I have read and researched human trafficking, I have walked and ministered in red light districts, but nothing has made me more aware of the tragedy more than what I am about to tell you.
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a very dear friend, who had just gotten back from Europe. She had been traveling all over the EU because of her career. Her first stop was in Istanbul, Turkey. We talked a lot about all of her adventures, especially the very insane ones that occurred in that city. My ears perked up when she began to tell me that her hotel was right next to a BROTHEL. She told me that one night she heard someone screaming. She ran to peek at what was going on. All she saw was a girl wearing an itty bitty tube top and high heels. She called one of her guy friends to help, to do something. They decided to call security at the front desk. Security was very hesitant to get involved, but because of their insistency security came to investigate. All the while, my friend hears this rustling going on in the room next to her. She overhears the conversation security has with the "gentleman" next door. He tells security that he bought the girl from the brothel next door, that she was "BOUGHT and PAID FOR". That when she screamed, he started CHOKING her. What did security do? They dragged her away.
Needless to say, I could not bear to finish my lunch. My heart was broken in so many ways. I can only imagine this girl's story. She was probably trafficked to this brothel. Her life is a living Hell. If she was not abused by the hotel security for causing them "trouble with the Americans" she was most definitely beaten and abused by the brothel owners, for screaming; if not murdered.
So many emotions ran through me, but the strongest one was anger. Who does this western "John" think he is, to buy a person, for his own sick pleasure to abuse as he wants? To choke her for not submitting to him? This was not how people were intended to be.
In Genesis, it says that God created male and female. He created us differently, but equally. Scripture states that a wife is to submit to her husband. This does NOT mean that all women need to submit to all men. I feel like, a lot of times men have this mindset to rule over women, and this has been testified to be true by men in the book "The Johns" which explores "why men who buy sex, do what they do.' Sin and Satan, are at work in distorting God's word in the minds of millions of men all over the world.
The more I encounter the "John's" the more I am drawn to pray for them. My anger at them does no good. They don't know me, they can't feel my anger. However, my God hears my prayers, and He wants to work in these guys. In His timing they will feel my prayers. They will come to know the God who sent His one and only Son so that their sins can be BOUGHT and PAID FOR.
When the men stop buying sex, women will stop being sold for sex. Please join with me and praying for the sex tourists all over the world. That they will be see the depravity of their sins and turn from it. Pray for their REDEMPTION that instead of buying sex they will become abolitionists!
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to have lunch with a very dear friend, who had just gotten back from Europe. She had been traveling all over the EU because of her career. Her first stop was in Istanbul, Turkey. We talked a lot about all of her adventures, especially the very insane ones that occurred in that city. My ears perked up when she began to tell me that her hotel was right next to a BROTHEL. She told me that one night she heard someone screaming. She ran to peek at what was going on. All she saw was a girl wearing an itty bitty tube top and high heels. She called one of her guy friends to help, to do something. They decided to call security at the front desk. Security was very hesitant to get involved, but because of their insistency security came to investigate. All the while, my friend hears this rustling going on in the room next to her. She overhears the conversation security has with the "gentleman" next door. He tells security that he bought the girl from the brothel next door, that she was "BOUGHT and PAID FOR". That when she screamed, he started CHOKING her. What did security do? They dragged her away.
Needless to say, I could not bear to finish my lunch. My heart was broken in so many ways. I can only imagine this girl's story. She was probably trafficked to this brothel. Her life is a living Hell. If she was not abused by the hotel security for causing them "trouble with the Americans" she was most definitely beaten and abused by the brothel owners, for screaming; if not murdered.
So many emotions ran through me, but the strongest one was anger. Who does this western "John" think he is, to buy a person, for his own sick pleasure to abuse as he wants? To choke her for not submitting to him? This was not how people were intended to be.
In Genesis, it says that God created male and female. He created us differently, but equally. Scripture states that a wife is to submit to her husband. This does NOT mean that all women need to submit to all men. I feel like, a lot of times men have this mindset to rule over women, and this has been testified to be true by men in the book "The Johns" which explores "why men who buy sex, do what they do.' Sin and Satan, are at work in distorting God's word in the minds of millions of men all over the world.
The more I encounter the "John's" the more I am drawn to pray for them. My anger at them does no good. They don't know me, they can't feel my anger. However, my God hears my prayers, and He wants to work in these guys. In His timing they will feel my prayers. They will come to know the God who sent His one and only Son so that their sins can be BOUGHT and PAID FOR.
When the men stop buying sex, women will stop being sold for sex. Please join with me and praying for the sex tourists all over the world. That they will be see the depravity of their sins and turn from it. Pray for their REDEMPTION that instead of buying sex they will become abolitionists!
