I write to you tonight from a mysterious location. Only a very few people know of my whereabouts, and to you I say please don’t say anything to reveal my location. If you are not one of these people – especially if you and I are close friends – please don’t feel betrayed by my lack of disclosure. I am in a good place for a good reason. I am warm, sheltered and fed (via the Burger King drive thru tonight.) I have Wi-Fi, so I’m obviously being well taken care of. :)
As I was driving from the airport to my hotel, I noticed something I have never noticed before in the location I am in. Well, I supposed I’ve noticed this, but it never really hit my heart until tonight.
Within a 1.5 mile stretch of interstate, heading from the city to the burbs, I noticed out of 16 billboards, 12 of them were advertisements for alcoholic beverages, strip clubs or sex stores. The kicker is I’m not in some ghettofab, red-light place. I’m in a very well distinguished and industrialized metropolitan area.
My heart broke on that interstate tonight. It broke for the families being torn apart by alcoholism or the sex industry. It broke for the girls who are posed on the billboards, the ones dancing tonight, and the eyes leering at them. It broke for the men and women who are paying to leer at them. It broke for the people who are trying to break free from these chains and every day on their way home are inundated by these billboards.
Maybe God is opening my heart to the people of this city. At least for tonight.
Comments
17 responses to “Billboards”
never stop feeling. never stop learning. i love your heart.
muaaaahahah…. i know where you are! :)
Sounds like I70 between here and Columbia. Not a guess! Just a comparison. Hope you’re fed (not just food).
chill girl. i just updated friday night!
man, i thought this would be a contest to see who could guess where you were based on your clues…i thought of I-70 in missouri, too!
Have a blast and…Listen
sadly, there is probably a stretch of road like the one you describe in every city … you could be anywhere, and the deprivation remains, consistently … there.
God, move each of us to the point of a broken heart. Show us how to love people in your name so we can somehow assist in bringing them back to you … amen.
wow. i am so shocked by the world we live in. really.
(in my best, taunting, 2nd grader voice)
I know where you arrre….I know where you arrrree
(well that was more like me impersonating Eddie Murphy – impersonating a 2nd grader….you know..)
I got some ice cream….I got some ice cream….and you can’t have none
(maybe you don’t know…..Eddie Murphy, “Delirious” circa early 80’s) see ya
I think I must have missed this part. Why don’t you want anyone to know where you are? Still on for coffee this week?
yeah…dave powers was the one that cut my hair and he though it would be funny to leave a long rat tail! i didn’t really like it…so i cut that off!
ridiculous comment left on my blog after i posted specifically for you.
i miss you.
your words touch my soul, Anne. Please be safe. I miss you!
It seems those images are everywhere today. The enemy makes his presence known to those who know him, and disguises himself as ‘acceptable’ to those who don’t. As a father of two daughters (6 and 12), it scares the he** out of me. I can’t drive to St. Louis without seeing those advertisements on the highway. I just make sure my girls watch a dvd instead of looking out the window.
I’m in the club. I know where you are too.
(pouting) I don’t know where my precious Anne is. I love her anyways. :)
love love love, love love love :) Can’t wait to hear about your adventures, and to get the inside scoop from you and God hanging.
Sounds like South Houston… or at least what I remember of it. My little sister counted, once, the signs for strip clubs and XXX establishments between our house and downtown. Something like 45 in less than 20 miles. Crazy!!! Wherever it is, I hope you had a great trip for a great purpose.