I have twice seen the action packed movie Taken staring Liam Neeson. The film tells the story of a teenage girl kidnapped and sold by a prostitution ring. Her father, played by Liam Neeson, is a highly skilled retired government agent who sets out to rescue his daughter. Throughout the movie one sees the horrendous exploitation of women mostly teenagers and college aged youth kidnapped and drugged, some for the purpose of brothels and others to be sold to extremely wealthy buyers.
This movie shows the harsh reality of what is going on in our world today. The sex slave industry is growing in the criminal world and affecting nearly every country. Organizations such as Wellspring International a humanitarian arm of the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries work to come along side and fund legitimate organizations that are working to bring help to the women and children who are victims of this criminal activity.
As I viewed pictures in the gallery and read stories of the women and children not unlike the women depicted in the blockbuster hit Taken, my heart broke for these precious people who are being so horrendously mistreated. Hundreds of thousands of victims are continually being subjected to this profitable crime wave of the sex slave trafficking.
Invisible Children is another faith based organization that is working to provide relief to the victims of slavery. Invisible Children works in Uganda raising awareness and providing aid to the thousands of children being abducted and made into child soldiers.
As I read down the list of organizations on Wellsprings website working to bring social justice to the downtrodden victims of modern slavery I saw just how large the need is and how much help is needed to end these problems and bring healing and restoration to the victims.
I recently heard Rick Warren on CSPAN speak to a group of Muslim dignitaries from the United Nations appealing to a multi-faith effort to curb the violence and victimization in the world. He asked for a joint effort to work in the countries in Africa and the Middle East to bring relief. He said the governments haven’t been able to bring social justice. Maybe a united effort of faith based organizations could bring hope where the governments could not.
The answer to all these problems is love. If we love each other we would not enslave people and victimize children. And love is the cure for the hearts broken by abuse. I do also want to support the work of the organizations already on the ground loving these people in red light districts, and brothels across the world.
I recently listened to a pastor and his wife speak about how they travel the world with their team visiting the garbage dumps in third world nations to just simply love the people living there amongst the rubbish. They bring them love, music, food and they hug on them showing them there is someone who cares. They also hang out with any marginalized group especially the gypsies who are highly ostracized. They hang out with them, love them, heal their sick, and provide food and care for them. Love is a universal language that meets the needs of the most desperate people on the earth. That love comes from the Father who gives it to his children to give to the world so that the world can know that the Father loves them.
Love is not just a feeling, it’s something tangible we gain more of the closer we are to our Father, and the more we give it away. He gives it to us, we love Him back with it, and that increases it to even greater tangibility, and then we give it away to others. The more we give, the more we receive to give.
Jesus had compassion on the prostitutes and the woman caught in adultery. He showed them loving kindness for it was only love that could heal their broken hearts and spirits and bring healing life to their souls. His love is still working in the world today and each person has the wonderful opportunity to give some away. The awesome thing is, when you give it away you don’t have any less you have even more.
5 comments:
Here is my one line review of Taken: "If I ever decide to kidnap someone's daughter, it will not be Liam Neeson's!"
In my estimation, most people who do not show love, are people who have not been shown love.
Loving people can be quite transformative.
True on all three points.
Karla - I've just posted a YouTube explanation of Evolution that you might find interesting. It misses out a few steps but should give you the gist.
Hi Karla,
You write well. I appreciate the fact that you're able to take a global and detached (from your ego--'ego' as in a term of psychology) by showing empathy, which has been missing in a large proportion of people.
I don't agree with a few things in this post, but won't discuss it here because primary purpose of my commenting was appreciating (which I've already done in my previous paragraph).
One practical suggestion: all those marginalized people would be greatly benefited if their employability could be improved. This could be through imparting education and teaching skills that would make them attractive prospective employers. The primary reason for exploitation of any kind is unavailability of an alternative. So maybe by improving their employability, while empower them against exploitation of any kind.
TC.
I agree Ketan, Rick Warren's address actually talked about how much money is sowed into Africa with no results because giving more money only fixes symptoms and not the root problem. He spoke of educating and enabling people to work thus giving them purpose and value in providing for themselves instead of being dependent upon anyone who comes along who could take advantage of them. I fully agree.
Also, Ketan, you can ask me about or respond to things you don't agree with. I don't bite.
Post a Comment