Visayas' Secret

Just around the corner from our neighbourhood is a street called Visayas, a normal, Quezon City busy street. During the day Visayas is nothing special, but at night she tells a secret. A half dozen innocuous little shops turn on their lights, set out tables and populate them with pretty girls in skimpy outfits. The Blind Tiger, the Lavender, kind and pleasant code words for "brothel". This isn't the red-light district, this is my neighbourhood, next to the market and fast-food restaurants.
During the day the people of this land are Catholic, but by night it seems "we are losing our religion." Solomon's words are still true, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Do you know of a country that doesn't share this darkness? Rich, poor, Christian, godless, modest, brash - in each and every one there is the worship of instant pleasure, profit, power.
And my heart is sad; sad because these women are my sisters. If I was born on a different day, or if I hadn't been given the opportunities I've had, who's to say that I wouldn't be one of them. That your sisters, friends, daughters wouldn't be among them.
Pray for these women who are simply going to work, and pray for the broken, empty and dissillusioned ones who pay for their time. Everyday I am reminded of the secret Visayas keeps, and I can't carry that burden, let's remember to bring it to Jesus. And also make room in your hearts for the hundreds of thousands of women and children who are sold for this work every year.
For more info check out these links:

• Justice for Children International
• International Justice Mission
• I Am Coming