Rescue: Sex Trafficking Victims

The Song

When I hear the song “Rescue” by @laurendaiglemusic, I always have one dominant image come to mind: the young woman on the street corner in Little Haiti in Miami who was the first real “prostitute” I ever saw or talked to. Her face is etched into my memory. The tears that welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks as we offered her help out of the “life” continue to haunt me almost 10 years later. The brief encounter coming to a close because the lookouts were walking toward us, ending our only chance to talk with her and get her out of there, seems even more brief when looking back through the lens of time. Her absence from the street corner less than one minute after we left, with the accompanying thought of what she may then be enduring, haunts me even now.

You Are Not Hidden

To the young woman on the street corner – you were SEEN. You made a tremendous impact on my life. You forever changed my trajectory. I left a piece of my heart on that street corner with you in Little Haiti.

You Are Not Hopeless

To Naveah whom I met two nights later and bought a 2:00am dinner – you have hope. You were scared. You didn’t want to be on the streets where you’d been for 2 days without a break, without rest, without food. You wanted help. You wanted out. But, you were afraid he’d be angry and that you’d be punished. You insisted on going back to the hotel room he said he rented. You insisted. We had to acquiesce. At least you were seen. You were heard. The love you had for your child was evident through our conversation

Though You Have Been Broken

Oh O. How I wonder what happened to you. Are you still alive? Your last phone call to me sounded like a “good bye” phone call – like you knew you’d never talk to me again because you may not live much longer. My mind races with the images of picking you up time and again with blood running down your legs, scared a cop would pull us over after I picked you up at 1am and ask too many questions – particularly with the blood, sitting with you in the hospital as you cried that you wanted to live and have children. Knowing you almost died from loss of blood. Yet, the ties that bound you to your trafficker were just too much. The lies that you had to obey him because he was your father and you have to “Honor Your Mother and Father” or you’d break the Commandments, thus sinning and angering God – are still the epitome of my anger with what traffickers do to bind their victims.

Your Innocence Stolen

No 14 year old should ever think it’s safer on the streets than at home, much less the reality be that the streets are safer. T, that you asked me to hit you because “that’s what [you’re] used to” when being corrected is forever etched in my mind. I still see you standing there telling me that. I still feel that invisible punch in the gut when you said that. And, no 13 year old should think daddy shouldn’t get in trouble for her having sex with his friends for money because she was only “helping him” at his request. In your mind, you agreed to it, consented to it when he asked, so why should he be punished? Your innocence was stolen, yet you don’t even realize it. You, unfortunately, think you gave it away.

I Hear You Whisper Underneath Your Breath

You are heard. You have been hurt before. You’ve been abandoned before by those who proclaimed to love you and care for you. You don’t trust those who want to help because people who wanted to help before simply used you. You’re afraid to say out loud that you want help. You are seen. I see you. The God you don’t believe in sees you and loves you. I hear you as does the God you don’t believe in

I Will Send Out An Army

If you only knew the number of people looking for you. If you only knew the number of people who have spent countless hours looking for you online and on the streets. If you only knew how many prayers have been prayed for you. If you only knew the people whose hearts are pure and want to help you.

There Is No Distance

There truly is no distance that can’t be covered. I’ve traveled all over the United States to transport you. To and from Oakland, Miami, Mobile, Atlanta, Sturgis, Dallas, Indianapolis. And that’s just me. God has used many more to reach you across the United States and the world. No distance can prevent God from reaching you. No distance can prevent those who want to help from reaching you.

I Will Send Out An Army

God has sent an army. I’ve been part of that army. I know countless others who have been part of that army. The army is building. As more people learn who you really are, what this evil is really about, more are joining the fight.

In The Middle Of The Darkest

In the middle of the night, we see you. In the middle of the night, we’ll come for you. I’ve been chased coming to help you. I’ve been stalked coming to help you. The middle of the darkest time for you is where we’ll meet you. The middle of the darkest time for you is where God is, with you, and wanting to help you.

I Will Never Stop

No truer words spoken. God will never stop.

I Will Rescue You

You can get out. You can get help. You can be redeemed. Rescue is near. Don’t give up hope.

Image courtesy of KathySmithImages