I’m angry. I’m sad. I want to show them love. My team had spent the last couple days in the city. It’s honestly been a great relaxing and renewing time for us. We’ve visiting the Killing Fields, we went to the mall and we’ve gotten massages and pedicures. However, even though we’ve been having all this fun and relaxing time we can’t escapee the reality of what is going on around us. The reality is there are a lot of broken and hurting people.
Prostitution. It’s very prevalent here and it’s not hidden either. I want to give the people the benefit of the doubt but a lot of the times you just know what is going in. That is why I’m mad. That is why I’m sad and that is who is I want to show love to.
I’m mad for the girls that are out I’m a position where their only means of survival is to sell themselves. Some of these girls are victims of slavery. There families have handed them over to a guy who was promising to take care of their child. The result is that they never hear from their child again as they are now in the human trafficking ring. There are then other girls and boys who were forced to go into prostitution because they had no other way to make money so it was either sell themselves or starve. Any way you look at it these girls and boys are forced into prostitution. For some there is no way out unless they are rescued.
I’m sad. I’m sad for the men who decide to participate in this “business.” A lot of these men are lonely. A lot of these men just want to feel loved. A lot of these men just want to feel accepted. A lot of these men don’t realize that these women that they are with are in a form of slavey. Some men may not even see what they are doing as wrong. I’m sad for the men who the only way to feel loved, accepted, wanted, etc., is to be with one of these women or men who are forced into prostitution.
I want to show love. This was definitely not how I was feeling at first. Every time I see one of thee girls with an older man I want to yell at the guy. I want to go find her pink and yell at him because I’m sad mad at the situation. However, every time God gently reminds me that this is not one of the best ideas I’ve ever had. I’m then reminded that I should show them love.
“God you’re telling me that I need to show love to these guys who buy the girls and boys and I need to show love to the pimps as well?” I can love on the girls and boys, but these men? I’m not so sure.” That’s what I told God one day. He then pointed out that He loves these men, even if what they are doing isn’t right He still loves them. So my mindset has changed from judgment and dislike to just wanting to love on these people.
Some of you may not agree with this and you may want to condemn them and you may have the mindset I had at first. I get it, I totally get it. However, for me God has reminded me of the grace and love He has shown me and that He has called His children to love everyone and that is what I’m doing. I’m showing love to those who don’t know what it means to be truly loved, I’m showing love to those who don’t yet know that God wants a relationship with them. I’m showing love to those that others may say don’t deserve love. I’m showing love because of the love God has for me.
Human trafficking isn’t just something that happens overseas. It happens in America as well. Springfield and Kansas City which are two cities I have lived near are actually big hotspots for human trafficking. I encourage everyone to research human trafficking for themselves so that you can be informed.
