I have a strong (sometimes annoying) presence, a loud personality (also occasionally annoying), and an extremely tender heart.
My heart is tender for the suffering in the world; especially the suffering of women and children, oh especially children. It is difficult for me to learn about the injustices of our world and how they affect children without coming to a near breakdown each time. The magnitude of this weight only increased with the birth of each of my beautiful and precious daughters. When I read about a small child abused at the hands of those who should have loved and protected them, my mind immediately goes to these sweet girls and their innocence. Every child deserves to be loved and protected, nurtured and valued; not just the children from my womb.
In the past few years there has been a growing awareness of the issue of Human Trafficking in our world and the issues of modern day slavery. More than 27 million people--27 million individuals--are living in slavery today. 800,000 individuals are trafficked across international borders every year. According to the U.S. State Department 70% of those are females and half are children.
EVERY YEAR, One Million Children are exploited by the global commercial sex trade. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Of that number, $15.5 billion is made in industrialized countries.
I can hardly stomach the facts, but they are devastatingly true.
So when a friend of mine posted on Facebook that she would be joining in a movement called "dressember" because the fight against human trafficking was something she felt very passionately about I nearly jumped off the couch to link arms with her.
I don't like wearing dresses very much, (boy wouldn't I love to slip some jeans on today!) :) and the reality is that wearing a dress doesn't do anything for the women and children who are living in bondage, being sexually abused and raped day after day, probably wondering what life is for if this is all they know now.
What I would give to hold them in my arms.
What I would do to look them in the eyes and tell them they have value beyond description.
What I would sacrifice to free them.
But what can I do to free them? Right here in Kansas, I can't physically do much to break their chains or fight their oppressors, but there are people and organizations like International Justice Mission https://www.ijm.org and Free the Slaves who are doing good and powerful work. They are doing work that is actually freeing people! And when they free these people they nurture them back to mental, emotional, and physical health through their aftercare programs. They are doing the work! But they need our support. Let's shoot straight here: they need money.
A few days after Dressember began I was reading a story sent out by the International Justice Mission. I read about their first ever rescue mission that was done in 2003. 37 girls were rescued in that mission! Then I read something that brings tears to my eyes to even write it here. The youngest of those girls was only 5 years old. A five-year-old girl being sold night after night to sex tourists and men who came to the area because they knew they could find young girls. When I read this a sob escaped my mouth and I buried my face in my hands and wept. I wept for a long time.
That little girl was worth so much more than she had ever been told. Thank you to God's work with IJM she was freed and rehabilitated. So now she can be kept safe and nurtured as she should.
I hope someone held her tiny hands, looked her in the eyes and told her how much God loves her and how precious she is. In my mind I keep hearing a phrase expressed at the Southern District Youth Conference held a few weeks ago. "You are worth one Jesus Christ."
These women and children are worth Jesus Christ to God. Worth his life and his death.
What are they worth to you?
Suddenly, $25 or $50 or $500 just doesn't seem like that much does it. The sacrifice to help save them could be small. Please consider donating to help free women and children from slavery.
I'll keep fighting for them... and if that means putting on a dress to raise awareness and money then I will. I'll fight for them in a dress and on my knees.
Donate here today.
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