Getting Started: How to become a Love Warrior

Several years ago I attended a special event at Saddleback Church in Orange County, California honoring the president of Rwanda. He had a large delegation with him. 

I was waiting outside the meeting room, to go in, when I saw a beautiful young girl waiting also. I wanted to greet her as she was alone. I asked her if she was with the delegation from Rwanda and she said quickly, "No, I am a recovering prostitute and I am here to see my mentor who goes to this church."  


Saddleback has a vibrant recovery ministry. In addition to groups for recovering drug addicts, alcoholics, and men and women engaged in pornography, they also have one for prostitutes.  This is the church in action.
 
I talked with this young woman for a while until her mentor came and she gave me more background. When I heard all this young woman had gone through and how hard it was to really leave prostitution for good, I had my eyes opened. What misconceptions I had had about prostitutes thinking they chose this profession, never knowing or even thinking about trafficking or pimps or johns.  

That young woman told me her mother was a prostitute and her sister also.  

What a desperate life.
Two dear women from the church were there to help her, get her to counseling appointments and to court appearances. Such dedication.

After several years of research and going to meetings, talking to social workers, volunteers, and law enforcement I realized how widespread this problem is and how only God and His church can change this.  These precious young people, boys and girls, if they ever are freed suffer such trauma without Jesus and His healing power, they can never be free from the nightmares and memories of abuse they have suffered.

I Peter 5:7 says: "Cast your care on Him, for He cares for you."  

What a message for these poor slaves in our time. What will you do? What will I do? How can we partner together to make a dent in this global money maker?

First, I think it is important to realize that most of those who are trafficked were sexually abused by a family member.  

Second, those who become the johns or customers started with pornography. We have learned that if someone sees it online it isn't long before they act it out offline. 

I am sad to say that often, when I talk to young people and warn them of the dangers of the relationships they build online they don't believe me. When I talk to parents and older people they don't believe this is happening in America and in our time. These are dangerous attitudes and ones we cannot afford to have for even one more day.

There is much work to do in the area of human trafficking both in our country and around the globe. Regardless of where you live it is happening in your community. There is something you can do to help. I might be praying. It might be educating others. It might be heading out to the front lines.  

I am so glad you are here and willing to do something.  

I would like to recommend several things for you to get started.

1.  Please order the documentary DVD Sex and Money and watch it with your teens:  www.sexandmoneyfilm.org. Former prostitutes, pimps, and johns, tell their stories.  We all need to know the truth. This is a great way to learn what is really going on.

2.  Get the book "In Our Backyard" by Nita Belles. It is a good introduction into human trafficking in the US.

3.  Read this recent article by New York Times Op-Ed Columnist Nicholas Kristof, "Not Quite a Teen, Yet Sold for Sex". It will help you see how it happens our own communities and how quickly it takes place.



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