When God wants to grab you’re attention, He does! You’ve probably experienced it — you feel a nudging in your heart and you wonder if it’s God directing you. You begin stepping out and then it seems everywhere you turn your eyes are opened to new truths.
That’s my story!
In the past few years while loving on others in the darkest of places, I’ve witnessed trafficking. Women being bought and sold for a price against their will.
I’ve walked in to clubs to love on girls and shine Jesus’ light only to hear the stories that they were forced there by their boyfriends or dads. (seriously!) They were not free to leave until they had earned their money.
I’ve served on the streets and met the girls who were being forced to sell their bodies so that others could have drug money.
Everywhere I looked my heart broke at such a deep level. I was devastated as I heard the cries of these girls and yet had no help to offer. Sometimes saying, “I’ll be praying for you” seems so lame when you know the girl is crying for someone to rescue her.
My soul was sad as I had realized how many years I spent in a clueless world — not knowing, not caring, not believing.
What’s human trafficking?
Slavery still exits! It’s not only happening in Asia, it’s happening in your city too. To have your eyes opened read Not in My Town by Dillon Burroughs.
“At any given time, conservative estimates indicate there are approximately 50,000 American slaves, not including tens of thousands of Americans involved in forced prostitution and domestic minor sex trafficking (also known as child prostitution).”
Because I live so close to the Mexico border, many here think trafficking only deals with those who are “trafficked” here from another country. This is not so.
It is any person, man or woman, who is enslaved in any way domestically or internationally.
Therefore the women I mentioned above are being trafficked — sold!
I can’t escape it.
The more I learn, the more angered I become. While we sit in our comfortable homes and churches there are people out there being bought and sold. Modern Day Slavery at it’s finest.
It’s so much easier to be clueless. I’ve done that for the majority of my life. Oh how I can tell you, it’s a happy place. Clueless, comfortable, and self-centered — that was me.
While I call it a happy place, it really wasn’t. There was an emptiness deep within my soul because that is not the way God created us to live.
With the announcement that my church here, Bay Area Fellowship, would be opening a Rescue House came a whole new level of awareness for me. God will not let up.
I’ve visited with a woman who was bought and sold to others by her grandfather.
I’ve sat across the table in meetings from those in authority within our city and told the stories and said, “YES, this is happening in our town!”
I’ve gone away for a weekend looking to escape the burden my heart feels only to meet another soul who was trafficked from a northern state deep in to the woods of Mexico and held against her will for years.
God is nudging us to wake up!
I truly believe this. I think He is sickened that we have convinced ourselves that putting on our pretty dresses and attending a suburban church on Sunday is what classifies us as Christian.
Have you read the Bible recently? Have you followed Jesus and his story?
Nowhere do I see this as the example laid out before us. Nowhere!
Please don’t think for a minute that I have this all figured out — I don’t. I feel like a sleepy Christian who is just waking up from a long hibernation of truth. I’m clumsy and just as afraid of the next step as you are. But one thing I know, God woke me up to the burdens of his heart and for that I’m thankful!
He is the same God today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow.
He is the same God that heard the cries of the people enslaved in Exodus.
He is the same God that called an ordinary man, Moses, to free them.
He is the same God who still hears the cries of those enslaved today.
He is the same God that is calling each of us ordinary folks to rise up and help Him free His people!
Will you help free God’s people?
Your words helped me say yes to Guatemala. Your book led me across the street to Bob and have me desperately wanting to come to Texas for Take it to the Streets. Your heart here…I’ve begun reading the book Awake (quite awesome so far), but you my friend always awake this heart of mine to step over my fears and see the broken. I can not wait for the day when I can join hands with you and serve together. I’m thinking of you and praying as you draw closer to your trip to Guatemala. Love you!! XO
Ah Beth – you sweet girl. I totally hope it works out where you can come in November. I think we will have much to sit and visit over. Of course, if you want to go back to Guate in October, we’ll make room. love you
AMEN my friend! Human trafficking breaks my heart. Truly this is something that breaks His heart and we must act. Thank you for sharing!
Haven’t read this book yet. Thanks for discussing it. Have you read Bethany Hoang’s Deepening the Soul for Justice. It’s a must read for anyone feeling the burden for the enslaved. http://www.amazon.com/Deepening-Soul-Justice-Urbana-Onward/dp/083083463X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379091494&sr=8-1&keywords=bethany+hoang
Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll put it on my list of reads.