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Christianity Today, August, 2008 |

SERIOUSLY DISTURBED

Joining the Resistance

It took seeing seven-year-old prostitutes to jolt me out of my apathy.

Kay Warren | posted 8/13/2008 10:35AM

The person who invented the TV remote control deserves some kind of award. From my comfy recliner, I can cruise through a hundred channels in seconds.

See something unpleasant? Click. Change the channel. ...

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Joan	Posted: August 19, 2008 3:17 PM

As I wrote to Kay more than a year ago (without any response) about her call to action in AIDS work, missionaries and national churches have been on the front lines for years, physically rescuing the innocents who are forced to participate in sex-slavery/trafficking. I'm glad that she is finally seeing the need but like Julie above, wonder what she will do to participate in bringing justice to these children. I urge you, Kay, to contact International Justice Mission or the Remember Nhu ministry, both of which help with the rescue and rehabilitation of these girls. Remember Nhu is affiliated with a home that takes in the girls, giving them unconditional love and helping them to adjust to life of freedom in Christ. Put your money where your mouth is. Many of us have been doing it for years!

Mark A.

Posted: August 15, 2008 10:23 AM


In answer to those who want to act, please check out Justice for Children International, on the Web at www.jfci.org. It is an organization created specifically to bring an end to child sex slavery.

Mark A.

Posted: August 15, 2008 10:23 AM


In answer to those who want to act, please check out Justice for Children International, on the Web at www.jfci.org. It is an organization created specifically to bring an end to child sex slavery.

Claire Jones

Posted: August 15, 2008 1:29 AM

This story totally breaks my "mother's heart". I cannot understand how any man could do such things to a child. Heaven help them, in that day, when it would be better to have a millstone around their necks. These young ones soul and spirit will be damaged for life, because of these things. How evil can the world get? There seems no end or depth to what you hear of next. Thank the Lord on the other end of the scale there is no end to His beauty, purity and Holiness that he is desirous of blessing us with, when we obey Him. Some may be apathetic, others just wink and walk away, but I admire this women for being so appalled that she picked up pen and wrote, for those of us who may be ignorant. The more that hear of it, the better chance of action and change. Many can do what one finds impossible..

Eileen

Posted: August 14, 2008 5:08 PM

We need more eye-opening articles about this obscene human-rights issue - thank you Kay. But at the same time we need to take a look in our own backyard to see the moral decadence that we live in here....Saddleback could do a lot more than pander to politicians in their church who support the human slaughter of millions of unborns....becoming a warrior must start at home and with the most innocent...the unborn. Catering to the liberal left with newsmaking consortiums and political debates is not what the Church is called to do and certainly won't get the job done as it relates to this article. Both the author and the reader must examine their own heart before God and decide where to start making a difference. Kay and Rick Warren have the resources and the clout to actually get something started here but first we must get out of bed with those politicians who not respect human life and really speak out for LIFE!

Mark	Posted: August 14, 2008 9:36 AM

I enjoyed the article. Lets not be to hasty to criticize the writer. Yes we do have child prostitution in our country but it is a worldwide problem. Focusing on our country first and foremost is a selfish approach to the problem. Just because she failed to mention her part in fighting the problem does not meen she is doing nothing. Get out there yourselves do not wait for someone to provide leadership and hold your hands. Visit love146.org and see what part you can take.

Martin

Posted: August 14, 2008 9:08 AM

The subject matter is indeed difficult. As I hear of another's plight, it impells upon me that my life is not about me. Nor is another's life about them. The way we live provides a clear message. The way that others live also provides a message -and no one is illiterate. Everyone reads everyone and everyone has a response. Each moment a response comes forward. Sadly, each one of us has a dying Lazarus at our feet. What should we do? Our culture requires a reformation -now. We need to live for others. When one is under pressure, the true person is revealed. Life (or success) is not about we have, but what we do with what we have. May the good Lord daily direct us to do (and have) as we need, not as we greed. Where do we start? Whereever we are. Sometimes it is an arm's length away, sometimes it is an office away, sometimes it is a block away, sometimes it is a phone call away... it will always be there. Let us live for others... the activity will define our lives.

Grey	Posted: August 14, 2008 8:11 AM

World Vision is doing great work to help solve this problem. The two things we can do right now that would make a real difference one is sponsor a child in places where this problem is the greatest, next go to the world vinsion web site find the link to advocate/seek justice and you can send messages to your leaders in D.C. We all should think about giving up some small thing and use the money we would have spent on that to sponsor a child.It could be a way to observe lent all year.

Sue De Vries

Posted: August 14, 2008 6:44 AM

If we can use economic sanctions and public disapproval to motivate change in the political arena, why not use pressure at the UN level and ASEAN to shame Thailand and other shameless countries into passing laws or enforcing paper laws against this trafficking in children? Then when western men are caught abusing children in this trade, let's extradite them or better yet, let them stew in a hot prison in Thailand for the rest of their natural lives. We can lobby our congressmen and our UN representatives to do something on behalf of our country. We can boycott Thai products. We can stop using Thailand as the Christian Conference Capital of the World, thereby removing our funds from a country that has no moral compunctions.

Michelle

Posted: August 14, 2008 5:19 AM

To Chris, Cathy, Ann, Malissa and Carolyn I say, how sad that you cannot work out something for yourself to take on board and do in your own life, be it at home like some people have suggested or abroad. Do you always have to be told what to do? You're certainly not doing anyone any good by attacking Kay and defending yourselves. How sad that you see yourselves as powerless when we have Almighty God on our side! Zero plus infinity is still infinity! And Mike and Nona - sounds like sour grapes to me, perhaps your only delight is in tearing others down. You don't have to agree with Kay, but your attitude says more about you than it does about her. At least munty13 has something useful to say - listen to someone's experience, talk it over with our Father and decide in your own heart what you can do.

munty13

Posted: August 14, 2008 3:37 AM

I think Kay was asking us to jolt ourselves out of our apathy, not necessarily jump on a plane to Cambodia. It's indivuals that need to change their own belief system, and then those indivuals can influence a society; the greater the number of those indivuals, then the greater shall be their influence. If it's time for you to say, 'There's something wrong with the world, and I want to change it.' You will be then forced to understand that everything we dismiss as 'sick' about our society, is actually active within our very own belief system. We have to learn how to change ourselves before we can even dream of changing a society, but first we have to get angry; throw away the remote control, hell, throw away the TV, and throw a wobbly, 'There's something wrong with the world, and want to change!"

Keith Patterson

Posted: August 13, 2008 11:14 PM

How about stop looking the other way at what is in front of us daily. This is not just in some distant land this is going on all around you, it is in all cities big and small. Women and children being forced into sexual slavery. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world falling behind the trafficking in arms and the drug trade. Forty-three percent of this trafficking is sexual in nature, thirty-two percent is forced labor, and the balance is some combination of the two. Eighty percent of those trafficked are female, fifty percent are children. How about speeking out against the porn, drugs, lifestyles, stickers on our cars windows much less what is written on our clothing. How about starting to stand up for the rights of the unborn. How about teaching our children to respect their bodies, and to worship the Creator not His creation. Do we fear the truth about our own lifestyle. Read John 3:19-21

Wayne

Posted: August 13, 2008 8:39 PM


Even though the subject matter is difficult, I appreciate the author raising awareness of it. The only thing lacking is a practical suggestion or two in how Christians can be part of the solution.

Rita	Posted: August 13, 2008 7:09 PM


Maybe start with Shared Hope International (www.sharedhope.org) and Nightlight Bangkok (www.nightlightbangkok.com). After that? Still figuring it out.

Glenn

Posted: August 13, 2008 6:15 PM


As one who has chosen to do something, let me encourage you to find a front line ministry that is actively involved in rescue, aftercare and transformation of these girls. You can do something, hold up those who are working on the frontline.

Carolyn

Posted: August 13, 2008 5:33 PM

STOP IT! STOP IT! I'm sick and tired of guilt-inducing articles and books that tell me I SHOULD be doing something but give me no practical plan. Yes, I care about these kids -- a lot -- I have daughters of my own. I WANT to do something . . . but what? With limited funds because of our own economy and limited energy because of work demands . . . what???? Give me a plan and stop telling me I SHOULD DO something!

nona	Posted: August 13, 2008 4:52 PM


great kay, now you and your husband can write another book and make more money and make a bigger name for yourself. maybe you can get the buddhis and new agers. ha may be rob bell will help.

Mike	Posted: August 13, 2008 4:43 PM


Yes Kay- What can we do? Talk, Talk, Talk, where's the walk? Are you and your husband willing to lead the way- maybe resign from Saddleback and go and live among these children and help to give them a future? Now something like that may help us all to sit up and take notice.

Michael

Posted: August 13, 2008 4:32 PM

She quotes Leviticus 20:45: "If the people of the land look the other way as if nothing had happened when that man gives his child to the god Molech and fail to kill him, I will resolutely reject that man and his family, and him and all who join him in prostituting themselves in the rituals of the god Molech I will cut off from their people.". What is she suggesting? Should we "kill" all people who fail to meet certain standards? Did she kill any "middle-aged Western men wearing sandals, oversized sunglasses, and ball caps?" Did she "march boldly into enemy territory and set the captives free?" She was already in enemy territory. So what did she do? Apparently, nothing.

Malissa

Posted: August 13, 2008 4:16 PM

I agree with Chris. Where's the plan, Kay? Are you calling for putting up the money to buy these children back and save them from the depravity? What can ordinary people who don't have the funds to fly or "march boldly" to SE Asia personally do to help? What's the strategy? What's the plan? Where's the website with the nuts-and-bolts of your call to action? I really don't want to be uncharitable, but I'm a middleclass mom struggling to raise my own family in a downturned economy working 50 plus hours a week. What can I do to help these children besides praying for them and reading articles that raise my awareness about the problem?

John	Posted: August 13, 2008 4:11 PM


Having seen scenes something like this in a third world country, I can attest to what Kay is writing about is so true. But how do we do anthing about what Kay writes about other than pray?

Marine Officer

Posted: August 13, 2008 4:09 PM


The US military does not condone this wickedness. Servicemembers are accountable to the UCMJ. Something must be done besides condemnation. This is a Human Rights issue that Foggy Bottom can address

Ann	Posted: August 13, 2008 4:09 PM


Like the previous comments, I too was expecting to learn how we can all help to banish this evil, wherever it persists, and was so terribly disappointed that there was no direction. What a pity.

John	Posted: August 13, 2008 3:22 PM


I hardly think anyone needs to march into "enemy territory" to deal with this issue, the underage sex trade in SE Asia is fueled by American & European money. Cut off the flow or sex tourists and you'll end the underage brothels.

Julie

Posted: August 13, 2008 2:35 PM

Like Chris, I was also left wondering what kind of action Kay is going to take now that she sees herself as part of the "resistance." Will she travel to Cambodia and work with national believers to redeem young girls from prostitution, like a missionary couple I know? Will she open a home for these young girls and teach them occupational skills so their parents will be less likely to sell them into prostitution? In what sense has Kay actually walked into enemy territory, and what has she done specifically to help set these captives free? Will she join the International Justice Mission, a Christian organization which is actively involved in rescuing children from slavery and child-sex trafficking? Does she even know of the group's existence? How odd that such a clarion call for action contained no practical suggestions for involvement.

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