Sex Trafficking HERE? In America?

Another volunteer’s story:

“Why is it so cold?” I’m not sure why the Lord had our child half a world away, in one of the coldest climates on earth, with our opportunity to adopt in winter. But, there we were for a month in a place of prison-like buildings, ice for roads, no thermostats to regulate heat, and relying totally on translators.

“What happens to the children when they age out of the orphanage?” I asked. “They go, boys go military, and girls go flea market or girls, uh, uh…” I soon found out that “uh, uh” meant the girls are forced to become prostitutes. Pimps actually wait outside of the orphanages waiting for the children to be released. This was my first exposure to sex trafficking.

“What? That goes on in America?” I naively thought “that” only goes on over there in backwards countries, until I started doing a little research on my own. I was stunned to learn that sex trafficking was a major issue in the United States; not only foreign children, but American children are being forced and tricked into prostitution with the average age of entry between twelve and fourteen. Once they are brainwashed and broken, the likelihood of ever leaving “the life” is minimal.

“But what can I do?” It wasn’t long before the Lord revealed the purpose He had for me. The victims have only one true way of rescue and healing – the Lord Jesus Christ. There have been bumps, trials, hurts, illness, spiritual warfare, and fear along the way, but until Christ tells me my fight against sex-trafficking is over, I will keep running the race.