on Human Trafficking......and Sabboth
This morning we sat down in church toward the front because we got there kinda late....and we need a big row. My friend Pam sat down beside me. We had a few moments to chat before the service began. She said, "say.....you are plugged into the human trafficking stuff, right?" Me: "well....yeah....." She then proceeded to tell me a story that had happened to her niece recently.
To paraphrase, I will say that the niece went into a Walmart around 7pm alone and noticed someone looking at her strangely. She heard the man say into his head set something like, "fresh meat...20-25"....and she went from department to department and the man followed her, talking into his headset. She called her fiance who met her there and they left together. There was another man outside and a running SUV near the entrance. This young woman had taken some college classes in criminal behavior and was more alert to things not feeling right....but the family was also very shaken up by what could have happened to her if she had not been watchful. My friend Pam wanted me to know that human trafficking is happening......and to warn others to be watchful. Pay attention. Don't ever assume all is well.
After church, we were talking before our noon meal and I was telling Roger and Claire and Grace about this conversation. Grace shared a story of her own that happened last summer in Korea. She got off the subway headed home and a man and woman stopped her and started asking questions about who she was, where she lived and went to school and they were blocking her ability to pass by and she felt threatened. A boy approached her and their eyes met and he saw that she was worried. He barrelled between the couple and took Grace's hand and rushed her away. He told her he had seen the couple at the same spot every week....and they had also talked to him. She called her dad and told him what had happened. He was grateful to God that she was alive and ok and he said something like this: be watchful....even of the boy who rescued you. He may be one of them.
Oh boy. How do we navigate this? It's the week before Superbowl 2016. My friend Jen and a team are flying there this week to pray and walk the streets and try to build up the army of heaven to protect victims of human trafficking during this big event. We will be praying for those who are praying.....and what then? What else?
This summer, on vacation, we were driving across Wyoming in our RV. We stopped at a rest area and used the facilities and I noted that there were volunteers with a table and coffee and cookies inside the building. There were subtle signs that said things like, "if you are being held against your will please tell someone" with phone numbers and info....and I really believe that those volunteers were trained to watch for victims of human trafficking. Things are being done, here in the US and around the world....but still. We all need to know more.....watch more....pray more....do more.
This particular social disease is appalling and nauseating and ca
ncerous. It needs to stop.
To paraphrase, I will say that the niece went into a Walmart around 7pm alone and noticed someone looking at her strangely. She heard the man say into his head set something like, "fresh meat...20-25"....and she went from department to department and the man followed her, talking into his headset. She called her fiance who met her there and they left together. There was another man outside and a running SUV near the entrance. This young woman had taken some college classes in criminal behavior and was more alert to things not feeling right....but the family was also very shaken up by what could have happened to her if she had not been watchful. My friend Pam wanted me to know that human trafficking is happening......and to warn others to be watchful. Pay attention. Don't ever assume all is well.
After church, we were talking before our noon meal and I was telling Roger and Claire and Grace about this conversation. Grace shared a story of her own that happened last summer in Korea. She got off the subway headed home and a man and woman stopped her and started asking questions about who she was, where she lived and went to school and they were blocking her ability to pass by and she felt threatened. A boy approached her and their eyes met and he saw that she was worried. He barrelled between the couple and took Grace's hand and rushed her away. He told her he had seen the couple at the same spot every week....and they had also talked to him. She called her dad and told him what had happened. He was grateful to God that she was alive and ok and he said something like this: be watchful....even of the boy who rescued you. He may be one of them.
Oh boy. How do we navigate this? It's the week before Superbowl 2016. My friend Jen and a team are flying there this week to pray and walk the streets and try to build up the army of heaven to protect victims of human trafficking during this big event. We will be praying for those who are praying.....and what then? What else?
This summer, on vacation, we were driving across Wyoming in our RV. We stopped at a rest area and used the facilities and I noted that there were volunteers with a table and coffee and cookies inside the building. There were subtle signs that said things like, "if you are being held against your will please tell someone" with phone numbers and info....and I really believe that those volunteers were trained to watch for victims of human trafficking. Things are being done, here in the US and around the world....but still. We all need to know more.....watch more....pray more....do more.
This particular social disease is appalling and nauseating and ca
Amen Sister. Knowing that we have the God that can move mountains with the faith of a mustard seed is what gets me through! So glad that you advocate so that Pam could share so that you could share.... LOVEyour heart!!!
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