Former prostitute looking for a husband

Dear Pastor,

This is the first time I am writing to you and I want to relate my situation to you. I met a man, but he knows little about my background.

He was my regular client. I was born in rural Jamaica. My parents did not show me much love, so when I was 15 years old my friends told me about a better life in Kingston. I ran away and went to spend time with them.

I stopped attending school. I roomed with three girls and they taught me how I could make some money. These girls were only fooling around big men. The oldest girl was 21 years old, but she had heavy breast and big bottom. She rented a property from a woman whose husband was not well. This girl control three rooms in the house and she paid the woman a good amount of money. Each of us had to pay her to pay the woman.

I was warned not to ask much question just give the money and take care of the place.

This girl used to inspect our bed and we had to clean the bathroom every time we had our shower. Only the senior girl was allowed to have her man sleep with her any time during the week at the house.

None of us were able to do so and every time we did a business we had to pay her a certain amount of money. It was at that place I met a man, he did business with me and then he found out that I didn't have a boyfriend and I was young in the business.

He told me that he was visiting Jamaica and that he would come back to Jamaica just for me to please him. He gave me extra money and he gave me his business card and told me not to lose it or to give anybody. He told me what to say whenever I called and he also told me that he was married so sometimes his son or daughter may answer the phone so I say, so and so.

One day, his wife answered and I said, sorry I am trying to reach "Mr. so and so" and she said he is on a business trip but if it is urgent you can call this number. She gave me a number and I took the risk and called. It was late in the night I called him and he answered and asked who gave me that number. He said, 'I hope you did not say anything', and I told him no.

He told me he would come to Jamaica. This man came the following week, and to cut a long story short, our relationship developed. I found out that his marriage was collapsing and he was going through a divorce.

We got married, but it was just to get me out of the country because he told me his people would never accept me as a poor black girl.

I can never forget this man. This man paid for me to go to school and he introduced me to some of his other friends. He was never jealous. He took me to many places.

I am now 41 years old. I would love to have a husband but I don't know how to trust men because men have taught me every trick in a book.

When you think they are at work they are not at work. This man slapped me once and that was because while he was making love to me, I called another man's name and he asked me if I was seeing somebody else and I told him yes and he slapped me so hard, I was knocked out and then he said I had disrespected him. I cried and told him that I was sorry.

The girls who brought me to Kingston have done very well but they are separated from each other. I am no longer with this man but we talk occasionally.

Prostitution is not a good thing but people should not always condemn prostitutes because to many of them it is their only way out of poverty. I know you may not agree with me but I am talking the truth.

E.,

Dear E,

I beg to disagree with you. Prostitution is not the only way out of poverty, education is. Many women have been prostitutes for years and their condition has not changed.

The man you met paid you for your service, he was your client, he took you out of Jamaica and he assisted you to go to school but it was not the prostitution in itself that saved you, it was the education that he assisted you in getting. I hope the girls who took you into Kingston are better off today.

You said that this man was not jealous. He never showed you his jealousy but when you told him that you were seeing another man; he could not deal with that. He wanted your body for himself only.

Pastor