At this moment, approximately 27 million people are enslaved. 80% are women, 50% are children. Most of these are enslaved in forced prostitution or forced labor, or both. All around the world young women (and young men, too, but my main focus here for the sake of length will be women, since they make up the majority in this population) are lured into this dark world with promises of love, acceptance and a future. Others are taken in with promises of a better life, only to be used, drugged, and sold far away. Still others are kidnapped from their homes and robbed of their innocence, the message sent to them over and over, “this is all you are good for –to be used.” Some are even sold by their families to earn money. They are subjected to a harsh, painful, abusive, exploitative environment, knowing if they dare attempt escape, they will be beaten, or even if they succeed, a younger brother or sister will be sold in their place. Millions of women held captive by fear, drugs, shame and guilt. Don’t be fooled: this is not the product only of “backward thinking,” “third world” countries. This is happening all over the globe – Asia, Europe, South America, Canada, Africa, and the USA.
New York. Boston. Los Angeles. Seattle. Portland. Booming metropolises in America, representing free trade, capitalism, nightlife, opportunity, rich culture, excitement, dreams. But there is a darker side lurking in these cities where dreams are made. In these cities, as well as many others in our great nation, lives are broken, innocence is stolen, women are raped for profit. They are moved from place to place, regarded as property – “rented” for a night and returned the next day. Girls as young as four are taught different ways to “please clients.” When one no longer can make money, she is discarded, usually killed, for human life is cheap to traffickers, all that matters is profit. In essence, these girls are stripped of their dignity and humanity, their value proportional to the profit they bring their master – like items for auction, like cattle.
But why? How, you may ask, does something like this manage to flourish in our society? How can this be allowed to go on? Why do so many people not do anything about it; why are so many not even aware? Simply put, we do not want to know. We are perfectly content to live in our own little world, to see what we want to see, a world where trials and trouble is when the car won’t start in the morning, or someone else gets the promotion, or our kids didn’t make it into that top college. Or perhaps we are too busy – school, work, sports, family crises. Whatever the reason, perhaps this evil prevails in society because enough people are all too willing to simply look the other way, to pretend they don’t see, to avoid places where they would have to see. Or perhaps, and I have heard this from many people, we allow ourselves to assume that most prostitutes are selling themselves because they want to, because they are just “women of low reputation.” I am here to tell you that the majority of those women who line the streets at night in short dresses and stiletto heels are not there of their own volition. For most, a series of lies and unfortunate events have lead them into bondage, and on their owner’s command they stand in the night, under careful watch, to be bought, used, and returned, like an ill-fitting pair of shoes. Night after night these women are subjected to subtle lies – that they have no real worth, that selling their bodies is all they are good for, all they can do. The father of lies tells them that no one will want them now, not for who they are, so why risk escape? No one cares about them, anyone who has the power to help just passes them by.
Why am I so passionate about this, you may wonder. As I have been exposed to the horrors that prevail in my own backyard – Portland, I cannot turn a blind eye anymore. I can no longer be content to turn the other way, to pretend I don’t see, don’t hear the cries of the oppressed and deceived. I cannot be content to live, as Matthew West penned, “in my own little world, population: me.” My Savior, my God, the One I claim to live my life for, died for such as these. His heart breaks for them and my heart breaks for what breaks His. These women are made in the image of God. These women need to know that there is One who loves them and does not want to use or abuse them, but to heal their wounds, emotional and spiritual, and set them free. God has instilled a burning desire in my heart and my soul to help these women –to help rescue them and to help as God brings true life and healing into lives so broken.
But not only this: I want to inspire others to action as well. I want to travel and tell others what is going on. To break through each person’s comfortable world, to shake things up a bit. I want to wake up Christians everywhere – this IS an epidemic and we CAN do something about it! What greater place to see the gospel message meet brokenness and shame? What people are more broken than these? Who is in need of greater healing, of protection, of freedom, both from sin and from physical slavery? The Lord is mighty to save, and He has heard the cries of the oppressed and broken – now, He has called His people to action!
I know this task seems overwhelming. It sure does to me. I think, “Lord, I am only one person. I cannot free 27 million. I can’t even free all those in Portland. What am I to do? What if I try, if I go for this vision, and I fail?” Beloved, God has not called us to be successful, just faithful. We are to go, and proclaim freedom for the captives, trusting on God’s promises, resting on His faithfulness. It is God who liberates, we are His instruments. “Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Do not live in fear of whatever task God has called you to. Go forth in faith and commit each step to Him.
“O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble,
You will strengthen their heart, you will incline Your ear
To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed
So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.” ~Psalm 10:17-18
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something….I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
