Cindy Powell

Did you know that over 21 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking?

If you’ve looked at much of this site, you may have noticed that much of the content is about connecting people to God’s heart.  You may be wondering how a heavy subject like human trafficking fits in with that focus. Well, in the past several years, as I’ve personally caught glimpses of His heart, Jesus has allowed me to share just a tiny taste of His grief over the nightmare experienced by those trapped in the living hell of  modern-day-slavery—particularly those exploited in the sex trade.

Those little glimpses have broken my heart.

I lived in Thailand as a child and have made several trips there over the past decade. However, a trip in 2014 was a “this changes everything” wake-up call that turned my heart inside out. It marked me in an eternal kind of way and I started diligently seeking the Lord to know what to do with all of it (for a few posts dealing with this specific issue check out the “justice” category on the blog). The journey involved some ups and downs and even a few false starts, but as of Spring 2017 I took over as  editor of an online magazine that shines a light on the injustice of human trafficking. We believe every voice matters in the fight against human trafficking and want to help you find yours. To learn more, visit the Voices of Justice site by clicking HERE.

There is more info on the VOJ website, but in case you don’t make it over there, here are a few things everyone can do:

~ We can see. We can quit hiding our heads in the sand and stop trying to protect ourselves from ugly issues that don’t fit into a nice tidy world. This is an incredibly difficult issue to really see. Believe me, I get it! But if it is too “painful” for us to even look at, what hope is there for those who are actually trapped in the nightmare?

~ We can ask. We can enter into a dialogue with heaven and ask the hard questions–then purpose to position our hearts, and lives, to hear what God is speaking to us individually.

~ We can respond. We shouldn’t do what God isn’t asking us to do, but we can–and must–do what He is asking us to do.  And we will never know what He is asking us to do if we’re not first willing to see and ask.

In addition to praying and supporting organizations and individuals who are on the front lines, I want to use whatever platform He gives me to help raise awareness of this most heinous of injustices. Toward that end, if you are ready to “see” “ask” and “respond” here are some helpful links to check out:

Exodus Cry – Several years ago Exodus Cry produced a powerful documentary called   Nefarious: Merchant of Souls. If you haven’t seen it, you should.

Forgotten Children – Because I live in Southern California, I love the work Forgotten Children does on the streets of San Bernardino. In addition to street outreach, they have a drop-in center and a safe house.

Million Kids – Million Kids is another organization located in Southern California that focuses on providing resources and trainings to keep kids safe and keep them out of the hands of traffickers in the first place.

NightLight – NightLight has been operating in the heart of the red light districts in Bangkok for years now. In addition to outreach, they offer life skills and employment (in their own jewelry business) to those seeking refuge and freedom. If you buy their jewelry (available online) you enable them to have even greater impact.

Agape International Missions (AIM) – Agape works primarily in Cambodia (the country that, in addition to Thailand, weighs most heavily on my own heart). If you see the movie Nefarious, you won’t forget the stories told by AIM’s founder Don Brewster … ever.

These are only a few of MANY organizations making a difference. Find those that resonate with YOU. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Find your something. In addition to visiting the VOJ website, to read more on an ongoing basis, you can subscribe to receive our quarterly digital magazine–absolutely free! Simply click HERE to sign up and you’ll receive a link to the magazine each time we publish.