Sunday September 27th, 2020 is annual day of prayer for human trafficking.
1685 BC.
JOSEPH’S STORY
Joseph is sold by is 11 brothers into slavery in Egypt. Through miracles and blessing from God, Joseph saves his family and Egypt from starvation.
2020 AD
JENNY’S STORY
MY NAME IS JENNY and for most of my life I have been happy. I have been fortunate to have a good education to degree level and have worked for many years as a teacher. As a single parent though there never seemed to be enough money and I was really worried about the bills. I started to look for jobs in the capital then one day I noticed a job being advertised as a maid in a private home in the United Arab Emirates. The pay was a lot more than I was getting here so I was pleased when I got the job. But when I got there I realized very quickly that I had made a big mistake. My employer immediately took my passport and phone and said I could not call my family. I was forced to work long hours for very little money. I had to look after his two sons who saw how badly their parents treated me and thought they could do the same. The boys would fight and often used me as a punching bag. One day I found out that I had been sold to another family and life was even worse. I had to sleep on the floor in an outhouse and was always starving. Often, I would just be given leftovers and felt so weak and tired. I was so embarrassed that I had been such a fool but decided to call my aunty at home. She was so upset but called the embassy who arranged for the police to rescue me and take me to a safe place until they were able to get me home.
Once home I was welcomed into a project run by The Salvation Army. I stayed with a host family whilst I got back on my feet. They didn’t judge me but made me feel valued and like a normal person again. When I left them I was given money to start my own business. I am so grateful The Salvation Army helped to give me my life back.
Quoted from “Fight for Freedom” Part 1 The Salvation Army Guide to Fighting Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
MICHAEL’S STORY
I HAD A GOOD LIFE. NOT GREAT BUT GOOD. It was a shock when my wife left me. I started drinking too much and lost my job then my house. Living on the streets I sometimes felt invisible. I thought things couldn’t get worse. Little did I know… Some Salvation Army people used to give out free hot food in the churchyard. I was at the end of a long queue when two men came up and offered me work. They said it would be long hours but I didn’t care, it was good money and a chance to turn my life around. After I’d eaten, three of us got into their van. They took us to a kind of camp where we stayed in an old shed. I couldn’t believe it. We had to sleep on stinking mattresses. There were no toilets and nowhere to wash. You wouldn’t keep a dog in a place like that. Every day we left the camp very early and then knocked on people’s doors asking if they wanted any work doing, mending roofs, and digging gardens. We were picked up when it got dark. We were always hungry and afraid. Some got beaten up, punched in the head, or kicked. We worked six days a week and were given money for cigarettes and beer. Someone tried to escape but was beaten with a spanner. It was like they had a hold over us.
One Sunday the police raided the camp. Someone must have told them about us. When I looked around, I saw how ill everyone looked; skinny and unwell. I went back to The Salvation Army and told them what had happened, and they have been helping me since. I am still nervous about going out alone but at least I’m free.
Quoted from “Fight for Freedom” Part 1 The Salvation Army Guide to Fighting Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
WHAT HAVE OTHERS DONE?
A variety of awareness activities and materials have been used in The Salvation Army in the past. Here are a few examples:
• Awareness-raising at major sports events or festivals, knowing that the number of victims trafficked increases at such venues often for sexual and labor exploitation.
• Awareness-raising targeting young people in schools, after-school clubs, mentoring programs and youth and children events.
• Campaigns to ensure taxi drivers know that they might be transporting victims of human trafficking.
• An online campaign to challenge manufacturers regarding fair and just working conditions.
• Raising awareness with farmers and rural community leaders to ensure that they know that they might inadvertently have workers on their land who are under the control of traffickers.
• Setting up information stands at job centers and university fairs to raise awareness about risky job offers when migrating.
• Providing training sessions on how to spot signs of modern slavery and human trafficking to healthcare and police enforcement professionals who may otherwise come into contact with victims without identifying them.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
What can your church do about human trafficking? Join in the fight for freedom. See the Salvation Army Website. Fight For Freedom.
The Salvation Army workers in one city are befriending and witnessing the love of Jesus to pimps. When a pimp becomes a follower of Jesus often 10 to 12 girls also receive their freedom.
We can support the Salvation Army as volunteers or financially.
We can support “The Wellhouse.”
The Wellhouse – I-20: The Sex Trafficking Superhighway
Please pray for victims and perpetrators of human trafficking.
Revised 11/22/2021
NONVIOLENT CHRISTIANS 