Last year, we told you about Joe. Joe needed some help leaving the sex industry. Here is an incredible update on his journey. When you make a donation to this ministry, you are a part of changing lives.
What Would Jesus Do? That’s been a popular question in Christiandom that has all to often become just another Christian cliche, I’m afraid; to all to many Christian people. I however, have found an exception to that in XXXchurch. When I came to them to ask them to help me get out of the sex industry they said, “We’ll do everything we can to help you.” The first thing they did was call me right
away after I filled out an initial inquiry on their web site. A friend of mine knew I wanted to get out of the sex industry and she told me about XXXchurch and suggested I contact them, so I did.
After my initial phone conversation with one of their leaders they put me in touch with a guy that is a part of their organization in my area. This guy is a volunteer, has a family and a job and lives an hour or two away from where I live but he set aside time to come to my area and meet with me over breakfast to find out how best to help me. After meeting over breakfast I was confident that there was someone in the Christian world that really walked the walk instead of just talking the talk. These guys really wanted to help me and I haven’t felt judged by them not one time. To be honest with you I was real leery about contacting a “Christian” organization for help as I have been involved in the church and in “Christian” Ministry only to be very let down and disillusioned in the end when I really needed the love and support of Christians the most. You see I was a married man with children and a minister in a Christian organization and a member of the church for many years but struggled with my sexuality for all those years as well. After years of battling with my sexual identity I finally decided to end my marriage and come to terms with the fact that I was a gay man.
Once I did so, the ministry I was involved in asked me to leave bringing my long and fulfilling career to an end. What would I do now? I have no degree and ministry is pretty much all I’ve ever done. Believe it or not, I turned to the sex industry after trying to work in the corporate world and just not feeling like I could survive in it.
For the past 4 years I have been involved in the sex industry in various forms to
make a living. The money was fast and easy but what I didn’t take in to consideration was the fact that I was going to reach a breaking point emotionally with this life. It has begun to take a tremendous toll on me psychologically, emotionally and yes, spiritually. I just can’t do it any more. I want out of it completely and XXXchurch has extended a helping hand to me. I have a regular job with a good company but the hours have been low and the pay isn’t the best but it’s good honest work. Although I love the company I now work for and love my job, my current financial situation dictates that I look for a better paying job with more
hours unless I get a promotion within the company I’m now with. God knows how much I would love that. If I do get promoted within the current job I’m on I will get better pay, full time hours and full benefits. But I continue to look in to other jobs as
I hope and pray for a promotion where I am now. XXXchurch has graciously helped
me with my rent over the past two months as I was in danger of losing my apartment. If I lose my place I won’t have any place for my kids to come to see me when I get them every other weekend. Yes, I’m a father of two lovely children. They are the two main reasons I have to end this life in the sex industry for good.xxxChurch never said to me, “How could you….?” They only said, “How can we help you?”….and they have done just that, with financial support as well as emotional support and prayer support. All I can say is that if you are supporting this organization with your financial support, time, talents or in any other way; it’s going to good use and they are doing what they have set out to do. Thank you XXXchurch! I’m not out of the woods yet, but thanks for helping me this far.
In Love,
A Fellow Pilgrim in The Journey