Salvation through art

I ended up selling X's painting for $15, or about 500 Thai baht.  It's the normal going price of one "bar fine", the fee charged to customers to take a girl off the premises, and the way that bar owners with half a conscience rationalize their part in pimping women--they're just being compensated for the loss of an employee, and what happens outside is not their business.  Never mind the fact that her salary is partly based on meeting a quota of usually 8 to 10 bar fines a month.  Anyway, it seemed incredibly appropriate: for the cost that men pay to rob a woman of her dignity, we could give it back, in a very real sense showing her that she does indeed have worth, that she is wanted, that what she thinks and feels is important, that God intensely loves her and wants to spend eternity with her. 

X was naturally incredulous when I told her the price on the phone, and wanted to know who bought it.  It was mostly a rhetorical question, i.e. what sort of person would actually buy her simple watercolor.

I told her she needed to come and write the title on the painting, so she came yesterday afternoon.  She said she had not been to her dancing job since the day she came and did the painting, but had been helping her roommate, another student of ours, who was having a crisis with her boyfriend.  When I told her that must be because she really didn't want to work there, she smiled and nodded.  "So can you come back and start work again on Monday?" I invited hopefully.  She said yes.

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Jim Larson
Posts: 5

comments
Reply #5 on : Sun November 25, 2007, 15:39:26

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Yes Whitney, that thought is definitely on the front burner now. Thanks for your encouragement. Edwin, thanks for your desire to help. I'm not sure at this point--obviously we would want art that the girls create themselves. But perhaps one thought would be to do something from the perspective of a man that seeks to support and encourages women.

Edwin
Posts: 5

lovely
Reply #4 on : Wed November 21, 2007, 22:36:05

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hello, is there a chance in which i can be involved in Art to help out, i mean im starting to unleash my skills (not in a boastful way) but i want to help out!

Whitney Leon
Posts: 5

art
Reply #3 on : Tue November 20, 2007, 04:32:17

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Jim,
maybe you could link a page of the girls' art for sale? Drawings, paintings, pottery, beadwork..........
I think they'll be surprised at how much comes flowing in!

love and peace,
whitney

Chika Okoronkwo
Posts: 5

wow!
Reply #2 on : Sat November 17, 2007, 21:49:47

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That is great!!!I hope and pray that you continue to make headway with her and that God continues to work at her heart. That is wonderful that she can begin to sense her worth even through someone purchasing a painting that portrays her pain.

Roy Bessell
Posts: 5

Re: Salvation through art
Reply #1 on : Sat November 17, 2007, 03:00:22

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Of course,the war is not over. I'm fighting on my knees.