FIGHTING SEX TRAFFICKING

I have been fighting sex trafficking in Boston for the past eight years. My exposure to this horror began in college. I heard a presentation from the founder of “Not for Sale” about modern day slavery and human trafficking. I couldn’t believe how much was happening right here in the United States. I was shocked and horrified. I heard a clear calling from the Lord to get involved somehow. I began an internship and naively thought all I needed to do is tell everyone, and then it would stop. I soon realized human trafficking is overwhelmingly complicated. I encountered my first “survivor” of commercial sexual exploitation while interning. She shared with me the first time someone tried to buy her, it was a police officer. Wow! My world shook a bit. If a police officer is buying girls, then who is helping them? Who can they trust? I began to see a devastating truth: many people know about it, are participating in it, and benefiting from it. After college, I got involved full time. I saw clear gaps in this fight against trafficking. There was and is a desperate need for survivors to have safe housing, and a need for a place to teach those who want to get involved. Most of the experts in the field are too busy to teach. I discovered the ugliness of the politics behind funding, because if a grant runs out, the work stops. This was all so frustrating. I felt I needed to help connect people: those who wanted to get involved needed a place to learn, and people with resources needed to connect with those who had none. And that is what I was able to do. One of these connections founded Amirah, a safe-house for those who have been trafficked. I also partnered with The Emanuel Gospel Center to build a ministry called the Abolitionist Network. This ministry is primarily geared towards gathering research, all in the hopes of discovering answers and solutions. There are times I have felt completely overwhelmed by this work, and the darkness feels so close I can almost touch it, but I cling to the promises of God. He is bigger and He will get the victory in the end. There is a lot of darkness, but there is also Hope! Hope in Jesus. Some day, He will fully restore all things, but until then, we get to be a small part of bringing His kingdom here on earth.