Home > Today's Christian
> Today's Culture
> Music
Taking On a Giant
When Natalie Grant stumbled across the tragedy of child sex trafficking in South Asia, the popular singer knew she had to do something.
By Natalie Grant as told to Melissa Riddle
 1 of 4
To tell you the truth, I'd been dragging through one of those seasons when there were simply not enough hours in the day. Too many expectations and obligations were beginning to take their toll. So I'm sure I wasn't particularly tuned in for anything life-altering. I didn't have time for any big revelations. But when God's got something to show you, it's amazing what He can use to get your attention.
I just wanted to zone out in front of the TV. An episode of Law & Order popped on the screen as I curled up in my favorite leather chair with a cup of tea. I knew that the cases portrayed on Law & Order were always based on real issues—"ripped from the headlines," the commercials would blare. But I couldn't believe what I was seeing: 10, 11, 12-year-old girls in cages, shipped over to America to be used as sexual slaves, forced into prostitution. As I sat there in my comfortable home, in my chair with my teacup in hand, I thought to myself, There is no way that is true. I mean, maybe somewhere else in the world, but not here in America. I had never even heard the term "human trafficking."
I grabbed my laptop, Googled the words, and was horrified by what I read, by what I saw. There, on my computer screen, were the faces of beautiful, sweet girls, living in cages, their sad eyes staring out at me. "Do you see me?" they seemed to plead.
The faces and facts were staggering: 6 million children are sold and abused worldwide, some as young as 5 and 6 years old. At least 25,000 children shipped to America, to be used as sex slaves here in the land of the free. As if homelessness and poverty are not tragic enough, some of these children are kept in cages and forced to perform heinous, unfathomable acts 50 and 60 times a day.
"Do you see me?"
Mysterious ways
How could this be happening? Why had I never heard anyone talk about it?
As I stared at the screen, numb from the stories of these sweet children who'd been robbed of their innocence and freedom, I cried. I bawled. I was broken that such evil could exist in the world—and that I could be so unaware, so blind to it.
That night on the Internet, I found two faith-based organizations devoted to rescuing children from prostitution and giving them a chance at a healthy life: Shared Hope and International Justice Mission.
It was like a light went on in my head. The next morning, I called the 800 number for Shared Hope and started rambling like a mad woman about what I'd seen the night before and how I was a singer and that maybe I could help tell people about this tragedy.
The young woman on the phone said, "Okay, slow down. Let's start with your name." When I told her my name, she said, "Natalie Grant? Natalie, I was at your concert last week!"
Browse More Today's Christian
Home | People of Faith | Stories of Hope | Today's Culture
Build Your Faith | Laughing Matters | Archives | Contact Us
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Try Today's Christian Woman Free!
|
 |
|
No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.
If you decide you want to keep Today's Christian Woman coming, honor your invoice for just $17.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless.
Give Today's Christian Woman as a gift
Order a gift subscription!
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| |
|
