Human Trafficking Report Card

I just read an evaluation of the 2010 U.S. Trafficking Report that was released today. It underscores how big of a problem human trafficking really is. Amidst all of my excitement over the World Cup, I am deeply saddened to think about the human trafficking trade that will reap huge monetary benefits from the crowds of fans gathering in South Africa. Even ESPN has a report about this. In a sidebar, they even have a definition of human trafficking.

Human trafficking usually begins with a false promise of an opportunity.**

Through coercion or deception, and sometimes force, traffickers lure people into exploitative situations. A person does not have to cross a border into another country to be trafficked. In fact, in South Africa, internal trafficking is as much a problem as, if not more than, external trafficking. According to the U.S. State Department's most recent (2009) Trafficking in Persons report, "The government of South Africa does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, however, it is making significant efforts to do so."

Will you join me in taking a moment to grieve, pray, and mourn for the least of these who are oppressed and taken advantage in this way? Will you get angry and feel the heart of God for these voiceless slaves? A phrase that has struck with me from my Hebrew classes is "ad-matay Adonai?" (that's just my own loose transliteration). It means, "How long, O Lord?" I think about atrocities like this, and then I think about the innocence of my own sons. I would be beside myself (homocidally) if it were my own kids, how much more is God angered that his image bearers, especially the children, are oppressed in this way? As I think about this, the doctrine of God's justice actually brings comfort and hope, not in a condemning way, but in a vindicating way. The brothels may be hidden from our sight, but they are not from God's. Kids may be moved invisibly across borders, but God sees and He will not let it go unaddressed. This makes me cry all the more, "ad-Matay Adonai"!