Jennifer Roemhildt Tunehag

Our columnists: Lost daughters of the most loving Father

The phone rings. It’s dark, and as you stretch across the bed to reach for the phone, you glance at the red numbers glowing on the alarm clock. 3:45am. Your stomach sinks. This can’t be good.

“…Mom?” It’s your daughter – your youngest – away on holiday with friends for the first time. Her voice trembles as she makes an obvious effort not to cry. “Daddy? I’m lost! I’m really scared. Can you please help me?”

She’s so far away! Your mind races as you pull on your clothes and try to think of who to call. Who is close enough to help? You’d do anything for your little girl!

You’ve found the phone number for a church in the city where your daughter is. You know it’s late, but you’re desperate. The phone rings. . .finally, a voice responds on the other end. A wave of relief washes over you – but she is not out of danger yet! What will you ask for?

God feels the same way about His little girls.

In Europe today, thousands of young women are far from home, forced by pimps, partners, and traffickers to sell their bodies for sex. Each is made in the image of God, shaped by the most loving of all Fathers with dignity and purpose. Some have been tricked by other people; some are tricked by their own desires. But all are trapped! And God the Father’s heart breaks as His daughters are sinned against over and over again - by the violent actions of their customers and captors, and by the inaction of His own people.

God wants to talk to us about the desperate needs of His lost daughters. He wants to tell us of His deep, abiding love for them. And He wants to ask for our help as He labors to deliver them! Who will advocate for these women, and how can the church respond?

An report from the recent All India Congress on Church and Mission gives us some excellent suggestions for intervention.

“To some extent,” the report relates, “the Indian church is already engaged in directly relieving victims of trafficking through para church ministries, NGOs and their Christian employees. ...At the same time, Christians and churches at large can work to stop trafficking in progress using the gifts, resources and relationships they have likely already developed in their ministry.

Share information about suspected sites or perpetrators of trafficking if you can do so without unduly jeopardizing your safety or ministry or that of other organizations. Rescue NGOs can receive and process referrals, as can government agencies. ...[Even] keeping informal records of observations can shed valuable light on anti-trafficking efforts.

Pray for groups working with the government and police to rescue victims – stay in contact to cover specific operations in prayer.

Contribute administrative skills like accounting, filing, errand running, research, writing and editing, translation, or soft skills training for NGO staff. All aspects of information gathering, intervention, prosecution, victim after care and development work require quality administration. Volunteers can provide valuable services in a short time.

Create a ministry specifically among likely trafficking victims – especially [women in prostitution]. Provide medical care, education, child care, friendship and love, or alternative job opportunities for women who can voluntarily get out of sex work. If your church can’t start a ministry of its own, contribute volunteers and money to another church’s efforts.

Enter brothels to befriend and serve sex workers (women).

Confront consumers in ‘red light’ areas to discourage them from going to brothels (men).

Counsel and care for sisters and brothers working on the front lines to stop trafficking – many of them witness and experience trauma regularly and struggle with depression, doubt and despair.”

Next week: how can we prevent our sisters, neighbors, and daughters from being abused and exploited? And what can the church do to aid in their restoration?

TAGS: Jennifer Roemhildt Tunehag Europe human trafficking street outreach Lost Coin ministry columnists

[01/26/2010]

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