"Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bells, I want to run a rescue shop within the yard of hell."
C.T. Studd
The Process
A day in the life...
6:30am. My alarm is going off. Why is it such a struggle to pull myself out of bed? I want so much to stay buried beneath these covers, but if I don’t get up who will get breakfast ready for the kids? Do I have time for some coffee before I have to wake them up?
7:12am. There’s so little time to get them fed, dressed, and out to the corner for the school bus, and I’m already late for work. I can’t afford to put my job at risk!
4pm. Gotta get to the grocery store. What am I gonna feed the kids for dinner? Mac and cheese will have to do. There’s no time for anything else. I’ll whip it up when I get home, and then make sure they’ve got their homework done. It’s gotta be done before we go to cheerleading and little league. They know that.
8:30pm. C’mon, c’mon. Please! Just go take your bath! It’s close to bedtime already!
8:50pm. Good night my babies. I love you. Mommy has to go to work now. The bills will have to wait just a little longer. I should have enough to pay some of them off after tonight.
Oh, Lord . . . I don’t know how much longer I can do this. There must be another way besides dancing to get some quick cash. That day job just doesn’t pay enough to cover the debt or give my children the life I want for them. I just need to dance for a little longer, and then we’ll be ok. We’ll have enough. Just a little while longer . . .
It all begins in prayer.
Through prayer we find guidance and protection for our outreaches. Victoria’s Friends’ prayer partners intercede for opportunities to enter strip clubs to present a love unlike any that can be conjured simply by the human heart. Prayer continues throughout and following outreaches and is an ongoing aspect of the ministry. (We do not enter a club without the permission of the club’s owner or manager.)
It was the power of the Holy Spirit that transformed Victoria’s life, and now it is through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit that Victoria’s Friends exists. Victoria’s Friends exists to help dancers with whatever needs they may have. We are not here to shut down the clubs; rather, we are here to support the women who make a living within those walls. Victoria knows the pain and loneliness that often accompanies this lifestyle and is now returning with her teams to the dressing rooms of these clubs to offer the support she could not find when she needed it.
Outreach teams visit dancers in the dressing rooms of local clubs, offering the free gifts of Mary Magdalene baskets and a listening ear. These gifts are meant to show the dancers a glimpse of a love with no strings attached. As outreach members befriend the dancers, they take note of any way in which the team can be of assistance to the women. Our teams provide support that ranges anywhere from a smile and encouragement to counseling and new life options. If a lady desires further support, outreach members will then meet individually with those who desire help. Those who desire a change in lifestyle are paired with a mentor and life coach to help them discover and fulfill their identity and gifting. If this change is desired, we understand that it is a difficult process that may take much time, but we are here to walk the steps with these ladies. We are here as friends.