I just got home from an amazing week in Havana, Cuba. Cindy, one of my best friends, got married this past Wednesday to Joel, a cuban man. I met Cindy a little over a year ago at my church, she was a new Christian, totally excited about God and so hungry to grow in her faith... it was an instant connection when we met, her new found really authentic faith inspired me a lot.
With her desire to learn more about prayer, I gave her Red Moon Rising for her 30th birthday... she loved it and loved the idea of 24-7 Prayer. Cindy and I have spent A LOT of time together this past year and I'm soooo thankful that God placed her in my life- she has taught me heaps and has been an amazing friend. This past November, while organizing my first ever fundraiser, with a lot of her help, she told me that she felt her role right now was just to be my encourager (which she totally had been).... what a blessing. I said, “so you're kindof like my Barnabas” (who was the apostle Paul's encourager)... she wasn't sure who he was so she looked him up. As I've been travelling she's been writing me encouraging letters and signs off, “Love, Barny”. Cindy is amazing.
So all that to say, financially, it probably wasn't the wisest decision for me to go to Cuba to be part of her wedding, but what's $850 when someone so dear to me is getting married- it was worth every penny to be there on her special day.
Cindy knew that the small group of us attending her wedding didn't have a lot of money to spend so she searched around and recommended an affordable 3 star all inclusive. A 5 star in Cuba is a 3 star in Canada, so you could imagine... My friend Jenn came with me and we agreed that the only important thing is that there's a nice beach and NO bugs, like cockroaches, in our room... that would be the only thing we couldn't handle... We had a bug free week and amazing few days relaxing on the beach.
I was caught by surprise by a couple other things happening at the hotel though. We quickly discovered that this hotel was a hook up place for homosexuals and prostitution. Observing some of the men, it was obvious that they had never met before, probably met online, and had this random sexual incounter week. And the prostituion- wow... this was the part that enraged me. I almost did something stupid a few times... and if I wasn't in Cuba I'm pretty sure I would have been beaten up by a pimp... I guess I'm learning.
There was a 'chika' hanging around the hotel all week with this really awkward man. Jenn and I were friendly with her, I felt bad for the guy, he was pretty strange... The second to last night we were there two more older men joined him, one was wearing a wedding ring, all three of them brough prostitutes into the hotel that night. One of the animators at the hotel was the pimp and arranged it all, the last night we even watched him sneak the prostitutes in since there was a big 'higher end' group in that night... we saw it all and it made me sick. At dinner they sat at the table next to us and I can't even explain the anger that took over my body- serioiusly, I wanted to punch them, thought about dumping my water on them, throwing food in their face... I had wished they spoke english so I could tell them off. I was angry, to say the least... These girls were like 22 and they were like 65 and married! Then I felt bad being so angry telling myself that I need to chill out- someone at my table reminded me that “we should love them because Jesus does”, that was the last thing I wanted to hear but they were right... but I still had absolutely no love and felt even more guilty for being angry... In my attempt to cool down I went to get some dessert, which often helps! As I stood up to walk to the dessert table, I gave them all really dirty looks, which they didn't even notice because they were too busy undressing me with their eyes to even see my face- this obviously enraged me even more... really, I wanted to scream.
Then God in his mercy spoke to me at the dessert table, “Daria, it's ok to have 'rightious anger', that's my heart for justice that I've given you, but act wisely and in love”... Ha, oh yeah, God gets angry too when injustice is happening- I think He actually hates it more than I do - and his blood would probably boil like mine- So what do I do now?? If I was in Canada I may have just walked over and turned their table (since Jesus did that!) instead of punching and trying to hurt them, but I didn't want to risk not making it back home... Sortof just kidding there... but in times like this is when I think we need to pray most. God has called us all to act justly and has put different things on our hearts to pray for and change and he just reminded me these past few days of one of the places he has called me to act justly and make a difference. He is teaching me though that I can't act in my own anger which is why I need to pray loads through this and he'll show me how I can make the biggest difference.
I've had a heart for the sex industry for years but have felt the need to wait before making a big move. This all just happened a few days ago, which for me was God telling me that I need to be praying more as he's opening my eyes to more. This morning at church my friend Sue gave me an article that was published on Friday in the Montreal Gazette about the sex inudstry. Its mind boggling for me to read some of this stuff: 70% of men in Japan and 39% of men in Spain say that they have paid for sex... and the stories... wow! God, what do I/we do to change this sick, abusive and fast growing industry?!? That's my prayer tonight....
Article link: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/dangerous+trade+women+children/1528341/story.html
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