Testimony

The evening begins with a para-liturgy, when we experience a confluence of minds and hearts infused with God's grace. A group of 16 of us - young and more mature professionals, nuns, brothers, priests drawn from the Franciscan Missionary of Mary, Good Shepherd, the Order of Franciscan Friars, as well as Jesuits - was comfortably seated around a table. We pause to ponder over the introductory prayer and individual sharing.

Mal's sharing particularly resonated well with many of us. She is a young professional from the Ministry of Society and Family (MSF). "Most of my friends would be out clubbing and partying on a Saturday night like tonight," she chuckled, "and they exhorted me to enjoy life," she added. "But my parents are supportive of me. And I have a life too and I want to enjoy giving and sharing the unconditional love of God with those girls on the streets of Geylang," she concluded. She shared her experiences of urging her friends to see the wounded sides of these girls in the sex industry. Her wish is that more young people would come and witness and be "lured" by God into such a walk, filled as it is with consolation, delight, and, above all, surprises.

Others too shared their thoughts. "Since joining the PEACE PRAYER OUTREACH a year ago, I have stayed with the questions and the inner search. I find myself growing in an understanding that has enriched my life as a Franciscan." "Ever since my congregation invited us to translate the proximity to the poor into weekend ministry, I feel urged to return to the margin, to encounter God in these girls coerced into this exploitative industry." "I came because I was invited. I feel moved and would like to have another experience."

The sudden swoop of the anti-vice squads stirs an air of panic in the alleys at the latter part of our walk. The ladies who were parading the streets abruptly scurry away into the houses and the front gate is hurriedly locked by the pimps. The ladies are treated like 'commoditized and financialized' goods in a stall, only to be taken out and hidden from sight during the raid. It is demeaning and dehumanizing, an agonizing sight that fills the heart with pain.

Arising from the goodness of his heart, an elderly pimp of Chinese origin from Singapore shared his thoughts: "This is beyond the call of doing good. We have to do whatever we can to alleviate their suffering. Poverty in their countries has driven them to this. They earned so little that a bottle of water is shared among 4-6 of them. Their lives are utterly miserable."

On the other hand, the night was dotted with two striking moments of God's "breaking forth" that indelibly left its mark on us.

Upon receiving the packet of goodies with deep gratitude, a Singaporean lady of Indian origin rose from her chair, gently held two of us by the hands and uttered a spirited prayer of blessing, "Bless all the Christian sisters and brothers who bring the Holy Spirit to us. Holy Spirit, fill their hearts, bless them as they go around and offer the gifts of love tonight." The 'mission-to-the-ladies' has become a mission-in-reverse. She claimed her dignity and right as a Hindu to shower God's blessings upon us. She told us that she had read the whole Bible except the book of Revelation. Truly, God has surprised us through this lady who reciprocated in full measure the generosity of the 'outreachers' of PEACE PRAYER. The givers of gifts now become the recipients of blessings from those at the margin of society.

In another street where the ladies are from China, one of them requests a second packet. When she is given one, she asks, "Can I offer you a cold drink?" We say "Yes" and she beams with joy as she passes the bottle to us. Indeed, there is a confluence, a flow of joy among us. The women unlock a latent capacity to fully reciprocate with delight in our hearts through this personal encounter. They engage us in a brief conversation that end with reassuring embraces for the ladies of PEACE PRAYER. This gesture affirms their inherent worth as women who endure both social stigma and the violence of the systemic evil of illegal human trafficking.

This regular social ministry has great potential. Many have come and seen; a few have stayed, and some have left. Geylang is a privileged space where the 'outreachers' periodically experience the God who is born on the margins of society in a manger, and grows to be an adult only to be rejected by society for the radicalism of his boundary-shattering message of the Kingdom, the kingdom of God's compassion, justice and mercy, of a loving way of life, and a heart deeply rooted in the love of God and neighbour.