“Michael, get up.  You’re going to be
 late for school.”  Regina called.

“Coming Mom.”  It was the answer Regina wanted to hear, but she saw no evidence of her son’s appearance in the kitchen where he should have been ten minutes ago.

Michael entered the room in his blue coveralls.  They matched his mother’s and father’s.  In fact, they matched the residents of everyone in the city.  The President and Congressmen had gotten tired of the school shootings stemming from jealousy and decided to get rid of it all together.  

I had been working in the small local diner for about six months. Money was tight at our house and upcoming graduation was expensive, so the extra money was a big help. I loved working there and loved, loved, loved my customers.  Bill always showed me pictures of his wife and kids.  They were precious.  Francis was an older woman who had just lost her husband.  She hated cooking for herself so she came in the diner often for a square meal.  I made it a point to

to get to know each one of my customers on a personal basis.  That paid off in the tip department.

I had seen 'Jojo' in the diner several times.  He always ordered a cup of coffee and a slice of apple pie.  The cook makes great pies and I tried to get him to try some of the others.  But he always wanted apple.

One night he invited me to sit down with him.  Since we weren't busy, I sat for a couple of minutes.  He was very friendly and even charming.  I remember him telling me I had beautiful hair.  About that time a couple came in the door so I excused myself to serve them.

Later Jojo called me over to his table.    "What time do you get off tonight?"

"At eleven o'clock.."

"Would you like to go to a party?"

"At eleven o'clock??  That's kind of late for a party, isn't it?"

My gut told me not to go, but it had been a while since I had been to a party.  Besides, my parents were out of town for the weekend, so what could go wrong?  EVERYTHING!

Jojo waited until I finished all my duties required to close the diner, then escorted me to his car saying, "We'll come back here and pick up your car later."  I noticed immediately that his car was expensive.  The leather seat wrapped around my tired body and felt like a safe cocoon.  Every gadget imaginable was on the dashboard.

Jojo drove fast and a little reckless, which scared me but I tried not to show it.  After a few minutes--probably less than three--he stopped in front of an old, run down house. 

"This is where the party is?"   I asked.

"Oh, no."  He laughed.  "I just need to pick something up for my grandmother.  Come in with me."

I walked up to the front door with him and stood silently as he opened it.  He stepped back to allow me to go in first.  As I stepped in, two men--one from each side--stepped forward and grabbed me.  One of them had a needle and pressed it into my arm.  The room blurred and started swaying.   Then the weirdest feeling I've ever had came over me.  I could feel my body, but then again, I couldn't feel my body.  I could feel pressure, but no pain.  I had absolutely no control over my muscles.  I tried to raise my arm, but nothing happened

The pressure on my legs was intense as the two men dragged me down a long hallway.  I could see things we passed as they dragged me, but I was unable to comment at all. My mouth wouldn't even open, much less make a sound. 

We had barely crossed the threshold of a bedroom when the beating began.  I don't know how long it lasted, but it seemed like forever.  I would be hit by one then kicked by the other.  More than once I opened my eyes and saw Jojo watching the event.  After the beating ended, the rapes began.  Again I saw Jojo watching.  He was the last one to rape me.  When he was finished, he said, "I'm sorry we had to do this, Sweetheart.  But we have to know that you understand how serious we are.  You work for us now.  We'll take care of you and your needs, but you work for us."

By then the medication was beginning to wear off.  I was able to open my mouth and say, "Diner." 

Jojo replied, "The diner can find someone else.  Anyone can work at a diner.  We need you to work for us."  He gently stroked my hair while he talked.  He had stood and watched two men beat and rape me.  He had raped me and now he was acting like he loved me?

All three men left the room, leaving me lying on the floor, bruised, bleeding, and scared.  I received no pain medication, ice, or cloth to clean myself.  I heard the door being locked and I knew my life was changed forever.  The pain was excruciating.  My eyes were so swollen I couldn't open them.  I have no idea how long I laid there before they brought me something to eat.  They set it down in front of me, told me it was dinner, and left.

Since I couldn't open my eyes, I had to feel around on the floor for the bowl.  I wasn't hungry, but I knew I needed to keep my strength up.  Believe it or not, the cold noodles tasted good.  Apparently I was hungry and didn't recognize it.

Within a few days, although I can't tell you how many, I was informed it was time for me to start working the  streets.  I had no idea how to do that.  Jojo took me to a street corner, told me to stand there, and what to say when someone stopped.  It wasn't long before a car pulled up to the corner and the guy said, "How much, Baby?"  I told him one hundred dollars just as Jojo had told me to say.  "Get in."  The driver said.

He drove to a dark road and there in the back seat of his filthy car, we had sex.  When he was finished, he said "That certainly wasn't worth $100.  How long have you been doing this."  I told him he was my first John.  Then he gave me $50.00, pushed me out of the car, and drove off. 

When Jojo picked me up, he demanded the money.  I handed him the $50.  "It was $100.  Where's the other $50?"

"That's all he gave me.  He said it wasn't worth $100."

For that I received another beating because I wasn't good enough to be worth $100.

The second night I was instructed to bring in $1500.00, which meant I had to sleep with at least fifteen men in about twelve hours.  I didn't make enough money which warranted me another beating.

The third night I tried to run away, but Jojo found me.  By the time he was through with me, I was physically unable to run away.

For the next three years I worked the streets every night, no matter the weather, and brought in $1500 a night.  I was allowed to keep none of it.  Once I brought in $1600, thinking I would be allowed to keep the extra.  I was not.  According to the three men, they owned me.  They provided everything I needed and I deserved no money.

One night as I stood on my street corner, a car pulled up.  I leaned in the window, smiled sweetly and said, "You looking for a date, Sweetie?" 

"Yes, I am.  But not the kind you're thinking about."

"Well, it doesn't matter what kind you want, Darling, it's $100."

"I'll make a deal with you.  Let me talk to you and then if you still want me to pay $100, I will."

I figured what did I have to lose, so I climbed into his car.  He drove around the corner and stopped.  I heard movement from the backseat and turned to see two women there.  They were dressed conservatively and their faces were soft, not hard like the women I had been hanging around lately. 

They smiled at me and introduced themselves as Ashley and Joanie.  The man driving was Jim. Joanie spoke first.  "Have you ever accepted Christ as your Savior?"

"Why would I do that?"  I asked.

Then they explained to me that the bible tells us that everyone is a sinner and because we are sinners we can't go to heaven when we die.  I figure I'm doomed.  Then they tell me that Jesus paid the price so we can get into heaven even though we are sinners and all we have to do is accept the gift.  Wow, someone paid the price for me and didn't ask me to do anything in return.  It was all a little much for me to take in so I told them I'd have to think about it.

Then Ashley asked if I liked my job.  Was that a joke? Nobody likes hooking.  You do it to survive.  Then Jim explained that they had a safe house where they took street walkers.  The girls lived there and learned more about the bible like they told me that night.  He asked me if I would like to go stay at the house.

"No, Jojo will find me and beat me again.  He'd also probably beat you for taking me there."

"The house is not around here.  We have never had a pimp find us.  I really think we can keep you safe if you let us."

I was so scared.  If Jojo found me, it would be the worst beating I'd ever received.  "Once, when I was a little girl, I went to a backyard Bible school.  We sang a song there about Jesus loving us.  That's all I remember."

Ashley asked, "Do you mean Jesus Loves Me?"

"Yes that's it.  Can you sing it for me?"

All three of them sang the song together.  Funny, it didn't sound like a kid's song when they sang it.   It sounded like something I needed to know more about. 

I left prostituting that night.  I went to the safe house with Ashley, Joanie, and Jim.  It was small and crowded, but clean.  It didn't take me long to know that I was truly blessed to be there.  I have accepted Christ as my Savior and spend my days in bible study and prayer.

I never planned to be a hooker.  I certainly didn't want to be one.  But I made some serious errors in judgement. 

• I trusted and agreed to go out with a man I didn't know very well.
• I got into his vehicle, leaving me no escape.
• I followed him into an unfamiliar house--against my better judgement. 
  

I tell young people today:

• Never go out with anyone you don't know WELL.
• Until you get to know him or her, meet in a well lit neutral area such as an eating establishment.
• Follow your better judgement.

I also tell them that Jesus loves them.  Then I give them these Bible References:

• Romans 3:23
• Romans 6:23
  
• Romans 5:8
  
• Romans 10:9-10
  
• Romans 10:13
  

Stephanie sat in her chair with attached desk in US History class.  In front of her was a test with 80 questions. The teacher wanted to know about the Constitutional Convention and James Madison’s Virginia Plan.  These were things that happened over 200 years ago.  What did it have to do with today?

Stephanie placed her hand on her back to ease the pain.  Her feet and hands were swollen.