Raise Your Voice
July 30, 2020
Today is Child Trafficking Awareness Day. What better day to bring awareness to this heartbreaking event that is going on every day around the world. Proverbs 31:8-10 says: "Speak out on behalf of the voiceless, and for the rights of all who are vulnerable. Speak out in order to judge with righteousness and to defend the needy and the poor."
The statistics are terrifying.
Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise with $150 billion USD per year in illicit profits.
40.3 MILLION humans are being held against their will today.
71% (28.6 million) of them are women and girls.
1 in 4 of these (7.2 million) are CHILDREN.
Every 30 seconds, a child is sold--for sex, forced labor, or organ harvesting.
I believe that even one of these cases is too many. I know that Jesus would have sacrificed himself for even one of these beautiful souls, so as his followers, we should do anything we can to bring these kids the light of God's salvation.
Even though slavery is outlawed in every country around the globe, the problem still remains in 87% of those nations. It is more prevalent than in any other time in history, even though many of us enjoy more freedom than ever. We must recognize that we have been blessed with this freedom to free others.
But in a world where information can be so easily shared, why aren't major news sources and celebrities speaking out about this clear human rights violation around the world that is fueling a billion dollar industry? Why are people more concerned about the mainstream narratives of division than about the children who we must come together for? Why are some things censored in hours, and child pornography or pedophilia accounts are allowed to stay up for months or longer?
I have promised to always speak out against injustice, and this is a part of it. I hope to speak out on it with a heart full of love.
I will speak out until others are moved to speak, and then I will speak out with you. I will pray until I see the church rise up, and then together we will mend these children's wounds like Jesus would. We are called to be Christ's hands and feet. We cannot rest until we see evil eradicated. We cannot stop until these victims are brought home.
I know that this is hard to think about, let alone talk or write about. As I am writing these words, a child is being sold to a felon. A minor's rape is being monetized on Pornhub. Someone is buying a trendy new shirt that was made by a child pricking her little fingers on the needle who has not eaten today. Criminals are still walking unscathed. It's too much to comprehend. I feel your pain. I have shed many tears.
You may be asking what you can do about this. These are some simple steps that you can take which don't take too much work, but can make a real impact if we all do them.
Most child trafficking occurs within a country. That is, most victims of child trafficking are born in the country where they are trafficked. Research what petitions you can sign in your country or how you can become equipped to serve child trafficking victims with your gifts and talents. You can follow pages like @ourrescue and @exoduscry to support these operations.
Don't support fast fashion, which offers cheap and trendy clothes at the expense of underpaid (or unpaid) minors who should be studying instead of fighting to survive. Seek alternatives like thrifting, swapping with your friends, or shopping sustainably.
If you or someone you know is struggling with pornography--which capitalizes on victim's suffering, perpetuates abuse of trafficked victims, and damages real-life relationships--please seek help. You are not alone, and we are willing to help you overcome that addiction.
Advocate for the children and for human trafficking victims. No matter the size of your platform, your voice can make a change. Never doubt in the impact of your voice, for it is a gift from God. You can repost pictures for awareness. You can even paste this link in your bio if you feel led to.
Pray for God to liberate victims of this modern-day slavery, and pray for their emotional, spiritual, and even physical wellbeing. You can even pray for the perpetrators of these crimes. I know that this is hard, but you can pray that they will repent and dismantle trafficking rings from the inside, or that they will receive justice. Prayer is our most powerful tool, and God is awaiting what we have to say.
If you want to talk about this or have some conversations about this topic, I would be glad to talk with you. My DMs on instagram (@isaxbejarano) are always open.
My prayer for this season is for God to raise up leaders and voices who will fight for the voiceless. I pray that the truth will come to the light and the light will vanquish the darkness. May you be empowered to speak the truth and take action. You have been set upon this Earth for such a time as this. Let's be the salt of the Earth, a city on a hill.
I encourage you to take action, even if you think it is small. I believe that we are the generation who will end child trafficking. The truth is coming to the light, and it will be much bigger than anyone expects. Are you going to be a part of it?
Yours truly,
Isa