Tonight we took a little trip to the same grocery store we went to last night to get out of our hot box of a house. The heat here is stifling.
This time we were expecting the same drill as last night, to see the street children begging before we crossed the street to the mall. Brandy and I prepared as we came up on the spot where we saw them last night; but there were no children. We commented that they must be in a different part of town tonight and continued to cross the street and approach the mall.
In the moment it took all the constraint I had to not empty my wallet into his outstretched hand. I want him to know that I love him even though I don’t know him. I want him to know that I care about him and the baby he carries around. I want to help him out of the situation he is in but the american mindset of throwing a little money around won’t change his situation.
See more than likely this child and the baby he carries are part of a trafficking ring. The circumstances are different but somehow these kids get sold or traded to the care of someone much like a pimp. They send the kids out and any money they get funnels right back into the hands of whoever bought them. So the money people give these precious children never actually is theirs and benefits them in no way.
But still in the back of your head you think, maybe, just maybe this time they would be able to get something to eat or something to make the situation better. Is it worth the try? Or do you hold off to not fund the child slavery ring anymore?
A similar battle takes place when I think about the time we will spend in Thailand next month. We will be working in the red light district, with prostitutes. We don’t know what specific ministry it will be through but all are based on the idea of making relationships with the girls and introducing them to a different way to provide for their family outside of this lifestyle, a place of refuge and a new hope. So when I am talking to one of the precious girls who has been forced to live this lifestyle and some man comes up to buy her for an hour, will I sit idly and allow that to happen or will I pool all the money I have to spend that hour talking with her instead? To show her that she is worth a genuine relationship, not one based on abuse, sex, or money. I know she won’t get to keep the money, that it will go to her pimp and essentially fund the purchase or misuse of other girls, but is it worth it to spend that time with the girl, to show her she’s worth it?
So what do you do when the battle in your mind has no right answer? Where is the justice?
