Child Sex Trafficking

I went to a seminar last night on Sex Trafficking. It’s a subject I am not very familiar with so I wanted to learn more. What I know so far is that child sex traffic isn’t just something that goes on in other countries even though United States tourists are responsible for 25% of the child sex traffic business. It’s going on in our country and probably not far from our homes. It’s estimated that around 300,000 children are working as prostitutes in the United States. At the seminar, it was said that many of these children are kept in a cage in a basement.

I read an article in the newspaper last week about a nationwide crackdown by the FBI on child prostitution. Almost 700 people were arrested and 52 children were rescued. It went on to say that since the beginning of the project, almost 900 children have been rescued and most of them began prostitution around age 12.

That should knock us out of our chairs. How can we not be moved? With what little I know about this subject so far, I know I must learn more and that some kind of action will be required. Prayer will be first and then those prayers will need feet.

I was left feeling empty last night after the event. I expected to be educated and then given some tools. The education came but I felt the message fell short of what it could have been. As I heard it, the call was for us to become completely dedicated to Jesus, for fathers to be fathers, and to lift up God in worship. Then righteousness and justice will come down and problems like child sex trafficking, abortion and idolatry will be taken care of.

I don’t disagree with the need for changes in our lives and churches. I know we are far from what we should be.

I have been involved in leadership in the prolife movement for over twenty years. I have done my share of trying to motivate people and pastors to involvement. I have heard just about every argument of what we should or should not do to combat abortion. Some say all we should do is pray and God will do the rest. Some back certain laws and others say that Christians shouldn’t be involved in politics. Some say we should establish more pregnancy centers to provide compassion and support for abortion minded women. Some say education is the key. Some support direct action such as picketing and sidewalk counseling and others say that is too confrontational. And sadly most sit on their butt while providing criticism of those who are trying to do something.

I have always supported a multi-faceted approach. We need to work on every front. We need laws, we need education, we need pregnancy centers, we need protest and we need prayer. There is a spot for everyone to get involved.

So that is why I was disappointed last night. Every day I seek to be pure before God and I know I need to be a better father but I know I can’t stop there. If there are young boys and girls in my community who are being held captive in some way and are being sold for sex they need help now. I want to know what God wants me to do. I now have knowledge and I will be held accountable for what I do with it.

I don’t know the answers; I don’t even know the questions but I’m praying for revelation of what to do from here.

Here is a link to the newspaper article mentioned above.

Here is a link to the FBI Innocence Lost National Initiative

Here is a link to Children of the Night

Philip