Into The Heart of Darkness (Part I of IV)
Posted on October 13th, 2009.by Christie Weehunt, 23
-India Office Liaison for Sower of Seeds International Ministries
In the summer of 2009, a group from S.O.S. dressed in Indian attire and entered Asia’s largest red light district to pray for the prostitutes working inside. Guiding us were several Indian women who minister daily to these forgotten daughters. What we saw on the streets and in the brothels was dark and horrible, but deeper still were the seeds of Christ, shining like lamps of hope.
His eyes are on His precious ones, and He is hungry for their redemption.
The Darkness
A few facts…
- Human trafficking: The act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receipt of persons by use of force, coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or vulnerability, or giving of payments to a person in control of the victim. Victims are purposed for sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, or removal of organs.
- In India, there are over 3 million sex trafficking victims, 1.2 milllion of them are children. Girls between 10 and 12 fetch the highest price. They are thrown in cages for up to 3 years while they are repeatedly raped, beaten, and tortured until they lose all of their will. Then they are sent out on the streets as prostitutes, making money for their captors.
I was told we were dressing up in Indian outfits to take Lisa Bevere and Jeanne Rogers to minister in the darkest, dirtiest corner of Asia: the largest red light district. I had no idea what it would be like, but I knew I would never forget the day.
As we walked down the crowded, narrow lanes, we had to step carefully over the heaping piles of trash and sewage at our feet. Rats scurried everywhere. It was late morning and the district was slowly waking up after a night’s work. Women were playing with their children and doing each other’s hair. Street vendors were making breakfast and selling tea. Tables full of pimps were out playing cards and relaxing.
Walking into that first brothel was like walking into a slum house. There were probably twelve women my age crowded around our team as we entered. We squeezed into the front room–as many women as could fit. A curtain blocked the entrance to their “rooms.” Small children mingled all around. An occasional customer came by, but the madame turned them away at the door. Her girls had special visitors.
I was mesmerized by the place, the faces. I looked at each of the women present, captured by what I saw in their eyes. Some blankly stared outside, others cried. I wanted to know each woman’s story, where she was from, how she ended up here.
But for a little geography, it could have been me.
Check back to read Part II tomorrow… “Trapped in the Darkness”
Take a pledge to end this horrible form of slavery…
We ask for your commitment to pray for the rescue of girls trapped in slavery, being informed about issues related to trafficking and spreading the word that we are not powerless in the fight against slavery.
I pledge to do all I can to see an end to this injustice:
Tags: Human Trafficking
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I’m heartbroken, but also full of hope. God come in power!!!
thank you for sharing this
I feel like I’m there again… As hard as it is, I can’t wait to read the rest!
“Her girls had special visitors”. Gives me chills all over!! Hoping that someday I’ll be one of those visitors. So thankful for the light that is shining on such a dark place.
“His eyes are on His precious ones, and He is hungry for their redemption.” Incredible words.
Reality here is heartbreaking and real and that’s why this is awesome stuff, Chris. With you.
truly horrific and a sight to witness I’m sure. I am so sad for those girls and my heart sinks when I think of them compared to my own daughter. how can we help? how can we make a difference?
Katy, Thanks for the comment. We are not powerless! Have a look at these suggestions for some starting points.
It must have been all that you could do to not try and administer an attitude of “righteous anger”. If Jesus kicked up a storm with the tax collectors in his temple…. Imagine what he’d do to these evil evil people exploiting thes little “princesses”.
I could not go there at this point in my life. I would either be arrested by a corrupt police officer or shot for trying to administer what is not mine to administer….. As in I’d probably try and start pulling the girls out and beating the living daylights out of these “devils”. I am much better to pray from afar…. For the people who can go in and appropriate Gods love to these girls… in times when they may not even recognise Gods face much less their own faces!!