A year and a half ago when I was at conference in Arizona, I watched this rockumentary that they were showing one night called "Call + Response." It opened my eyes to the horrible reality of modern day slavery like I had never seen before. I knew about it, but watching this reality was devastating and angering, causing me to hardly cease thinking about it and wonder what part I might play in raising awareness and bringing this tragedy to an end.
Four months after that, I went to the Passion Conference in Atlanta with my sister Emily and some friends. One of the main focuses of Passion is bringing justice to our broken world, which they call Do Something Now. All the students at the conference have an opportunity to learn about and support organizations doing Kingdom work around the world, showing the love of God by bringing justice and hope in His name. One of the many great organizations represented there was called Not For Sale. This particular cause caught my eye like none of the others. The reality of freeing young girls who have been violently forced into sex slavery was so beautiful to me, a picture of how Christ loves us and rescues us in our complete helplessness to do anything to change ourselves.
In the weeks and months and now year that has past, this cause has never ceased to be heavy on my heart. I always prayed and prayed but there was a helpless feeling in me that wouldn't go away. I've realized that the enemy wants to use this evil to depress me and make me angry, but God wants to use this evil to bring Life and Hope in Him.
I just recently finished a book called Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, and it has brought this horrid reality back to life again, but in a beautiful way, just like organizations such as Not For Sale are doing. This novel is based off of the book of Hosea in the Bible, and this story is a beautiful analogy of the Father's unconditional love through a girl being brought out of prostitution and learning how to love and be loved. With this beautiful story always on my mind, I came across this blog and read this all too real account of someone who learned (only a very small fraction) of what it's like to be enslaved like this, which was an event put on by Not For Sale in effort to make this potentially "sad story" into a reality and make us see that this is REAL and happening RIGHT NOW. Sex trafficking is the third largest crime worldwide, and there are more slaves today than in any point in our history.
I wanted to share this because it's all too easy for me to hear a sad story and then think that feeling bad is all I can do. That not thinking about it will make it go away. That thinking because I can't change everything means I shouldn't change anything. That thinking it's ok to feel badly then lift my spirits by doing something that I enjoy.
The bottom line is, it's not ok. It's not ok for our hearts to not be broken for the things that break the Father's heart. This issue for me is the ultimate "Do to others as you would like them to do to you" (Luke 6:31). If I was in this position, would I not want someone to speak up for me, to bring me hope and freedom in this vicious cycle of death? This may seem like a foreign issue to some, but the reality is that one of the largest sex trafficking locations is right here in the US in the city of Denver, Colorado. How can I worry about if I'm having a good hair day or if my house is clean or what football team will win the Superbowl (which, by the way, the Superbowl is a major attraction for sex trafficking- read here). How?! How can I go about my easy life and completely ignore God's command in Proverbs 31 to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice."
"Maybe sex slavery still exists and will continue to exist because we're too comfortable and the thought of little girls being forced to have sex all day and night it too much for our delicate senses..."
So, I encourage you, don't turn away from this because it's easier and less painful to do so. I encourage you to pray for the perpetrators of this crime. Pray that their hearts will be changed and that they will seek justice. Pray for the victims, that they will be freed and turn to their loving Father who alone can turn their ashes into beauty. Support organizations working to end slavery such as The Restavek Freedom Foundation and Not For Sale.
"Wake up child, it's your time to shine, you were born for such a time as this."
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