11 ~ Prostitutes and Sinners

By Kay Heitsch

I was very naive and trusting when Bill and I got married. We lived in a city that even today has a lot of crime. In fact, Bill's grandfather was murdered in his home in this city.

Bill's dad wanted him to be a doctor, like he was, but since Bill didn't want to, it didn't go well. Bill dropped out of college and started working in the automotive industry.

Since I had been so good at going door to door selling can openers, greeting cards, and even light bulbs as a child, and knocking on doors with my mom to ask for money for the needy, I decided to try selling Avon.

On my first day, I started knocking on doors in an apartment building. A man came to the door. He was friendly enough and invited me inside.

The next thing I knew, he was sitting next to me on the couch. I had a feeling this was not going to go well. I immediately jumped up and ran out the door.

I banged on the door across the hall. A girl around my age, 19, answered. I told her what happened, and she was kind and invited me inside. I don't remember if she actually ordered some Avon. Sue and I became friends.

Sue lived a hard, fast life. We didn't have anything in common, except for our age. Sue had 2 little children and was not married. I would pick up her little girls and take them to the mall.

Sue introduced me to her friends, who also lived a hard, fast, drug-filled life. These people were totally different from those I was used to, but I must say I was accepted and treated nicely.

Sue told me she had nightmares about me. For some reason, she thought these mightmares meant she needed to take care of me. I think back now, and I'm sure she was right. God was watching over me, and I needed it, but didn't know it.

I learned a lot from Sue. I kind of understood the text, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes enter the kingdom of God before you” Matthew 21:31. "You" referring to the Pharisee.

These people treated me better than the religious people I grew up with. Isn't that interesting?

Sadly, when we left that city, I stopped over to say goodbye to Sue. She didn't know I was there because she was strung out on heroin on the couch. I'm sure Sue has passed on by now. I pray she found peace and a relationship with the Lord, as I finally did.

"Write down for the coming generation what the Lord has done, so that people not yet born will praise Him." Psalm 102:18