A Prostitute's Party
Dr. Tony Campolo, having flown into Honolulu from the east coast, lay in his hotel bed. He couldn’t sleep. It was 3 a.m. Getting out of bed, he dressed and began strolling down the dark streets looking for a coffee shop. Finally, he walked into the only place that was open- an exceedingly greasy spoon diner. A row of bar stools lined the counter and Tony plopped down, ordering a donut and coffee. A few minutes later, a group of 8-9 hookers came in, sitting on either side of him.
The young girl next to him said quietly, “Hey..tomorrow’s my birthday”.
Another girl snapping her gum said, “So, Agnes, what do ya want us to do? Throw ya a party?” Everyone threw back their heads and laughed.
“I’ve never had a birthday party before”. Only Tony heard the pain in those words.
After they left, Tony spoke to Harry, the owner of the diner.
“Do these girls come here often?”
“Every night- same time”, was his response.
“Tomorrow is Agnes’ birthday. What do you say we throw her a surprise party? I’ll get the decorations and buy a cake. You don’t have to do anything. Harry said “Sure.. but I’ll get my wife to make the cake. You wouldn’t know it to look at her, but Agnes is one of the good ones. She’s one of the kindest, most thoughtful people we know”.
At 2 a.m. the next morning, Tony and Harry were stringing crepe paper streamers and hanging balloons. A sign over the mirror said, “Happy Birthday, Agnes”. Word had hit the streets and by 3 a.m. every hooker in Honolulu was crammed into that tiny diner. At 3:30, Agnes and her friends arrived.
“Happy Birthday, Agnes!” the crowd cheered and clapped.
Agnes just stood there. Dumfounded. A deer in the headlights. Her knees buckled and her friends steadied her, setting her on one of the bar stools. When Harry brought out the cake glowing with candles, Agnes lost it and began to cry.
Harry just stood there holding the cake in front of her and said awkwardly, “Come on now.. blow out the candles! “ But Agnes couldn’t, so Harry blew them out, then handed her a knife.
“Okay, Agnes, cut the cake. Stop crying and cut the cake! Just cut the cake, will ya?” But Agnes couldn’t.
“Can I just take it home to show my mother?” she asked.
Tony said, “Now? Can’t you wait?”
“She just lives around the corner.. I’ll be right back, I promise.” And with that, Agnes took her cake out the door and disappeared into the night.
The crowd was quiet now. Everyone looked at each other. No one spoke. You could hear a pin drop.
So Tony did what no one was expecting. He asked if it would be okay to say a prayer for Agnes and he proceeded to ask God to deliver her from what dirty, filthy men had done to her. That God would make her new and clean and would give back everything that had been taken from her. When he said amen and looked up, Harry was right in Tony’s face. “Hey Campolo- you told me you were a sociologist. You’re no sociologist! You’re a preacher! What kind of church do you belong to?”
His reply-
“The kind of church that throws birthday parties for whores at 3:30 in the morning.”
“No you don’t! No you don’t! Even I would join a church like that!”
Wouldn’t we all?
By the way..
Lighting birthday candles is a wonderful way to celebrate but there are countless other ways to bring joy and celebration lighting up your corner of the world. You too can spark joy!
It only takes a spark to get a fire going
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing
That's how it is with God's love once you've experienced it;
You spread his love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
- Kurt Kaiser
A gentle reminder to love as I would want to be loved
So good!