Wrecked

Did you know that there are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history?

It's true! An estimated 27 million people are in bondage across the globe. Men, women, and children are being exploited for manual and sexual labor against their will.

And yes, it happens here in the good ol' U.S.A. too.

If your mind isn't blown yet - someone becomes a victim of modern-day slavery every 30 seconds!

Worse yet? The average age of a trafficking victim is 12 years old!

Maybe you're like me and you've been aware of the atrocities of human trafficking for a while, but last night I learned a new statistic that absolutely wrecked me:

It's gut-wrenching, nausea inducing and heart breaking enough to just hear the stories of what is being done to and forced on these, most often, children, but then to realize that 98-99% of them won't ever be rescued from the nightmare that is their life - I can't breathe!

As I was listening to A21 co-founder, Christine Caine, speak last night, I was once again broken for these victims, assaulted by the evil that is in this world, and brought to humbling tears at how truly blessed I am to live my life.

Afterwards, the band led us in King of my Heart. The bridge of that song repeats, "You're never gonna let, never gonna let me down." I sang that last night with a new perspective, the perspective of those 98% of victims never rescued, and I wept. The problem of evil is one of the biggest roadblocks for people believing in the One True God. We'll never be able to fully understand our God. But as the chorus of that same song repeats, "You are good, good," He is good! I can't reconcile the fact that He's good and that He's never going to let us down with the fact that those 26.5 million people will never be rescued for you, except to say that I know with every fiber in me that God is completely present to each and every one of those men, women and children in their darkest hours, and that He hasn't ever nor will He ever let them down.

And you see, WE are a part of the way that God isn't letting these people down, because for some great mystery God chooses to use us to help fulfill that promise!

This is the fastest growing criminal organization, but it doesn't have to be!

Educate yourself, your family and friends! Don't let the enemy succeed in keeping your eyes focused on your own little bubble (I'm preaching to the choir here).

Be a part of the solution! There are organizations like A21 and IJM that are actively combating this issue by educating those at risk, rescuing victims, and prosecuting traffickers. Donate! Volunteer! Host events to raise awareness! (There are incredible stories of rescue and rehabilitation at both organizations websites.)

Let's reverse that number of how many victims get rescued!

 Images from the A21 website