I want to warn you now, this may be hard to read, it is disturbing, heart breaking, disgusting and completely true, this may not be suitable for all people to read.
Human Trafficking: The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation
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Ø 27 million men, women, and children worldwide are in modern day slavery
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Ø 80% female, 50% children averaging the age of 12
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Ø 32 billion dollars annually are generated from human trafficking industry
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Ø 3rd wealthiest businesses in the world.
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Ø 200,000 new slaves introduced annually into the US alone.
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Ø 1 million children introduced annually into the global sex trade.
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Ø 800,000 persons trafficked annually across foreign borders.
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Ø Over 200 bars on Bangla road in Phuket Thailand
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Ø 7-10 girls working each night in each bar
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Ø 1,200-2,000 girls working a night (not including the go go bars (brothels), and other behind the scene bars)
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Ø 66% of all men who land in the Bangkok airport are for sex tourism
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Ø Woman are given shots all night long to numb their pain, and make them more friendly
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Ø Only one day off a month so a bar does not lose money
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Ø Many woman didn’t chose this life, they were sent by family members to provide for their families
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Ø They only see 5%-10% of their income the rest is sent home or given to a bar owner that “owns” their pay
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Ø Many men and woman are here because they have poor education and don’t have proper training for a real job
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Ø Sex slave victims can be bought for one day to weeks on end
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Ø Children are sewed back up at the end of the night, and sent back out as “virgins”
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Ø They live by the lies that if they have sex with a virgin, they can be cured of HIV/AIDS
This is real, and this is what I am surrounded by for the next month. I am surrounded by darkness, and lies from Satan. This month every other night minus weekends I will be going into the Red Light District of Patong Thailand, a tourist hot spot known for good looking woman, men (lady boys) and children, sex, and alcohol. A place where these women are stuck, they were sent here by families to make money, to make ends meet. Many were sent by parents, many are very poorly educated, and many have children so they have to provide somehow and this is the only job that would hire.
We have been to the bars twice since being here and I have already formed relationships with some very special woman who just want to be loved, not bought, they just want to sit and talk with you, and play a game of jinga or connect four, for a bit. If you talk to these women they will tell you they don’t want to be here, they want out, but many don’t know how to escape. They were forced here. And now are forced behind bars to serve men until they buy them for what you can imagine isn’t just a fun game of connect four. They are trapped, in a dark place, feeling like they have no hope. But that’s all lies; there is hope and a bright future for them.
This month we will be pouring into these ladies, interceding in prayer for them every day all day long, and visiting them at the bars, going to lunch with them, sharing our lives with each other, becoming friends and providing them with hope and an alternative, where they can come to our ministry site (which will stay confidential for safety reasons and respect of our contact) where they will experience freedom, the love and hope of Christ, where they can seek and find the lord and be redeemed of their dark past, and trained in skills to provide them with jobs like, making jewelry, teaching English, or working in the hotel industry.
This month we will be a light in this dark place, bringing woman out of Satan’s lies that he has them trapped in. Thank God he broke my heart last month for these woman, so now I am aware of the darkness around me, but I can walk boldly in the confidence and protection of Christ, I fully trust him, his plan, and where he wants me, I walk without fear, and an open heart, and lots of love for the people at the bars. I trust him that a simple game of connect four and a coke can set a girl free.
The numbers of girls in the human trafficking industry has decreased in the past five years vastly, many woman, men, and children have walked out, and bars have been shut down. Please continue to pray that Satan cannot keep these bars open, that these men will leave empty and these girls will go home without a client. I envision hope for Bangla road, a light following us where ever we go, bringing light to the darkness, walking in the spirit, and people walking out with us singing songs of praise and worship, Satan has no control here.
Also do not think of these woman as prostitutes because that is not what they are, it is not “who or what” they are, it does not define them, many are not here willingly, they want out, they are slaves forced into this, sucked into human trafficking. They are human beings like you and I searching for love, dependence, and a way to make ends meet. They are beautiful woman of this world, and children of God.
Please be praying for us every day, and especially between the times of 9-11am EST your prayers will bring hope and light.
