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I’m someone’s child too (written pre-Thailand)

I would like to say I’m prepared emotionally and spiritually for what I’m about to see, but how can anyone ever be ready for what we’re about to experience?
 
I’ve been told by multiple people that the prostitution, transgenders, and corruption is right in your face. It’s not hidden in shame, but an acceptable part of life there. I’ve been told stories that I dare not repeat, but bring me to uncontrollable tears.

 
    
 
I already know my heart breaks for the men, women, and children forced into prostitution whether it’s forced by coersion, extreme poverty, or what ever the case. Lately, I’ve asked God to also break my heart for the oppressor. Yes, I want to be broken for the man who buys the under age prostitute, the madam who prostitutes the girls out, the father that sells his daughter, the ones it’s so easy to hate. But who am I to condem them. Am I God? Am I sinless?

“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (Jesus speaking) John 8:7

Do you know their past? Do you know what they’re going through? I’m not defending them and saying what they do is okay by any measure of the word. If you know me I’ve dedicating my life to fight injustice and my biggest passion is stopping human trafficking and sex tourism! If you know me I’m right there with you overwhelmed with anger and grief.

But these men and women who come for the sex are someone’s father, mother, brother, grandfather, friend, …“I’m someone’s child too.”

They all have a story. Maybe they were molested as a child? Maybe they were raped at a party and no one believed them? Maybe they were confused about their sexuality and the Christians shunned them? Or maybe they don’t know the heavenly father and are searching for something? Maybe they’re trying to find their idenity and somewhere along their journey lost their way.

I’m sure they didn’t think that they would ever get to this point. Who grows up saying “I’m going to molest children when I get older.” I don’t condon their behavior, but I want you to realize they are not that different from you and me. They take their kids to little league and dance classes on Tuesday nights. They sit beside you at church and raise their hands in worship. They work in the office across from you and hold the door open like a gentleman every morning going into work. They’ve just gone off on a very destructive path and need the Lord. Does God measure sin by human standards? No.

You may think well my sin doesn’t affect others so it’s not the same. On a human scale it might not be held to the same degree, but your sin does affect others. If no one else it affects God. His heart breaks every time we sin. Who do you think put him on the cross? I did. You did. Our sin did. God has been so good to us and we continue to hurt him.

They need Jesus. They’re searching for love in all the wrong places. They need you to help them find the freedom only God can give them. If we only condem people who struggle how do you think they will ever change? Do you think Jesus didn’t die for them? So if they’re so important to Jesus don’t you think they should be important to us as well?

 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.  Romans 5:6-7

 
Christ died for them too! He died for us even though we are still powerless,  when we are still living in sin, when we are still struggling, when we are still confused and hurting. He didn’t die for us because we had it all together or we in anyway deserve his grace. This is what makes God’s love and mercy so great. He loves us all while we are still in sin. God loves unconditionally.

It’s easy to love people like yourself, but aren’t we suppose to love our enemies and those who do us wrong? Isn’t that one of the things that separates us from the world? Aren’t we suppose to imitate God even if that isn’t the easy thing to do…(I’m preaching to myself as well)

It’s terrible to think that a father would sell his daughter into prostitution. If I were a father I would never do that, but it’s easy for me to say because I’ve never had to make a decision like that. Sometimes the family thinks their child is going to work as a waitress or merchant and don’t know that they’re selling their child into prostitution. Many times they traffick children to different countries so the family doesn’t find out.

(I don’t agree at all I’m just giving you another perspective)  But just stepping into their shoes for a second, what if their family was starving and they had to choose between all of their children dying or selling one child (again maybe unaware of the job)? I’ve never felt the severe pains of starvation or seen a child slowly die in my arms. Again I think that is one of the worst things a father could do to a child, but my point is it doesn’t make him a sinister evil demonic man. He did an evil thing, yes. I just wanted you to realize he may be a good man deep down trying to do the best he knows how for his family.
 

LIke I said earlier my heart breaks for the men, women, and children who are in prostitution. I’m someone’s child too…You may think it’s their fault and that they are just overly sexual beings, but many times that is not the case. Many of these people have grown up in it and don’t know there is another option, forced, or don’t have any skills or education. If you were raised to believe this was the only job you could do to survive you would probably accept it too. This is why I’m so passionate about teaching English as a foreign language. I want them to know that they don’t have to settle for that life. I want to empower them! I want them to know they are children of God and are loved by the Father.

It’s not always easy to get out of the sex industry, but this month my team, RiDiCUlouS, and Fullness of One (FOO) are teaming up to fight this injustice! (RiDiCUlouS FOO) We are going into the deepest darkest places of the world to fight for these men, women, and children and shine God’s light. It has been an acceptable part of Thailand for way too long. This month we are going to love these people like Jesus and God is going to sweep the nation like a flood! God will be known. Girls will be freed. None of this is by our strength, but by God’s power. We will be partnering with SHE ministries to help girls find alternate jobs and share God’s unconditional love with them.

 
My prayer is for God to show me the one…God who do you want me to speak to? Use me. I’m here. I’m yours.