A Prayer

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient.” Abraham Lincoln 

January 11th, was Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  Many people all over the world made pledges to re-abolish slavery and bring attention to the fact that human trafficking remains a serious problem world-wide.

According to www.change.org, "Slavery is more affordable, more widespread and more entrenched in 2011 than it was in ancient Rome or the antebellum South of America. Modern-day slaves, also called human trafficking victims, can be male or female, from any country or representing any ethnicity."

Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar industry worldwide.

The worst rates of the problem are in Asia, where the U.N. Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking estimates that more than 50 percent of slavery victims are found. The State Department says that in Asia, there are three human trafficking victims for every 1,000 people -- three times the rates elsewhere. 

... if you do nothing else this week, please... join with me in a prayer.  

Sometimes all we can do is to fall down on our knees with overwhelming conviction that we have no where else to go. 

That our efforts, whilst important, feel so inadequate in comparison to the problem. 

When we feel overwhelmed and we just don’t know what else to do, we can join in prayer on behalf of those who suffer.  Together, we will make a difference.

Please join me in praying for the following:

Poverty

• Pray that those living in situations of poverty will be able to procure a sustainable income, without having to accept offers which look helpful but secretly involve trafficking.
• Pray for governments having the responsibility of making decisions which have the power to increase or alleviate poverty in their country.
• Pray for children in families where there are few resources. Pray that they will be protected from the lure of traffickers

Greed

• Pray for those who seek to make money out of the trade of people. Pray that God will open their eyes to convict them that this is sinful.
• Pray for those who operate or control networks of traffickers. Pray for exposure and an end to their schemes.
• Pray that decisions made by governments will be based on justice and equality rather than greed and financial implication.

Demand

• Pray that the demand for human trafficking will diminish and dry up.
• Pray for the demand for sex workers to end, and that this will stop people being trafficked into sexual exploitation.

[Prayer: Salvation Army, Ireland and UK web site]

Photographer: Mike Thompson, Sanctuary Haven short-term team 2010

"Evil prevails when good people do nothing."