Slavery. The word itself holds so much weight. It’s a word used with caution because of all the hurt it carries. The legal definition of slavery is ‘the state of being under the control of someone where a person is forced to work for another.’ We’ve all heard the the saying, “Slavery Still Exists,” but it’s never become real for me personally.
Sex trafficking, prostitution, sex slavery. Whatever you want to refer to it as, it’s real and it’s prevalent. Whether children are being kidnapped or sold right out of their own homes/neighborhoods, it’s everywhere and it can look like a million different things. I’ve always read or heard different heartbreaking stories and yeah it’s sad. What do you do about it?
Well now I live in the Dominican Republic which is 3rd in the entire world for sex trafficking. And I’m still like, what do you do about it? I’m not here for long term, what can I or my team really do? With a heart posture like that… yikes. I firmly believe that the enemy works and moves the most through apathy. All the Lord asks us to do is abide. Abide in what he has for us. He will use us. We just have to be willing.
The main ministry here is to witness to victims and women who are forced to prostitute themselves.
Last week we made watercolored encouraging notes in Spanish to pack with a bag of perfume and lotion. We plan to deliver the gift baskets to women on the beach- trapped in prostitution. Vicki, our host, has many relationships with women in the community and we do everything we can to help her. There is a 15 year old girl that works here everyday. She’s our friend! Vicki hired her so she could attain another form of income-she has a 1 year old son because of her past situation. There are countless stories Vicki has told us and we have witnessed.
The week before that, my team made a bible study curriculum for women that are not aware of their own worth. It’s for different churches to use and Vicki when she meets with women for coffee. That ministry was very life giving and the Lord taught us all a lot through writing that.
This week my team and I have worked on a video project with our creative ministry leader, Jaime, to bring awareness to sex slavery. It’s dark. It’s heavy. And it’s real. I’ve always been saddened by sex trafficking, but my heart has never been broken. This week I’ve really had to think about the harsh realities of this fallen world. And yeah the Lord has seriously broken my heart for what breaks His.
My prayer is that the Lord works and moves through each and every thing done here. And for your hearts as you read this. Let your heart break for what breaks our Father’s. This world is fallen! Do not let the enemy convince you that there is nothing you can do!! PRAYER IS POWERFUL!! Pray for women and children trapped in slavery. Pray against apathy. Pray for hope. Pray for FREEDOM-literally and through Christ Jesus! And even pray for the men and women traffickers who do not know any better. Pray for families that are torn apart. And pray for Hope Mountain.
It scares me to come back home. Back to my world of comforts-where I don’t SEE everyday the actual reality of life for so many people all over the world. There is no way I could ever be the same, and I don’t want to be. I pray that my heart is never NOT broken.
Yes & Amen. The Lord is still good. Always.
