Reality of the problem

While I continue to research Human Trafficking, it is hard to look past the statistics and come to grips with how we can help this worldwide problem. Rahab's Rope has done a wonderful job posting some stories of the women that they have come in contact with in the slums. I would like to share one with you just to help put a face to the statistics, feel free to read more at www.rahabsrope.com

"Susan is 17 years old and came to us in December 2009 - in labor! She had a beautiful baby girl...

Susan had been working in a farmer's field as a child laborer with her family. One day, some of the men in charge told Susan's aunt to stay late the next day with Susan in exchange for a large sum of money. The next day the men paid Susan's aunt and got her drunk to the point at which she passed out. The men then forcibly took Susan (age 16), tied her up and repeatedly raped her so many times that she lost count of how many men and how many times. They left her lying bound and naked. We cannot begin to imagine the pain and horror she must have felt as she lay there wondering if they would be back for more or if they left her there to die.

Fortunately, an old man came along and cut her loose and Susan ran home. However, when she returned home there was no love or sympathy. Both of her parents are alcoholics and did not care. That is, they did not care until they found out Susan was pregnant from the rape. You would assume that, at this point, her parents would take her in and comfort her. However, just the opposite happened. Instead of comforting Susan, her parents disowned her, abandoned her to the street, and told her that she had brought shame upon the family.

Susan found herself pregnant and alone on the streets of India. How can this be? We cannot begin to imagine the range of emotions Susan experienced; sixteen, bound, beaten, raped, left for dead, pregnant, disowned by her family, abandoned to the street - and thinking it was her fault. How can a world be so cruel?

Praise God, a young woman that had been to Rahab’s Rope found Susan in labor on the street and brought her to the Rahab's Rope Women's Center. Susan said, “No one has ever cared for me and loved me the way that the people of Rahab’s Rope does, not even my own parents.” She continued and said, "Because of the love of God that had been extended to her, she believes there is one true God and that one true God is Jesus."

However, the spiritual battle continues. Reality continues! Susan's aunt continues to call Susan to tell her she can make more money being a sex worker than she can make at Rahab’s Rope. The aunt tells Susan she has herself and a baby to feed and clothe and, because Susan is now 17 and beautiful, she can make a lot of money if she goes with her aunt. For us, we think the choice is simple - for Susan, this is the ugly truth and the spiritual battle!"

A hidden world

Facts about the hidden world of sex trafficking:

1. Worldwide, it is estimated that somewhere between 700,000 and four million women, children and men are trafficked each year, and no region is unaffected

2. In India alone, there are an estimated 2.3 million in prostitution, a quarter of whom are minors and children.

3. Each hour, four women and girls enter the sex industry in India.

4. Every 6 hours in India, a woman is beaten or stabbed to death, or harassed to the point of committing suicide.

5.Victims of sex trafficking are lured in through a number of ways including a promise of a good job in another country, kidnapped, false marriage proposal turned into a bondage situation, and sold by their parents or husbands. These victims are beaten, starved to death, and raped.

6. Men believe that AIDS and other STDs can be cured by having sex with a virgin, and are forcing young girls into the sex industry; seven year old girls are neither uncommon nor the youngest.

7. UNICEF reports that across the world, there are over one million children entering the sex trade every year and that approximately 30 million children have lost their childhood through sexual exploitation over the past 30 years.

8. More than 2/3 of sex trafficked children suffer additional abuse at the hands of their traffickers.

9. India and Pakistan are the main destinations for children under 16 who are trafficked in south Asia.

10. Atlanta has emerged as an international hub for sex trafficking and many slaves are brought through atlanta on their way to their final destination unnoticed.

And so it begins

Today marks the first day of my adventure towards india, at least officially. Over the past few years the Lord has laid India so heavily on my heart, even when I had no desire to do missions internationally, the thought of India was still there. Last summer I began communicating with an organization called Rahab’s Rope, located in Gainesville, GA. The mission of Rahab’s Rope is to give hope and opportunity to women and girls that have been forced into the commercial sex trade of India by providing a safe and loving environment that will enable them to grow and develop both physically and spiritually. Rahab’s Rope does this by providing for the women rescued from human trafficking both physically and emotionally through food, shelter, and community. Furthermore, Rahab’s Rope seeks to provide training in vocational skills and education so they may re-enter their communities in a positive and contributing way.

The Lord really opened my heart to the possibility of going to India this summer with Rahab’s Rope and solidified that a few weeks ago when Rahab’s Rope contacted me and offered them a spot on their team traveling to India. From June to August I will be traveling to Mumbai and then onto Gao to volunteer in Rahab’s Rope’s women’s shelter and to do home visits to women who no longer live at the shelter. Today my parents agreed to let me go with RR to Goa and my heart is so full of many different emotions. I am excited about the plans that the Lord has for me in India, I have no doubt that this will be a challenging and growing experience. I am so confident that this is where the Lord is directing me to go, which is a wonderful feeling full of peace, one that I have not felt in a long time.

This also marks the beginning of my fundraising period, I have to raise $4,000 in order to travel and live in India. This is a daunting task but I know the Lord will provide fully and Im excited to rely fully on him to take care of me.

The verse at the heading of this blog, Isaiah 61, is my vision for this trip to Goa. The Lord promises to bind up the broken hearted, to comfort them and restore them. I am already praying for all the women I will encounter in India and I pray that the Lord will touch them and restore them with His hope. abhilaashe means hope in Konkani, the official language of Goa. My prayer is the the Lord will continue to bring hope and freedom to the women in India and to me.