Could A Tanning Salon Be A Ministry?

     You may not see a tanning salon as a ministry, but what is a ministry?  Let me introduce you to a woman named Augusta.  Augusta is a fifty-five year-old, six-foot-tall, very serious Brazilian woman who speaks only Portuguese. It was a good thing that the owner of the house could understand Portuguese. Augusta was a housekeeper that loved to sing while she cleaned.  She would sing when she walked around the house, when she did laundry, and when she cooked.  Augusta would sing all day, every day, she would sing and sing and sing.  Every song she would sing was about Jesus.  In the middle of every chorus you would hear her sing Jeessssuuusss. The owner told her that she does a great job cleaning, however, could she sing about something else other than Jesus.  As soon as she asked this, Augusta busted out laughing hysterically.  Augusta told the owner that she was very glad that she noticed her singing and she didn't mean to sound disrespectful, but she told her it was quite amusing that she thought she was there to clean her house.  The owner then asked her "What do you mean you find it amusing that I think you are here to clean my house?  Why else would you be here?"  Augusta then proceeded to tell the owner that before she accepted the job with her, she went to church and the congregation stood and prayed with her.  There was a prophetic word spoken from the Holy Spirit; the word was that if she came and worked for her that one day her and her husband would come to Christ and eventually have their own ministry. That is exactly what happened, the owner of the house was Stephen Baldwin's wife.  You can read more about this story in "The Unusual Suspect"  by Stephen Baldwin and Mark Tabb.


      What is ministry?  Ministry is service to God and to other people in His name. "Christians should minister by meeting people's needs with love and humility on Christ behalf.  Christians are to minister to others out of their devotion to Christ and their love for others"- Kirk Whitaker.  Augusta was ministering by going about her daily work.  Pam Woody, owner of "Elite Tanning", spoke about experiencing God moments. What are God moments?  You experience God moments while going about your normal business and Jesus just shows up. Pam experiences a lot of God moments in her tanning salon because her walk with Christ comes out in her daily work. Pam states, "My job is to talk to others about Christ, and that is what I do here."

     Pam Woody is originally from Greenville and currently lives in Easley.  She has been married to her husband Kevin Woody for 18 years, together they have 3 children and 2 grandchildren.  Pam came to know our little town of Dacusville through a long time friend, Kelly Whitman.  Kelly invited Pam and Kevin to her church, Dacusville Church of God; now known as Lifechurch.  It was there that Pam and her husband came to know the Lord.  Every Sunday, Pam and Kevin would go past "Elite Tanning" to get to church, and every Sunday for 12 years as they went past the tanning salon Pam would tell Kevin, " I'm going to own "Elite Tanning" someday. She has now owned "Elite Tanning" for 2 years. I asked Pam what did she think about the people of Dacusville, she had this to say, "I love them, they are more personal, genuinely caring, and  down to earth people".  Pam said that when a customer comes into her shop she tries to make them feel as comfortable as possible.  She wants the customers to feel welcome; that they're not just money in her pocket.  Pam shared with me that all money goes back into the shop, that she may feed herself out of the shop ever once in a while.  God has blessed her husband with a good job which allows her to own "Elite Tanning".  Pam has been in the tanning business since 2003, she owned a shop in Easley; "Atlantic Cove".  Pam started at "Atlantic Cove" as a bed cleaner, when the owner wanted to sale the shop, Pam bought it.  Pam closed "Atlantic Cove" in 2011 and focused all her attention on "Elite Tanning".

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