“We thought slavery was abolished in the 19th century. We were wrong.”
The quote is from a YouTube video about the A-21 Campaign (shorthand for “Abolishing Injustice in the 21st Century”). During Black History Month, Americans celebrated how far the country has come from of the bondage of slavery. Not all people are free, however. In other parts of the world, women and children, some as young as 2, are sold through sex trafficking and remain slaves for the rest of their lives. In this decade, human trafficking has become the number one crime worldwide.
On two recent Sundays at New-Spring Church – based in Anderson and broadcast to campuses in Greenville, Columbia, and Florence – a guest speaker from Sydney, Australia, discussed the issue. “Human trafficking is growing faster than weapons and drugs,” Christine Caine said, “and 1,838 women and children are sold for sex everyday. That’s one sale every 47 seconds.”
Caine and her husband have devoted their lives to telling others about the crisis. “Our goal is to rescue, restore and rebuild the lives of young women in human trafficking,” Caine said, “Ninety-nine percent of victims are not rescued. If we can help the life of just one girl, it is worth it.”
Caine told of Maria, a 16-year-old girl from a poor family. She was looking for a job to earn money for her family and saw an ad for a waitressing position in Turkey. When she arrived, she handed in her passport and documentation. When she returned to her room to rest, four men in police uniforms burst in and assaulted her. She was spirited away to Greece, where she was repeatedly violated. She felt trapped and without hope. After being rescued by A-21, she is now working her way toward a newlife and a new love in Jesus Christ.
For more information about the A-21 Campaign, visit www.thea21campaign.org.
– Alexander is a student at North Greenville University.