Hookers get hymn session

Press, 28 March 1979, Page 26

Hookers get hymn session

PA Wellington Happy, guitar-strumm-ing young people are holdine Christian street parties on Wellington’s notorious “Hookers’ Corner” on Friday evenings. In spite of occasional abuse from street-walkers who regard the corner as their property, the band of a dozen or more men and women are drawing alcoholics, down-and-outs, and even Black Power gang members to their religious singsong sessions. Last Friday, a core group of three or four young Christians strummed and sang “upbeat” hymns about 11.30 p.m. at the corner of Vivian Street and Cuba Street, a few metres from garish strip joints. Other group members greeted new’ arrivals and

offered them religious tracts, and conversation.

The previous Friday evening, in finer weather, a contingent of Black Power members, unsmiling and fla g o n-swilling, brought the numbers at the street party to more than 40.

While the gang members stood around the musicians. a few of them clapping, the red lights of a strip joint flashed brightly 20 metres away. “This is not our doing, this is God’s,” said a smiling, excited young man. “We hold our prayer meeting every Friday night at 7.30, have a cup of tea about 10.30, and then come down here,” he said.

“We have lots of wonderful witness here,” said a girl. “There are so many lonely people.”