Yesterday was
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. (oops, sorry I’m late). That means that for the 27.1
million people that are enslaved beyond their will are getting some
much needed attention. Who’s giving it? We are. We are their voice. We are their deliverance. We are their freedom waiting to be delivered. The question is: what are you doing to help them? God’s given me a platform through blog and other media outlets; He’s also given me a voice that I’ve dedicated to Him. So Twitter this, Facebook it, Digg.com it, and do what you have to, to get the word out. You’re welcome to copy & paste this blog my friend Matt Snyder wrote a while ago.
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. (oops, sorry I’m late). That means that for the 27.1
million people that are enslaved beyond their will are getting some
much needed attention. Who’s giving it? We are. We are their voice. We are their deliverance. We are their freedom waiting to be delivered. The question is: what are you doing to help them? God’s given me a platform through blog and other media outlets; He’s also given me a voice that I’ve dedicated to Him. So Twitter this, Facebook it, Digg.com it, and do what you have to, to get the word out. You’re welcome to copy & paste this blog my friend Matt Snyder wrote a while ago.
* * * * *
“Srey Neang followed him through
the entrance. At first her eyes had trouble adjusting to the darkness
of the room. Slowly, she could make out the scene. At nearly every
table a middle-aged man enjoyed the company of two or more young women
who casually draped their bodies around him.
the entrance. At first her eyes had trouble adjusting to the darkness
of the room. Slowly, she could make out the scene. At nearly every
table a middle-aged man enjoyed the company of two or more young women
who casually draped their bodies around him.
Chuan led her through the club,
occasionally pausing to give a brief greeting to a male patron. Once
they reached a staircase at the back of the club, he pointed upward
with his index finger. Srey Neang went first. At the top of the stairs
they reached a small hallway with three doors, all shut. She turned
around to get further instructions. Chuan jerked his head deliberately
to the right, indicating which door she was to open.
occasionally pausing to give a brief greeting to a male patron. Once
they reached a staircase at the back of the club, he pointed upward
with his index finger. Srey Neang went first. At the top of the stairs
they reached a small hallway with three doors, all shut. She turned
around to get further instructions. Chuan jerked his head deliberately
to the right, indicating which door she was to open.
Srey Neang turned the knob and
tentatively pushed forward. It startled her to see a man standing in
the middle of the room as if he were anticipating her arrival. She
heard the sound of the door click shut behind her… the room did not
hold much furniture, save a bed and a small nightstand. The man, in his
mid�thirties… uttered a simple, shocking command in the local
dialect: �Take off your clothes.'”
tentatively pushed forward. It startled her to see a man standing in
the middle of the room as if he were anticipating her arrival. She
heard the sound of the door click shut behind her… the room did not
hold much furniture, save a bed and a small nightstand. The man, in his
mid�thirties… uttered a simple, shocking command in the local
dialect: �Take off your clothes.'”
— true story, called “The Conspiracy”
My life was ruined last night. I don’t think that I’ve ever said
that before, let alone sincerely meant it to the very core of my being.
In the matter of minutes I’ve never had my heart shatter into so many
pieces that the only ounce of expression left in me manifested itself
through more than three hours of tears.
that before, let alone sincerely meant it to the very core of my being.
In the matter of minutes I’ve never had my heart shatter into so many
pieces that the only ounce of expression left in me manifested itself
through more than three hours of tears.
Heart graced my cheeks. And it wasn’t something that I really wanted to happen � it just
did. It hurt. It still hurts. And within me I can’t ignore the urgency
to act, to actually take a stand and respond out of obedience. I have
to do something. I will not remain silent. It’s one of those moments
where the Lord’s righteous anger boils within me, yet with such grace
and love that my life pulsates with His goodness, His heart, and His
mercy for all people.
did. It hurt. It still hurts. And within me I can’t ignore the urgency
to act, to actually take a stand and respond out of obedience. I have
to do something. I will not remain silent. It’s one of those moments
where the Lord’s righteous anger boils within me, yet with such grace
and love that my life pulsates with His goodness, His heart, and His
mercy for all people.
Yet in the same moment I’m waging limitless war on hell.
I’ll fight this until the day I die.
A few of us watched a movie last night called “Human Trafficking“.
I had heard of the issue in passing, not in depth, and I knew that it
was a passion of many… yet I still never cared enough past myself to
really dive in and learn. Maybe it was a subconscious attempt to keep
myself distant from responsibility. Like I’ve said before, the further
we can keep ourselves from an awareness of an issue, from keeping
ourselves from knowing the facts, from the possibility of having some
kind of “invested-interest”… we can void ourselves from having to
react.
I had heard of the issue in passing, not in depth, and I knew that it
was a passion of many… yet I still never cared enough past myself to
really dive in and learn. Maybe it was a subconscious attempt to keep
myself distant from responsibility. Like I’ve said before, the further
we can keep ourselves from an awareness of an issue, from keeping
ourselves from knowing the facts, from the possibility of having some
kind of “invested-interest”… we can void ourselves from having to
react.
It’s almost like an excuse for survival… but I don’t accept it – even for you.
In case you don’t necessarily understand the term “human trafficking”, let me break it down for you into understandable terms: slavery.
I’m not kidding.
Human trafficking is, in fact, modern day slavery and it happens
all over the world. At any given moment the International Labor
Organization (ILO) reports that 12.3 million people are in slavery worldwide, the majority of them being for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked every year internationally (that doesn’t include domestic trafficking) for sexual exploitation.
all over the world. At any given moment the International Labor
Organization (ILO) reports that 12.3 million people are in slavery worldwide, the majority of them being for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked every year internationally (that doesn’t include domestic trafficking) for sexual exploitation.
That means they’re used for sex against their will.
We call that rape.
There’s a lot of reasons that human trafficking
exists, many I attribute to sewage that seeps out of hell and infects
lives through all kinds of lies, deceptions, accusations, and the like.
But it’s also because people make a choice; they choose to feed the
system, to turn over money to the monster that enslaves and imprisons.
“Out of the total number of foreign visitors, roughly two-thirds
entering Thailand were unaccompanied men. In other words, about 7.3
million unaccompanied men visited the country in 2003. Certainly, not
all of these men came as sexual tourists, but it is a good bet that a
significant percentage did. In fact, according to a survey of travel
agents conducted by international aid agency World Vision, 65 percent
of all tourists to Cambodia are men and one-fifth of them travel with
the express purpose to have sex.”
exists, many I attribute to sewage that seeps out of hell and infects
lives through all kinds of lies, deceptions, accusations, and the like.
But it’s also because people make a choice; they choose to feed the
system, to turn over money to the monster that enslaves and imprisons.
“Out of the total number of foreign visitors, roughly two-thirds
entering Thailand were unaccompanied men. In other words, about 7.3
million unaccompanied men visited the country in 2003. Certainly, not
all of these men came as sexual tourists, but it is a good bet that a
significant percentage did. In fact, according to a survey of travel
agents conducted by international aid agency World Vision, 65 percent
of all tourists to Cambodia are men and one-fifth of them travel with
the express purpose to have sex.”
You might be thinking to yourself, “Well, Matt, I’ve never even been to Thailand or Cambodia and I never intend on going. I don’t contribute to the madness.”
There might be truth to that statement – I agree. But think about this:
every time you sneak onto your computer and check out a little bit of
porn here, a little bit of porn there… you contribute. In the
Netherlands and Germany, they’ve found a significant association
between prostitution, pornography, and human trafficking. The
pornography industry is a multi-billion dollar industry… every
year… and prostitution’s merely a front that will typically mask
human trafficking.
There might be truth to that statement – I agree. But think about this:
every time you sneak onto your computer and check out a little bit of
porn here, a little bit of porn there… you contribute. In the
Netherlands and Germany, they’ve found a significant association
between prostitution, pornography, and human trafficking. The
pornography industry is a multi-billion dollar industry… every
year… and prostitution’s merely a front that will typically mask
human trafficking.
Somaybe you weren’t aware, but now you are, that many people that are
trafficked are also used for pornographic purposes, yet another ploy
within sexual exploitation.
I can get onto more facts in another blog… but you might be wondering what the Lord’s calling out of me.
I’ve never heard the Lord speak to me with such clarity. Last
night I was sitting on the balcony/rooftop of the house we’re staying
at here in Phnom Penh, letting the Spirit express itself through my
body. I was wrecked beyond words. Kim was inches from me crying her
heart out as well. I’ve never prayed more in my life.
night I was sitting on the balcony/rooftop of the house we’re staying
at here in Phnom Penh, letting the Spirit express itself through my
body. I was wrecked beyond words. Kim was inches from me crying her
heart out as well. I’ve never prayed more in my life.
And I’ve never heard the Lord speak to me with such certainty.
He said, “Matt � I’ve made you an exhorter, a teacher, a
fire-starter… and I want you to create awareness. You’re my
mouthpiece. I need you to speak. I need you to open eyes and hearts to
issues long ignored. Don’t remain silent.” He also told me to go
to Bangkok, ASAP, and see as much as I can first-hand. I have a
responsibility now and I cannot be disobedient to it.
fire-starter… and I want you to create awareness. You’re my
mouthpiece. I need you to speak. I need you to open eyes and hearts to
issues long ignored. Don’t remain silent.” He also told me to go
to Bangkok, ASAP, and see as much as I can first-hand. I have a
responsibility now and I cannot be disobedient to it.
So, truly, let’s consider this the beginning. I’m merely getting
fired-up and I fully intend on catching y’all within the blaze.
fired-up and I fully intend on catching y’all within the blaze.
* * * * * *
Here are some good resources to check out for more information:
