No More...

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more." Psalm 10:17-18

At this time last year I was getting ready to go back to South Africa after several days in Nigeria. I have often considered that trip over the past year, and it continues to hold my heart firmly. On four different occasions I sat in brothels and listened to the stories of the women who live and work there. It left me feeling an urgent desire to do something, and a deep frustration at my limitations. That trip was definitely more for my benefit than the benefit of anyone in Nigeria. It certainly got me reading... I've researched sex trafficking, been shocked by its thriving existence all over the world, read books on the subject (I highly recommend 'Terrify No More' by Gary Haugen), prayed for the young girls and young women who are forced either physically or out of necessity to sell their bodies. The horror of this business... the darkness... the evil... cannot be fathomed by my limited mind. But I want to know. I've read about blank looks on the faces of 5-year-olds as undercover investigators are offered their services for a small fee. HOW CAN THIS BE?!?!? The idea haunts me. It keeps me awake at night. It makes me cry, but not enough. This is the kind of evil that must not make us simply pause and comment that it is a shame. This is the kind of evil that must make us stop in our tracks, evaluate the present course of our lives, and ask God if there is a cause greater than our own success and comfort that He would have us live and fight for. There must be hope for the poor. There must be hope for the orphan, the slave, the widow, the sex worker. There IS hope. Jesus brought hope, and said that if we believe in Him we must follow His example. "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12
My friend, Andrew Ulasich, is currently living among the poor in Kathmandu, Nepal. I highly recommend his blog, http://www.andrewulasich.blogspot.com/
His writing is raw and real. Please pray for him.