It can be overwhelming to consider the numbers or try to make sense of the data. I can’t picture it and I can’t imagine the lives that are led by those trapped in that alarming statistic. There is a song I have had on repeat for the past few days by a group called Sleeping At Last. The song is called “Emphasis” and the chorus reads, “The smartest thing I’ve ever learned/ Is I don’t have all the answers,/ Just a little light to call my own./ Though it pales in comparison/ Of the overarching shadows,/ A speck of light can reignite the sun/ And swallow darkness whole.”
These remind me of the 1 Kings 19:11-12 passage. “…the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.”
There may be a sense that there are overwhelming storms around us, there are immovable mountains and unattainable goals, but there is always, and in all, a God more powerful, more wonderful, more loving, and more faithful than we could ever imagine. And God has already won.
The Hindustani Covenant Church (HCC) in India has been building relationships with women and their children who have been trapped in the sex trade of India. Over the past few months, they have helped 6 women start new journeys. They have been given an opportunity to study and work and plan for the future. They have moved into their own homes and have dreams of starting their own businesses. This is long and difficult work, but these women have a chance to learn about the God who loves them and cherishes them. This is something to be excited about and to be in constant prayer as these partners are faced with new challenges daily. The brothel owners and pimps have an intricate and strong network and will do whatever it takes to continue to make profit. Pray for those trapped in slavery, pray for the captors, and pray for the HCC as they continue to reach out to the women on the streets.
–Hannah Gaskins, intern with CWR
