Bible
Verse: Learn
to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the
fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17
Song: Hillsong - Broken Vessels
By clicking the above song title, you will be directed to a video of our worship song for today. Hope you enjoy this song selected specifically to go along with our devotion!
It is an evil that profits billions of dollars and enslaves millions of people. And it is happening everywhere – all around the world and within our own communities. - --- (Taken from Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and Justice, Inc)
When I was in high school my mom went to a Christian
conference in downtown Kansas City and while there, during the program, a young
girl ran in.
Her name was Paula and she was a runaway. This run-away teenager had come to the big city, I am sure, in hopes of a new beginning, of finding something better or at least different from what she had. What she found instead was a big scary city with very few opportunities for a better life, at least a better life for a runaway teenager. I don't know all of Paula's story, but I know that she ended up as a victim of Human Trafficking. She was surviving by working the streets of Kansas City, trading sex for survival.
That particular afternoon, she found herself fleeing from
her pimp, I would guess in an attempt to save her life. She hid in that
room of women, attending a Christian conference. Lucky for her, these woman, my
mom was one of them, noticed her, listened to her story and responded by
helping her get away from the man she was running from.
What I remember from that story was my mom bringing Paula to our house,
explaining to us why she was there and us welcoming her into our lives. I
remember laughing with her, showing her our horses, explaining our family to
her and wondering why she ran away from home. I could not imagine a home
being bad enough to want to end up where she had.
Although the details of the story have faded in my memory, I remember Paula, I
remember God's love for her and remember that she mattered. She ended up
going back to her home in Michigan and was reunited with her family. We
received letters and Christmas cards from her for many years afterwards.
She was doing great, she had gotten married and had a family of her own.
I feel privileged to be part of a ministry that is making a difference in this area. The top picture is a picture of me standing in front of Lady Justice, I think there is such symbolism in that photo. I feel called to stand in the gap of injustice for those who cannot fill the gap themselves.
I feel privileged to be part of a ministry that is making a difference in this area. The top picture is a picture of me standing in front of Lady Justice, I think there is such symbolism in that photo. I feel called to stand in the gap of injustice for those who cannot fill the gap themselves.
If you would like more information on how you can help your local church in this ministry go to the following website: Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and Justice, Inc.
Heavenly Father, we pray Lord that you would use each of us to minister to the world, to let others who are in need of a touch from You, see You in our cracks and brokenness. We pray for those that are affected by human trafficking, that you would protect them, show them that they matter and help us in our ministry to them. Amen