Imagine for a moment, a world with no hope. Your trust in others has been lost, and you no longer know who or what to have faith in. An involuntary wall is put up anytime you’re introduced to someone new, knowing that they might also betray you. Simply put, you’ve been dragged down a dark road and seem to be trapped there.
There are millions of people across the globe who are living without hope. More specifically, millions who have been stripped of their freedom when they became victims to human sex trafficking. These people have become lost in this dark reality, unsure of how to escape, or if it’s even escapable.
Fortunately, there are people who desire to see these victims freed from this existence. Deborah, a worker with GEM in France, is one of them. Her goal is not only to see a decline in human trafficking but to bring hope back into the victims’ lives. “Our primary goal is to share the gospel with the women. We believe really strongly that that’s what differentiates us from some of the other groups in Paris,” she says.
“We owe much, in many cities, to the secular and Catholic organizations who’ve done research, started street work, or paved the way for Christian organizations like us,” Deborah says appreciatively. “However, they don’t offer the women the same type of hope,” she says as she remembers a story of a woman who was rescued by a secular organization. “She had left the streets physically, but mentally she was not much further along than she was before… she still felt that she had no worth.”
Some of the most powerful stories are of women who haven’t even left the streets yet; “This one girl,” Deborah starts, “she hadn’t left the streets yet but wanted to, had written a worship song… She sang it for us, and it was so beautiful because the lyrics were essentially, ‘I look around and I see everyone else is carrying their god forward, but my God carries me, and I see everyone else searching for God, but my God searches for me, I see everyone else being used by their god, but my God cares for me and protects me’. I just felt so much of the power of God in that moment.”
Imagine, a world where hope is within reach, promising to be renewed!
“The goal is to walk alongside these women in a discipling-type role,” Deborah states as she discusses what ministry looks like after the women have left the streets. While women may be free from their physical bondage, their psychological bondage ties up their ability to trust. It takes a lot of time for women to trust others again. Deborah admits: “Aftercare is a long-term process, something that takes years usually.”
This trust can begin to grow before they’re even free. “We would go out once a week [or two], and we’d start with prayer time… Then we’d go out on the streets and try to start conversations with these women,” Deborah explains. After building rapport with the women, the team began exchanging phone numbers, sharing the gospel, and eventually helping them with any paperwork or legal documents needed to start their lives afresh.
Christians who take a stand against human trafficking are vital: because of them, those trapped in the system can experience the life-changing effects of God’s perfect love. Let’s pray together for their continued faithfulness and passion, that their efforts will change lives, and that others across the globe will take what they’ve learned and consider joining this type of ministry as well.
If this ministry strikes a chord in your heart, we’d encourage you to learn more. One excellent resource that comes recommended from our Christian workers is www.defenddignity.ca. You can start to make an impact today, wherever you are, and if you have questions, please be in touch with us and we can help connect you with the right people and resources.
