January is human trafficking awareness month. In order to help bring awareness in my little corner of the blogosphere, I’m posting this short (and very unpolished!) entry taken straight from my journal during my last trip to SE Asia.

The Girl in the Red Dress

She walked in
Seemingly full of joy
Bright red lips
To match her bright red dress
A cheerful hello
And a playful laugh

But there was a story behind that laugh–
One that held more pain than joy
One that brought this beautiful young girl
To this not-so-beautiful place
This place where she was bought and sold
So many times
Each and every night

I wish I knew her story
I wish I could sit and listen
I wish I knew who she was–
Who she really was
On the inside
I wish she knew she was loved
Really, really loved
And valued

But all I could do was say those things for a moment
Then move on to the next stop
Where there were more beautiful girls
In beautiful dresses
Being forced to do unspeakable things
Each one with a story
Each one trying to smile through the pain

Oh Jesus, please
Send those who care
Send those who will stop and listen
Send those who will help tell their stories
Because their stories
Their real stories …
Need to be told

The most recent estimates indicate that nearly 21 million people are victims of human trafficking worldwide. Millions of those victims are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation–many of them children. It is both a global and a local issue (yes, it happens here too). For information on what you can do, see this earlier post, or click on this video link from my friends at Exodus Cry.