Cottonwood Women: New Orleans

Last week, a group of Cottonwood women headed to New Orleans to help out with a ministry there that former Cottonwood members, Patrick and Dixie Bernson, started two years ago to reach out to women who are working in the strip clubs and brothels in New Orleans.
The ministry name is One, because they feel that even if they reach only one woman who is rescued from that life, their work is worthwhile. They have a team of women who get permission to enter the clubs, visit with the women working there, take gifts to the women, the owners, the bouncers, and security workers. The hope is that through showing love and acceptance, they can bring hope and cause their hearts to be soft to receive the gospel.
The purpose of our trip was to encourage the ministry team and help them in their ministry in any way.
After some discussion and much prayer, Dixie and Patrick asked the owner of one of the clubs if we could paint and redecorate the dark, dirty, dismal dressing room of the club. When the team visits the club, they are able to speak with just a few of the women. Redecorating the dressing room would possible touch the hearts of all of the women who work there.
We arrived last Thursday night (No one knows why it took us 15 hours to make a 10 hour trip. We didn't stop for shopping or a lingering meal, didn't have car trouble or excessive traffic!! It's a mystery!)

Here is our group. Dixie is in front of, in the green stripes. Surrounding her, from left to right, MariLea, Jaykie, Teressa, Shellie, Nancy, Jeannette, and Karen.

On Friday morning, we drove around and took a few pictures of the clubs and brothels in East New Orleans. Here are a few pictures, just to give an idea of the area.

The strip clubs are clearly marked with signs, but the brothels are in nondescript buildings, some with a sign with just a name, like Lily Pad or Sakura, or they are labeled as health clubs or modelling agencies. Driving around the area gave us a good idea of the kind of activity is there...a neighborhood of clubs and cheap hotels mixed with small stores and regular businesses.
We spent Friday afternoon baking cookies, painting canvasses, and getting things ready for Saturday.

Dixie had told me that the girls were open to receive Bibles, but asked for pretty ones. I was blessed to find very pretty Women's Devotional Bibles at a phenomenal price. We wrote a note and tied a bow around each one to leave for the girls.

Friday night, we went out in small groups for a prayer drive. We prayed as we drove around the neighborhood, then parked in front of each business to pray for the people there.

Saturday morning, we loaded our supplies and headed for the designated club. I took "before" pictures, but they don't really show the true condition of the room. I took a lot of "during" pictures as our group worked with 8 young women of the team, cleaning and painting as we prayed, sang, visited, and laughed.