Hear the Cry: Human Trafficking

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Elie Wiesel

For the next 6 weeks or so Chapelwood will as a congregation will attempt to "hear the cry"of the needy.  As the psalmist says “You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted you encourage them, and you listen to their cry defending the fatherless and the oppressed”. We will hear the cry of the hurting and the imprisioned. The cry of those without hope. We may hear our own inner cry of desperation.  We will hear the cry of our God who calls us to awareness, prayer and action. It begins with awarness though....

Human Trafficking is a complicated industry.  Most victims’ stories are tales of poverty, need, want or dissatisfaction with the way life is – and a desire to discover what might be.  Both economic and spiritual poverty drive people into situations of vulnerability.  When a person is in survival mode, he or she is not concerned with moral or social status.  Driven by the need to survive, the poor are the perfect prey for traffickers promising good jobs in nearby cities.

Those of us who want to help must be aware.  Human trafficking has become a multi-billion dollar industry largely because the average person has ignored it.  The public isn’t aware of the extent of human trafficking and therefore does little to stop it.  By bringing stories of human trafficking to light, however, more and more citizens are playing an active part in the eradication of this modern-day slavery.

We must also address the root causes of trafficking: economic inequality, inadequate health care, economic and social hardships imposed by governments, political unrest, improper food distribution, unemployment, the absence of citizenship or travel documents, and a host of other factors – not to mention people’s seemingly insatiable demand for illicit sex.  Where there is demand, you are sure to find supply.

Human trafficking is a tangled mess, to be sure, and the size of the problem can make us feel helpless.  Yet people caught in the sticky, malicious web of human trafficking are being freed, one by one, through hard work and fervent prayer.

To see one (of many) organizations working globally around the human trafficking issue check out this group

For an organization here in Houston engaging effectively around the human trafficking issue check out Houston Rescue and Restore for additional events and opportunities go to www.chapelwood.org keyword human trafficking.

There is more that we must hear and understand about this complex issue. More awarness. Many more stories to be heard. Its an overwhelming issue. But I believe Gods word to us is HOPE. We will live into this hope.

Stay tuned for more blog posts in the near future.