(Note: This blog was written after a viewing of the abolition documentary Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. This documentary offers a heart rendering clear view on the realities of sex trafficking in our world today. The statistics are staggering and the individual testimonies heartbreaking. But there is hope…)
“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”
–William Wilberforce (Abolitionist 1759-1833)
This is a big pill to swallow. Words from Brooke Fraser’s Albertine play through my head; “Now that I have seen, I am responsible. Faith without deeds is dead.” The film ends and you are alone with your thoughts once more, but you are not the same. How does one respond to something like this? As an American, how do I get up and pretend I’m not shaken? How can I just climb the stairs and tuck myself in, praying “Now I lay me down to sleep” and thanking God it is not me? I have 94 days of “American comfort” before I leave for the Race. It hits me… I am going into the fray. The countries that they deemed to be the epicenters of sex trafficking… that is where I am going. Moldova… Romania… Thailand… Cambodia… Vietnam… Questions are racing through my mind.
What is it going to be like when I look into her face and realize that there is no reason that it is her and not me? That there is nothing that she did or choices that she made that lead her to deserve this? And at the same time there is no righteous deed that has spared me from her lot. She is my sister.
We are the same.
She is my sister.
We are His.
Lord, how will I respond to the face that breaks my heart? Eyes so dead and without hope because of the evil and pain they have been dealt? How will I bear those eyes that shatter me? The innocence that has been destroyed, the stolen laughter, a childhood void of daydreams and beliefs in someday… What if I get scared and hide? What if I cannot ease their pain? What if instead of gentleness and love I feel rage and disgust? Lord help me to be like you.
But I am strengthened because I know you Lord… There is power in the name of Jesus. There is hope. There is redemption. I serve a God that makes beauty from ashes. That instead of mourning adorns us with praise and gladness. That He not only knows us by name, but claims us saying; “You are Mine. Your name is engraved on the palms of my hands. You are Mine”. He is a Father that is violently fighting for His beloved (think 10x more hard core than Liam Neeson in Taken, heck yea!). A Father that is equipped with strength and power. His hands are strong enough to bring evil men to their knees, and gentle enough to hold a starving child. His hands are enough. And brothers and sisters… WE ARE HIS HANDS.
I’ll let that sink in. We are it. You. Me. God entrusted us. “We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.” (1 Thes. 2:4) He has approved us. Because in Jesus we are sealed with a hope and a promise and we are given all we will ever need by the power of His Holy Spirit. That is not meant to be scary. It is an honor. Oh how God honors us to entrust us to each other!
There is an army rising up. Please pray. Pray for the servants of the Lord. That His Spirit would equip us for the works before us. And pray that we would be obedient to His voice. If we are serving out of our own strength or loving out of our own humanness, our efforts are empty, pointless and only exhausting. It has to be Jesus.
And please pray for me and my squad. Pray that we would reflect the image of Jesus. Pray that the Lord would be preparing us in this season and that we would be setting aside everything that easily entraps our feet. Pray that we would dig deep and know His voice. Pray for unity. Pray for love.
Tonight, I light a candle. One small candle that brings light to a dark room. The flame burns to shine His light into the dark places. It burns for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done. It burns because that is what it was created to do. And its flickering light and dancing flame invites others to come and be ignited and to shine.
In everlasting hope, Rebecca Rose
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. YOU ARE MINE. (Insert ferocious lion roar here)” Isaiah 43:1
For more information on sex trafficking visit the sites below. Get educated, be an advocate, pray and give. And if you feel lead, help me go on your behalf.
http://nefariousdocumentary.com/
http://www.thea21campaign.org/
