Activating Faith

I haven’t written much lately about my passionate, holy discontent for human trafficking. It’s not that my passion to see sex slaves set free has waned or that I have left it up to others to be the voice for the victims.  It’s so hard to sit back and not go into action when there are literally millions of girls around the world being bought and sold for sex daily. How could one not want to do something. Yet, it seems like every time I get amped up about finally partnering with local organizations or brainstorming creative ways to bring awareness on my own, God puts the brakes on it.  After knowing for absolute certain that this is what God has called me to, watching Him close the door on my efforts has been disheartening, almost to the point where I was starting to question if this passion was ignited by Him or me.

A couple of months ago, I felt this burden to pray for victims all over the world. Not just my regular prayer to end slavery but a soul stirring, out of bed early in the morning, not going back to sleep until I do type of prayer. With each prayer, I could feel something being activated in the supernatural; a shifting in the atmosphere; a plan being set into motion. I didn’t know what was happening or what was on the horizon but, I knew that after being silent for over a year, God was finally speaking again about this passion that was still raging in my heart.

To help another dimension to the very prayers that I had been sending up to Heaven, God decided to invade my dreams. God tends to speak to me a lot in dreams and visions but honestly, He has been rather quite lately. He has taken a more still small voice approach as opposed to the prophetic dreams and real time visions I am used to. In this dream, I was staring into the tear-filled blue eyes of a young girl, handcuffed to a wall in a room with only a stained mattress on the floor.  I saw the face of the man in the green jacket that held her captive. I watched as he waited in anticipation for someone to arrive and purchase an hour with the handcuffed girl. I knew the exact address of the location to give to the authorities, down to the apartment number: seven.

This past Friday, I went to the Jesus Culture concert with absolutely no idea of how much God would reveal to me. I found myself being somewhat  distracted and unable to focus because I was starting to stress out about something that really wasn’t all that significant. I couldn’t pressing into the presence of God like I wanted to, as if something was blocking me. In that moment, Kim Walker-Smith prayed against any distractions and asked for everyone to just focus on encountering God. For what was probably about 7-8 minutes of intense prayer and worship, I felt like God slowed down time and spent hours transporting me to various parts of the world to show me the work that I would be doing to rescue girls from sex slavery. In those moments, He commanded me to dream BIGGER and ask Him for MORE, not allowing my limited human capacity to dictate what I think He can accomplish. By the time the last vision was revealed, I was physically exhausted from the weight of His glory and intensity of the experience. I wish I could take a picture of my mind’s eye and show people what I saw. Even still most probably wouldn’t even believe it because part of me still can’t quite process it all.

I truly believe that the spirit of God is roaming this Earth activating a wave of those called to go into all the nations to bring His enslaved daughters to the feet of the Throne.  He is activating the faithful warriors who have been on the training ground being prepared to be launched into the darkest corners of the world. He is calling a generation of believers to stand for righteousness and justice, to be the light of the world, a city on a hill. Life will be breathed into the sleeping church and the Earth will literally tremble from the weight of His glory.

I am ready, Lord.

Send me.

The Making of a Girl

Lately God has been reminding me of the issue of sex trafficking and how He placed a desire in my heart years ago to become an advocate for the young girls and women caught up in the trade. Having personally helped rescue a young girl who had been in the life for 3 left a mark on me that will never go away. Lately, life has gotten in the way although this social injustice is never far from my mind. I’m always searching for news articles, documentaries, statistics, interviews from advocates and survivors, books, movies, non profits organizations and ways to get involved. It’s a way to remind myself that although it seems like such a daunting task, if I can just do for one what I wish I could do for them all, then I’ve made a difference. I came across this video that I’ve seen dozens of times but its such an eye opening view into how so many girls end up being exploited. I’m such a fan of Rachel Lloyd and her organization GEMS in New York. A survivor turned advocate, she has dedicated her life to bringing awareness to sex trafficking and restoring the dignity to the girls who make it out of the life. Watch the video. Share it. Educate your self on the issue. Pray for the victims, the pimps and the johns. Support organization domestically and internationally who are doing their part to end this modern day form of slavery.

Do Something…

Since learning about the injustice of human trafficking a few years ago, my heart has never been the same. After coming face to face with a girl that I helped rescue from sex slavery, I knew that this was a cause that I was supposed to commit my life to. Growing up, I fit the criteria of one of those at risk girls in danger of being trafficked. But it was certainly God’s grace and His hand over my life that kept me from turning down a road that I was not meant to travel down.

My heart still breaks for this cause but I feel guilty for not spending much energy and focus on it in 2011. Leading a small group, mentoring women, raising kids and a host of other reasons started to become more and more important than this issue that still tugged at my heart almost daily. I had every intention of doing another donation drive for Wellspring Living during the Christmas holiday but talked myself out of it.  It wasn’t until I was at my church’s Thirst service being immersed in 2 hours of nonstop prayer and worship that I heard God speak to me about what I had been ignoring.

“Do something.”

Two words that brought me to tears. Do something.

Christine Caine, one of my favorite speakers and advocates against human trafficking was in town during this time at the annual Passion Conference hosted by Passion City Church. 45,000 college age students from all over the world had descended upon Atlanta to have their hearts ignited to proclaim the name of Jesus and also to be informed that right now 27 million people are being held in slavery. 27 million people are slaves around this world, more than any other time in history. 1.4 million of those slaves are being held in forced sex slavery. Christine and her husband founded the A21 Campaign in an attempt to do something to end modern day slavery in our life time. I heard her speak for the first time over a year ago when she came to my church’s women’s conference. To this day, I still wear my A21 “Because” bracelet to remind me why I speak out against human trafficking.

Because 27 million people are counting on someone to do something.

Because even though 27 million people is a huge number, all I need to do is focus on 1. Saving 1 person makes the efforts worth it.

If 45,000 broke college students can raise over $3 million dollars in 4 days to fight human trafficking, I know I can do something. I felt proud to know that there are now 45,000 more young adults who are aware of this injustice who had a chance to hear Christine’s heart for this cause. 45,000 more people whose lives were probably changed and are now committed to taking the gospel and their new found knowledge to their countries and communities. I am even more proud of the fact that the light is starting to shine on Atlanta, my city that happens to have one of the highest rates of children in sex slavery in the US.

There are plenty of stories just like Natalia’s below. It’s time to do something. 27 million  people are waiting.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD  for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-7

Heart Set Ablaze…

This past weekend was the spiritual awakening that I absolutely needed. My church, Victory World Church, hosted its annual Resilient women’s conference. I went last year and enjoyed hearing Valerie Burton speak. I knew our speaker was going to be Christine Caine from Hillsong Church in Australia. I had never heard of Christine and we sing a lot of Hillsong songs for worship. What caught my attention was the fact that Christine was an advocate for the anti human trafficking movement.

Little did I know she was going to change my life.

Christine Caine blew me away! I have heard lots of motivational speakers, preachers, evangelists, you name it, over the years but never has one little petite woman leave me with a heart set ablaze to change the world and wake up the sleeping body of Christ to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth. She has a tell it like it is, no sugar coating, true and honest approach to removing the veil of denial, normalcy, and complacency in the lives of people professing to be Christian.

She came from nothing. Literally. She was abandoned by her mother in a hospital, unnamed and unwanted. She grew up in a poor Greek Orthodox family in Australia. She was sexually abused for 12 years. She learned she was adopted at the age of 31. Yet she went on to be apart of the leadership team for one of the most dynamic and influential churches in the world. She has traveled the globe leading crusades for Christ, spreading the gospel to some of the darkest nations in the world. It was 4 years ago that she was in the Frankfort, Germany airport did she learn about the issue of human trafficking. Being a leader of a church, she was appalled that form of modern day slavery was still happening when there are billions of Christians in this world.

She decided to that human trafficking was not going to continue on her watch.

She established the A21 Campaign, a grassroots organization that has established safe houses in Greece, the corridor for the world’s human trafficking. This organization is taking on the global human trafficking issue on like no other organization I have ever seen. Since God has already put this social injustice in my heart, I felt like I was in the right place at the right time hearing Christine speak with such passion and urgency for the church to get mobilized and take back the lives of those that are enslaved. There was such a move of the Holy Spirit on Saturday morning, before Christine even came up to speak again, and as the worship team sang, I was so overcome with His presence, His urgency, His heartbreak, I was in tears. Crying my eyes out, singing His praise at the top of my lungs. My heart was breaking for what broke the heart of my Savior.

I had this passion to set the captives free and I wasn’t doing anything about it.

I needed that. I needed that jolt. I needed that renewed spirit. I needed that sense of urgency, that heartbreak, that wake up call. I needed to be reminded that there are 27 million people held in slavery around this world, more than any other time in the history of man kind. I needed to know that 1.4 million of those slaves are sex slaves. I needed to know that traffickers get the women pregnant and sell those babies to pedophile rings across the world. Babies as young as 6 months old, sold for sex, with no documents, no papers, no one even knowing they exist on this Earth.

Where is the church?

I have been rescued from the darkest places in my life so that I can rescue others. Isaiah 61 is my heartbeat. I have been called to proclaim freedom for the captives, to comfort those who mourn, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

I am ready to be a trailblazer. I am ready to empty myself so that I can be filled with the Holy Spirit and used in any way He see fits. I yield to my own will, my own desires and I full surrender to His will. I am excited. I am on fire.

I am on His mission to set the captives free.

Real Men Don’t Buy Girls

As global as the issue of human trafficking is, there are so many people in the world who have no clue its happening on such a large scale let alone in their own back yard. Luckily enough, there are some cells that have caught wind of what’s happening and have decided to get in the trenches with the average Joe to make a difference.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have launched the Demi and Ashton Foundation that is taking this injustice on head first. They have testified in front of Congress, done various interviews and press conferences, done amazing social networking to get the word out and will be appearing on Piers Morgan’s CNN show tonight. They are putting in the work, speaking out and getting their famous friends involved instead of just lending their name and celebrity to the cause.

I applaud their work for real. All it takes is for one person to step up and do something. The power of one.

“It’s Hard To Be An Abolitionist” Ashton Kutcher Talks to Russell Simmons | Global Grind

Children Are Not For Sex

As the days wind down and it gets closer and closer to my departure to Peru, my heart is still unsettled at the thought of the reason I am going. I am going to of course spread the gospel to street kids on the streets of Lima who fight daily to just stay alive. These children are treated worse than animals. It’s funny that the city officials will randomly vaccinate stray dogs but will try to burn street kids alive. These kids are literally fighting to survive. Those that do also have to fight to not be trafficked for sex. It’s a lose lose situation. You either get killed or are picked up and forced into prostitution…girls and boys. Children. Heart breaking.

I found this clip on Facebook from a local pastor who is stepping up to speak out for the children of Atlanta who are bought and sold like property on the streets daily. I am thrilled that celebrities are getting wind of these atrocities going on and are using their voice to speak out. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher have a non profit that is geared to educate and bring awareness to human trafficking. But it was this clip by Ashley Judd that touched my heart and brought me to tears. Her words aren’t the words of someone who heard about the problem and felt compelled to help. Her words are the words of someone that has seen first hand the devastation that comes along with knowing a child has been a victim of sexual exploitation right here in Atlanta.

Please keep my Peru missions team in your prayers as we prepare to bring some light and hope to a generation of children who need it the most.

Not For Sale

It’s been a while since I have posted an entry. Life has gone into crazy over drive. I realize my days and free time a very limited but I am enjoying the chaos. I have a financial class that I take on Monday nights for the next 13 weeks to help me be a better steward of my money. I have Fusion services on Wednesdays, either small group or small group planning meetings on Thursdays, I am usually hanging out with kids or friends, Saturdays at 7AM I have my Beth Moore bible study group until 9AM. In the afternoons, I usally am hanging with friends or the kids. Sundays is church. At some point in the week, I manage to cook, clean, do laundry, do homework, make it to work and a host of other things. Sleep falls in there at some point!

Back to the task at hand. I was browsing on the Not For Sale website, when I ran across the Peru section that talked about Lucy Borja and the Generacion organization that we will be working with. They posted a video clip of some of the street children of Peru and it broke my heart. Just to hear the story of how life for these children are is enough to make anyone want to take the world on just so they can know peace and happiness. These are the children that are in a fight everyday to keep from being bought and sold for sex and labor. Thank God for hearts like Lucy. Even though she is not a Christian, she still has a heart like Christ.

Not For Sale | Latin America from Not For Sale Campaign on Vimeo.

Who Will Save The Children?

A short but sweet blog post.

I just had a thought. Taina mentioned to us at the Peru missions meeting that one of the key pieces of content to add to our missions support letter is why me want to go to Peru. Not the teams’ vision or our church’s vision for the trip but why do we personally want to go on the trip.

My answer is simple. If I don’t fight for the victims that have no voice, who will? The Bible says that the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. There are so few people that fight for the innocent children who are forced in to sex trafficking or other forms of human trafficking. Atlanta has been one of the top cities in the country for commercial sexual exploitation of children for years. In Peru, government officials don’t even acknowledge that sex trafficking and slavery is even happening there. If no one talks about it, the problem doesn’t exist right? Tell that to the children that are bought and sold each and every day.

Angel and a Princess

Today, my heart was heavy for Shaniya Davis. This 5 year old angel died 1 year ago today. She died at the hands of the man who bought her for the purpose of having sex with her. Yes. Her mother sold her 5 year old daughter into sex slavery. 5 years old. I still remember seeing her picture on the morning news, all dressed in white, looking like my 4 year old niece’s twin. I thought I saw my niece Kameron staring back at me, kidnap victim, alone, scared, young. I still remember thinking about Shaniya all morning and all afternoon. I remember follow the news reports and any tips from the AP wire I could find about whether or not she was found. I remember praying for this little girl. I remember reading on change.org that her body had been found along the side of a North Carolina highway. My heart literally broke into pieces.

I admit I was absolutely on fire about what happened to that little girl but I didn’t know what I could do to help the cause. A few weeks later, I contacted Innocence Atlanta, who connected me to Redeemed Ministries, where I took the Hands that Heal training. My eyes were opened wide to the issue and I was astounded by the stats and lack of resources. Hundreds of girls on the streets every night and only a hand full of beds available in all of Georgia, if they wanted to escape the life. Crazy I know. Where is the justice?

Fast forward to June and it’s Princess Night for Sunday to Sunday. My life would be forever changed by a young 19 year old girl named Sabrina. A girl who had been a prostitute for 3 years. Her rescue was something out of the movies, the sheer volume of time coordinating schedules for her care was mind numbing but the nights I spent in her presence were priceless. She shared about areas of her life freely and was almost like a kid again. Though Sabrina eventually went back to that life after coming and going a few times, I will never forget her face. I will never forget her love for Starburst and Vitamin Water. I will never forget her stories, or her nightmares as she slept. She will forever be our Princess.

I was that girl. I was the poster child for broken homes, generational curses, low self esteem as a child, lack of self worth, lack of direction, lack of God. Raised by a single mom, low income, mom’s boyfriends in and out, no father of my own, abused for years. Raised in church but never knew God. I was that girl. I look back and I promise it was by the sheer GRACE of God that I didn’t end up being pimped out by some grown man as a kid. Yeah I was smart in school and had friends, but I had more inner turmoil, more dark secrets and shame than anyone ever imagined. I needed love, I needed someone to notice me, I needed someone to love me and take care of me. I was always one “hey pretty girl” away from being lead completely astray. I was that girl. I guess that’s why my heart aches for girls that become victims because that truly could have been me. I fit the profile of the 12 year old girl being forced into sex slavery. I was that girl.

When I think of all that God saved me from, even when I didn’t know He was working in my favor, I can’t imagine my life not speaking up for those whose life mirrored mine years ago. Pastor D always says there is purpose rooted in pain. God can use something bad in your life and use it for good. I am allowing Him to use me, mold and stretch me anyway He sees fit. I cannot even begin to show God my gratitude for redeeming me, for His perfect love that has cast out fear, for His amazing power that I cannot fathom with my natural mind, for rescuing me from a life that would lead me straight to Hell, for calling me His Beloved. I was that girl, bound and broken, but I have been set free and made whole again.

Victory Over Craigslist, but the Fight Continues

The popular site, Craigslist, has come under some serious fire in the past couple of months because of their adult ad section. The blatant sexual ads have become almost like an internet catalog for men looking to buy sex. The sex trafficking industry has used sites like Craigslist to expand their clientele base, moving from the seedy tracks to cyberspace. There is no shortage of underage girls and enslaved women being bought and delivered to the highest bidder.

Yet, after the media storm shed light on this new avenue of sex trafficking, many states put pressure on Craigslist to remove their adult section and finally take responsibility for their part in the global crisis. On September 4, 2010, Craigslist finally stepped up to the plate and removed the adult section from their website. This proved to be a small victory in the ever expanding sex trafficking business.

Although this is indeed a victory to be applauded, we must not get so lax and think that is the end of the war. The demand for sex is astronomical and the supply is simply moving to a new location. Many experts are weighing in on the fact that although Craigslist has removed their adult section, there are plenty of other sites available and in use right now to promote prostitution. Sites such as Backpage.com and Adultfinder.com are welcoming the former Craigslist pimps and johns with open arms.

I applaud Craigslist for removing the adult section, but I am confident in saying that it was more of a PR move than a mandate. Why isn’t the government doing something to crack down on sites that are obviously involved in the exploitation and trafficking of women and children? We have Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act to thank for that. This piece of legislature states that “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” In other words, Craigslist nor any other website can be held liable for what is published on their sites or the actions that occur as a result of something posted on their site. The powers that be have pretty much left the door open for sex trafficking on the Internet to continue until these types of sites are held accountable for their part in the promoting and advertising sexually exploited victims.

The battle has been won, but the fight continues. Hopefully, at some point, companies will stop hiding behind the law and stand up for victim’s right. Until then, advocates will continue to put the pressure on them, one site at at time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_230_of_the_Communications_Decency_Act

http://www.citmedialaw.org/section-230

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2010/09/06/tst.craigslist.censors.adult.sec.cnn.html

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/05/craigslist.censored/index.html?iref=allsearch