We
say that slavery has vanished from European civilization, but this is not true.
Slavery still exists, but now it applies only to women and its name is
prostitution. VICTOR HUGO, Les Misérables
say that slavery has vanished from European civilization, but this is not true.
Slavery still exists, but now it applies only to women and its name is
prostitution. VICTOR HUGO, Les Misérables
As we departed the plane in Kiev, Ukraine, the cold
crisp winter air was a drastic change from the heat of Africa. Our squad
is the first in the World Race program to travel to Eastern Europe. As a result
our team was sent ahead a month early to scout out the region and set up
ministries. It was a hopping month. I thought I had traveled a lot already
this year, however, this month we moved lodging about every other day.
The Lord taught me a lot and my faith was deeply encouraged. But foremost,
among God’s teaching in my life is the ever increasing awareness and burden for the
evil of human trafficking.
crisp winter air was a drastic change from the heat of Africa. Our squad
is the first in the World Race program to travel to Eastern Europe. As a result
our team was sent ahead a month early to scout out the region and set up
ministries. It was a hopping month. I thought I had traveled a lot already
this year, however, this month we moved lodging about every other day.
The Lord taught me a lot and my faith was deeply encouraged. But foremost,
among God’s teaching in my life is the ever increasing awareness and burden for the
evil of human trafficking.
One evening
we sat in a room with about ten young men between the ages of fourteen and
twenty-two. Externally they looked like typical teenage boys, but their
lives were far, very far from typical. Initially we arrived and just
kicked back laughing together. They were smiling, a little awkward at
times, and simply a joy to be around for the afternoon. As the time
pressed on the conversation got deeper. Each boy began to share the story
of his life. All of them are orphans. Each had a story more horrific then
the one next to him. One boy’s mother just left him. He is fifteen years old,
and he was working in the fields when a friend came and told him his mother was
gone forever. Another young man sat next to me and with a small tear in his eye
he explained that his parents were killed after they emigrated from
Kazakhstan. His grandparents raised him and beat him brutally before
they passed away. Story after story. Heart after heart. Boys
becoming men, without any fathers and without any love. It was a moment -most literally- that no words can ever begin to describe. It has impacted my life forever. It was God, the author of life, writing the
story if His people on my heart as they shared their lives, their pain and their
hearts.
we sat in a room with about ten young men between the ages of fourteen and
twenty-two. Externally they looked like typical teenage boys, but their
lives were far, very far from typical. Initially we arrived and just
kicked back laughing together. They were smiling, a little awkward at
times, and simply a joy to be around for the afternoon. As the time
pressed on the conversation got deeper. Each boy began to share the story
of his life. All of them are orphans. Each had a story more horrific then
the one next to him. One boy’s mother just left him. He is fifteen years old,
and he was working in the fields when a friend came and told him his mother was
gone forever. Another young man sat next to me and with a small tear in his eye
he explained that his parents were killed after they emigrated from
Kazakhstan. His grandparents raised him and beat him brutally before
they passed away. Story after story. Heart after heart. Boys
becoming men, without any fathers and without any love. It was a moment -most literally- that no words can ever begin to describe. It has impacted my life forever. It was God, the author of life, writing the
story if His people on my heart as they shared their lives, their pain and their
hearts.
In the
middle of our time, a set of brothers were well into sharing when they made
a statement that has stuck with me… “Our mother was trafficked
leaving the six of us children as orphans.” It stuck with me because
they said it so matter of fact, it’s merely a part of life in Moldova. As we continued to meet numerous pastors and
missionaries in Eastern Europe the issue of Human trafficking always arose.
Moldova is currently the world’s lead of the countries where women are being
trafficked from before being sent over seas. Ukraine and Romania follow closely
behind in rankings.
middle of our time, a set of brothers were well into sharing when they made
a statement that has stuck with me… “Our mother was trafficked
leaving the six of us children as orphans.” It stuck with me because
they said it so matter of fact, it’s merely a part of life in Moldova. As we continued to meet numerous pastors and
missionaries in Eastern Europe the issue of Human trafficking always arose.
Moldova is currently the world’s lead of the countries where women are being
trafficked from before being sent over seas. Ukraine and Romania follow closely
behind in rankings.
Human trafficking is a global problem.
“Human
trafficking involves the movement of people through violence, deception or
coercion for the purpose of forced labor, servitude or slavery-like practices.
It is slavery because traffickers use violence, threats, and other forms of
coercion to force their victims to work against their will. This includes
controlling their freedom of movement, where and when they will work and what
pay, if any, they will receive...”
trafficking involves the movement of people through violence, deception or
coercion for the purpose of forced labor, servitude or slavery-like practices.
It is slavery because traffickers use violence, threats, and other forms of
coercion to force their victims to work against their will. This includes
controlling their freedom of movement, where and when they will work and what
pay, if any, they will receive...”
http://www.antislavery.org/homepage/
antislavery/trafficking.htm
antislavery/trafficking.htm
Most often it involves forced prostitution. Men, women, and children are all vulnerable
to trafficking. However, women and girls stand as the people group that are most at risk. Traffickers target orphans specifically. Often orphanage
directors are paid corruptly for young girls.
to trafficking. However, women and girls stand as the people group that are most at risk. Traffickers target orphans specifically. Often orphanage
directors are paid corruptly for young girls.
This declared indifference, but, as
I must think, covert, real zeal, for the spread of slavery, I cannot but hate.
I hate it because of the monstrous injustice of slavery itself. I hate it
because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world,
enables the enemies of free institutions with plausibility to taunt us as
hypocrites, causes the real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity, and
especially because it forces so many good men among ourselves into an open war
with the very fundamental principles of civil liberty, criticizing the
Declaration of Independence, and insisting that there is no right principle of
action but self-interest.
I must think, covert, real zeal, for the spread of slavery, I cannot but hate.
I hate it because of the monstrous injustice of slavery itself. I hate it
because it deprives our republican example of its just influence in the world,
enables the enemies of free institutions with plausibility to taunt us as
hypocrites, causes the real friends of freedom to doubt our sincerity, and
especially because it forces so many good men among ourselves into an open war
with the very fundamental principles of civil liberty, criticizing the
Declaration of Independence, and insisting that there is no right principle of
action but self-interest.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, speech, Oct. 16,
1854
1854
Slavery never ended with Abe Lincoln and the
Revolutionary War. Slavery exists today. Among the areas of the world involved is
Africa, the America’s, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Russia. Each
year, an estimated 700,000 to 1 million women and children are shipped across
national boundaries and sold into modern-day slavery. The United States is as much involved in trafficking as any other
country with an estimated 50,000 women brought into
the United States for sexual servitude, domestic servitude, bonded sweatshop
labor and other debt bondage each year. Humans
are the third largest illegally imported “good” ranking closely
behind illegal drugs and illegal weapons. Human Trafficking is the fastest
growing crime today. No country is immune or unaffected.
Revolutionary War. Slavery exists today. Among the areas of the world involved is
Africa, the America’s, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Russia. Each
year, an estimated 700,000 to 1 million women and children are shipped across
national boundaries and sold into modern-day slavery. The United States is as much involved in trafficking as any other
country with an estimated 50,000 women brought into
the United States for sexual servitude, domestic servitude, bonded sweatshop
labor and other debt bondage each year. Humans
are the third largest illegally imported “good” ranking closely
behind illegal drugs and illegal weapons. Human Trafficking is the fastest
growing crime today. No country is immune or unaffected.
