Broken Vessels

  Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.  Isaiah 1:17

Human trafficking. The very phrase seems incomprehensible, and yet the sale of souls in our world today is a reality that is as widespread as it is horrifying. Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery – for purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, or organ trafficking.

It is an evil that profits billions of dollars and enslaves millions of people. And it is happening everywhere – all around the world and within our own communities. – — (Taken from Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and Justice, Inc)

When I was in high school, my mom went to a Christian conference in downtown Kansas City and while there, during the program, a young girl ran in.

Her name was Paula, and she was a runaway.  This run-away teenager had come to the big city, I am sure, in hopes of a new beginning, of finding something better or at least different from what she had.  What she found instead was a big scary city with very few opportunities for a better life, at least a better life for a runaway teenager.  I don’t know all of Paula’s story, but I know that she ended up as a victim of Human Trafficking.  She was surviving by working the streets of Kansas City, trading sex for survival.

That particular afternoon, she found herself fleeing from her pimp, I would guess in an attempt to save her life.  She hid in that room of women, attending a Christian conference. Lucky for her, these women, my mom, was one of them, noticed her, listened to her story and responded by helping her get away from the man she was running from.

What I remember from that story was my mom bringing Paula to our house, explaining to us why she was there and us welcoming her into our lives.  I remember laughing with her, showing her our horses, explaining our family to her and wondering why she ran away from home.  I could not imagine a home being bad enough to want to end up where she had.

Although the details of the story have faded in my memory, I remember Paula, I remember God’s love for her and remember that she mattered.  She ended up going back to her home in Michigan and was reunited with her family.  We received letters and Christmas cards from her for many years afterward.  She was doing great, she had gotten married and had a family of her own.

I feel privileged to be part of a ministry that is making a difference in this area.  The top picture is a picture of me standing in front of Lady Justice, I think there is such symbolism in that photo.  I feel called to stand in the gap of injustice for those who cannot fill the gap themselves.

If you would like more information on how you can help your local church in this ministry go to the following website: Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and Justice, Inc.

Heavenly Father, we pray Lord that you would use each of us to minister to the world, to let others who are in need of a touch from You, see You in our cracks and brokenness.  We pray for those that are affected by human trafficking that you would protect them, show them that they matter and help us in our ministry to them.  Amen