It's so weird living in Las Vegas. This place is insane. I've heard a lot of local people say that living here is just like living anywhere else in America, with the exception of the Strip. They are liars. Let me give you some examples:
1. One of my new friends, Melissa, owns a gym. They gave me a one-month free trial membership. I've been working out and getting ripped! Ha Ha! We work out with strippers, porn stars, cocktail waitresses and dealers. These people don't look like normal people. They wear practically nothing to work out in, and they are "perfect" looking; think Greek gods and goddesses. I bet that if I went to a gym in VA Beach it would be hard to find someone who was a stripper or a porn star.
2. Vince and I went out to dinner on Saturday night. We got dressed up and hit the town! I have never seen so much butt and boobs in my life...at dinner! The stiletto heels were causing so much pain. These poor girls were practically limping. The price we pay for fashion! I've been out to dinner plenty of times in VA Beach and have NEVER seen women dressed like this.
3. My kids go to a good school in a good neighborhood. From the distance it looks like a totally normal school, with pick up and drop offs by lots of parents. The difference is that a lot of the moms don't look like regular moms. You've got moms in Daisy Duke shorts, cut off shirts and I'm pretty sure the majority have boob jobs. Again, not typical to anywhere else I've ever lived.
4. Billboards are a normal sight in America, but billboards in Las Vegas are a frightening sight. There is a local internet porn company that pays people $500 to "drop their trunks" for their website. According to a recent article, they get 200 calls a day. They have billboards up all over the city. I guess that explains all the phone calls. There are also hundreds of billboards for casino night clubs and topless swimming pools.
I say all this not to bash Vegas, but to ask for your prayers. Because this is unlike anywhere else we've ever lived, our ministry needs to have aspects that are unlike anything we've ever done. Starting a church by simply sending out some postcards isn't going to work here.
We had lunch today with a pastor from a large church in town. He kept calling us "missionaries." At first I was like, "What are you talking about? I'm not a missionary. Missionaries are people who leave their country and immerse themselves in a foreign culture." Then I realized that except for leaving my country that's pretty much what we're doing.
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3 comments:
I haven't yet witnessed any of what you're talking about, but I did come across this website for a hair salon today:
http://www.dye4u.com/
I agree; I have a feeling they might laugh at a postcard. Then again, if God's been causing someone there to wonder about Him and then the card arrives... it wouldn't be the first case of perfect timing.
Regardless, this town needs to know God loves creative, expressive, non-conformists!:) And the men and women you mentioned need to know their value doesn't depend on their looks - even if their jobs do. In general, there's more cynicism here, I think. (At least in the entertainment/service industry.)
hi, so i know you don't know me yet, but my name is Heidi K. and my hubby and i are soon moving to Vegas to join the launch team! oh wait, uh, since i'm going to stay at your house for a couple days, you probably DO know who i am! lol. anyway! just wanted to say that i loved where you said:
Because this is unlike anywhere else we've ever lived, our ministry needs to have aspects that are unlike anything we've ever done. Starting a church by simply sending out some postcards isn't going to work here.
Thought that is GREAT honesty and insight.
Also, wanted to offer to be your new work out buddy as I do NOT have a hot bod and, since i'm pregnant, i am getting fatter by the day and could really boost your self-esteem greatly. you'd look really great next to me at the gym. just want to help. ;) ha.
I've heard of a group who have started a church right down on the strip. Are you part of this? My immediate thought when I saw the piece was to think, "missionaries in a strange land."
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