ‘The Cave of Adlem’ is catering for about 700 people. They have recently acquired a farm to use as a rehabilitation centre. They are concerned, not just to look after these girls, but to train them so they can support themselves.
The rehabilitation centre is geared to people who decide to turn their lives over to Jesus. It has a room set aside as a chapel in which there is daily prayer.
This talk was quite a challenge to us all. We are still sharing about it and waiting for the Lord’s guidance on how to respond.
Prostitution is a social problem needing help on the material level, on the psychological level, and on the spiritual level. Of course, we can offer them the Life in the Spirit Seminar, especially if we can find a large enough room for this in the Kopje area of Harare. We could give Seminars at different times and on different days for those who choose to come. However, they also need money, blankets, groceries, medical assistance, and clothing.
The crying, which came spontaneously, was as if Father God was expressing through us his care and concern for his suffering children. It was also like a word of knowledge, indicating that these women and girls are hurting so much on the inside and in need of inner healing.
Yes, we must be ready to offer material help. A Seminar, however, would in fact allow God to help them on the inside where they really need it most of all.
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