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Not For Sale
JHontreat Co[[eae s Stutfent ^oke
because we aren’t looking
for them.”
Research has shown
that over 700,000 people
are trafficked across US
borders. That’s compared
to 4 million worldwide
annually (Not For Sale
Chapel). Melodye West
brooks said “sex is ev
Erin Cross
“I hate men.” I joked
as I told some of the girls
as we sat and prayed over
the film Trade, but when
I spoke those words
something resonated
deep within the fibers of
my soul. Men have hurt
so many of the women
I love, even myself. It’s
not only the men | (i |
though; women
must take respon
sibility for sexual
perversion too. We
have dehumanized -
each other into
simply becoming objects
of pleasure, void of any
humanity or feeling. Our
society is so saturated
with sex that the aver-
age age of sexual activity
is now age 12 (Not For
Sale Chapel). Sex traf
ficking is a taboo subject
that no one ever wants to
talk about. We’d rather
sweep it under the rug
and ignore it because we
are “above that;” yet the
sex industry is the third
highest grossing industry
in the world, and yes,
even in the United States.
As Trade said “the only
reason we aren’t finding
prostitutes in the US is
For the Lord Your God is God of gods and Lord of lords,
the great, the mighty, and the awesome God,
who is not partial and takes no bribe.
He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow,
and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing
strongholds of rape,
prostitution, and mo
lestation. I see the pain
in my mother’s eyes and
the hurt that still hasn’t
healed for fifty years of
existence and wonder
how much more severe
it would be for someone
whose dignity was sold
erywhere... God created
it as something good
and worshipful, but it
has become something
dirty.” All of us have
been slammed with sex
our entire lives. It seems
like from day one, we
are programmed to view
everything through the
lens of sexuality. We
take the blue pill, and
continue to be oblivious
to the dangers that lurk
beneath, but it kicks us
in the tail. Satan wrestles
us to the ground with
for pocket change.
I can’t believe how
deeply sex trafficking is
networked. A girl can be
shipped from country to
country under every gov
ernment’s radar legally. It
is now safer to sell girls
and boys than to smuggle
drugs across borders due
to the internet and an
innumerous amount of
costumers that get quick
and easy access to their
insatiable thirst. What-
breaks my heart is that a
nine year old can be used
fifteen times
a night, seven
days a week and
be a haggard
old woman by
the time she
reaches puberty.
The worst part
is that this
industry has a
ready supply
Deuteronomy 10:17-18 of “new prod
uct.” The Bible says “it is
better to tie a millstone
around your neck and be
cast into the depths of
the ocean than to make
a little one stumble.” I
believe that we need to
take a stand and save
the leaders of tomorrov'^
before society loses all
sense of humanity.
Prayer is beyond
necessary — it is
critical!
It was great to
hear the women
of the Hope
House speak about their
vision and how (I be
lieve) they are actively
living out Christ’s plan.
The light that radiated
from their passionate
speech was something
only God can provide...
you can’t bottle that stuff.
The most encouraging
bit was that these women
have no experience in
this field and no training,
but stepped out in blind
faith to be an active part
of Christ’s work. Jesus
didn’t hang out with the
rich and powerful, he
hung out with the bro
ken. We as Christians
need to be more like
Jesus: get over ourselves,
and make a leap of faith.
If we have even the faith
of a mustard seed we can
move mountains; we can
end sex trafficking.
I am thankful for the
awareness that was raised
by women like Cayla
Newsom, Christina Red
man, Julie Hetu, and the
many others who worked
to awaken a sleeping gi
ant. We have the power
of Christ behind us;
therefore, nothing can
stop us, and it’s time for
us to act. Christina said
“Christians are a broken
and beaten people too,
we just had someone
reach out to us...it’s now
time for us to reach out
to others.”