Banana Boat Update
May 2017
Tiffne and Joel Whitley Strasbourg,
France
On June 10th our Action Quartier group is inviting the children from the immigrant
neighborhood to the grounds of the French Baptist Church for a “block
party.” Please be praying as we continue
to build relationships with our neighborhood friends.
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Molly’s Story
The first time we met
“Molly” she told us how the police often stop by to ask to see her papers to
make sure that she is old enough to be working on the streets. It is legal for ladies to work on the streets
in France, but they must be at least 18 years old. Molly is 18, but she looks much younger. We have been visiting with Molly for many
months now. She has told us how she has
had to call the police when clients are dangerous. One has threatened to kill her on several
occasions. We have also assisted her
with contacting the police for her protection.
Molly keeps her passport in her
boot to protect it from men who have tried to take it from her. Many traffickers take the passports or
identity documents of their victims in order to keep them under their
control.
Molly has also told us that she
would like to return to her country and find different work. Just before she was scheduled to make a visit
back to her home country, Molly told us that she is planning to apply for law
school and the police academy in her country.
We encouraged her that she would then be able to help women just like
herself who had been working on the streets and needed help. Before Molly left France we were able to give
her a letter from a Christian lady from the capital city of her country who is
a friend to ladies who have worked on the streets. This friend works to help these women find a
new life. Please pray for Molly as she
returns to her country; for her friendship with this mutual friend, and for her
application to law school and/or the police academy.
