
For Valentine's Day, once again our "Angel Team" in Rome hit the streets around midnight to share GOD'S LOVE with victims of commercial sexual exploitation, being our third time out since December. We've had a stretch of bitter cold with snow and ice, but last night was the first in a while which was relatively warmer. However, the "treasures" as we call them, still must stand scantily-clad for hours despite the temps hovering around freezing. And there was an alarming number back on the boulevard.
Before going out, we gathered to put our gift packs together, to read some Scripture and to pray. We prepared for them: a red rose, tied with a sachet we filled with chocolates and a floral card containing a Bible message and addresses to 2 local churches. The Lord led us to include message in Italian:
"We love because He first loved us.....You are loved!"
We also brought a thermos of fruit tea.
In a spirit of prayer, with Brian as our chauffeur, we four "angels" would go out in pairs to approach the treasures. We encountered more than 20 young women, who gladly accepted our gift and a cup of hot tea. We exchanged names, as we hope to be able to greet them again as a familiar face. Some of the treasures were trans(vestite/sexual), and they seemed more independent, older, established in their own territory. But most were very young Romanians or Moldovans, with a couple Russian-speaking foreigners. In some cases there was a more seasoned older woman among them who was probably in charge. The younger ones would defer to her and seemed ill-at-ease. The older ones would attempt to create an impression of autonomy and freedom – perhaps this is why the younger victims look uncomfortable, and restrained.
Meanwhile, men in vehicles and on foot are swarming and prowling about like hungry wolves.
We cannot forget the reality of CONTROL -- whether it’s perceptible to us or not – control of what they say, of their behavior, of location, control of the victims by the exploiters, control of every piece of pavement as territory. Tragically they are like puppets on string. It’s all about the reality of behavior that is FORCED.
Yet, as we approached them their smiles seemed genuine. One treasure exclaimed, “You girls came out in the cold with gifts…for ME?”
In December, a 20-year-old from Romania told us she’d just arrived in Rome, and it was her second night selling her body on the street. She’d promised her Mama she’d go to Rome and get a job and provide for the family. There she was, the new girl on the block, shivering in fishnet stockings, miniskirt and stilettos. We prayed for her and she cried. With 2 fines adding to 600 euro from the police, she asked, “How will I pay these? Now I have to sell more services!” Worse, naively thinking she could work the street on her own, she does not realize the greater danger: she would inevitably be bought and sold and then become someone’s slave.
We cannot be deceived by the air of carefree, casual banality to this business – it is a degrading, ugly, brutal, evil business that is destroying the lives of victim and exploiter.
Titus 2:11-14; 3:3-7
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that having denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live discreetly, righteously and godly, in this present world, looking for the blessed hope, and the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify to Himself a special people, zealous of good works.
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

