She is Somebody's Daughter

It's been a full day of meetings while traveling all over the city of Atlanta and its metro area, along with the first night of "official training" with Out of Darkness, so my blog will be short. Second day of "official training" starts early tomorrow (Saturday) morning and I need some rest.

During tonight's training, we watched a brief video about girls and women who were involved in prostitution. They shared their pain, their tears, the abuse they endured from their pimps and johns, and it ended with one woman saying, "I love my mom and I forgive her. I love my dad and I forgive him, but why didn't they come to save me?  Why didn't they come for me?" Another girl had left home because of abuse.  She was picked up by a pimp who promised her a better life and that he would be her "daddy". She said to the interviewer that she had no other options -  no education (couldn't get a job) and no shelters/safe houses available for her.

I share this with you for a few reasons:

• When you see a girl/woman standing on a street and you know they are being sold for sex, please do not be quick to judge, but remember that she is somebody' daughter and that she is not there by choice.  Pray for her.
• The men who pimp women for sex, as statistics report, have likely learned to do this at an early age; have been abused themselves; did not have positive parental role models; and may not realize/understand their treatment of women is not right. Please do not be quick to judge, but pray for them.
• From the training/meetings I have received so far this week, God has laid it on my heart that F.R.E.E. Indiana is more than just being about human trafficking. It's going to be about helping hurting women in the sex trade have a choice (an opportunity) to get out of this trade; go into transitional safe houses and then into long-term care programs.
• What I shared above (video clip) does happen everywhere, including Greenwood; Indianapolis; Franklin; Columbus; Plainfield; Carmel; Fishers; and other cities/towns in Indiana. Our eyes, ears, hearts and minds need to be open to see it and we must be willing to say and do something to help these girls and women created in the image of God.

 Before I sign off, I ask for your prayers as I join several others tomorrow (Saturday) night to do outreach on the streets of Atlanta with the Out of Darkness Outreach Team. I'm praying for Divine appointments with hurting women who need to hear they are worthy; they are valued; they have purpose; and they are beautiful. May He be glorified by what we say and do and may these women see Jesus in us. 

I will do my best to post a blog tomorrow night, after returning from outreach, but forgive me if I am not able to do so.  I understand an outreach like this is very intense and requires much prayer (before, during and after).