"Break my heart for what breaks Yours".
At some point in time, many of us have prayed this prayer.
The Go Team is no exception to this. Throughout the trip, members of the team have been crying out to the Lord for their hearts to break for what breaks His. The day has come, when that prayer really starts to take effect. As the team traveled from Kampong Thom to Phnom Phen today, they had time to prepare their hearts; their ministry was about to have a seemingly drastic change as they moved from village ministry to ministry with women and children who have been exploited for sex.
The fact is:
The sex industry is one of the largest in the world, generating over 28 billion dollars a year. There are 27 million people in the world today that are enslaved. Broken down that means that there are more slaves today than there were in the historic transatlantic slave period.
Today, reality hit. Twenty-seven million was no longer an overwhelming statistic for the members of the Go Team. Today that number was attached to faces.
The team had several amazing opportunities today to breathe life into the women and children who have been aching inside, struggling to survive.
In the afternoon, the ladies of the Go Team went to go work with the SHE Rescue Home. It was there that reality set in as they heard the stories of these children. The youngest girl at the home was only 3 when she was first exposed to one of the most inhumane acts known to mankind. Not even able to read a Dr. Seuss book on her own, this little girl has been gang raped, drugged, and exploited for sex. For two years men took advantage of her, robbing her of her innocence and childhood. The man who is responsible for all the harm that has been done to her is her father, who raped her in order to "prepare" her before he sold her. The hearts of the ladies on the team were beginning to break.The ladies spent the rest of the afternoon with the girls, ranging in ages 5-16, bonding over making simple little bracelets and other crafts.
Meanwhile, the men of the trip were also playing a vital role in the lives of these women and children who were trafficked. If girls are honest with themselves - they'll come to acknowledge that they want to be rescued, essentially they want a hero.Today, the men of the Go team played the roles of heros as they served a rescue home doing manual labor for various projects. While to some it may seem like it was just another random work project, the men understood that this was much more. The men knew that they were setting an example to the women who were trafficked of what real men are supposed to be like. They spent the afternoon working hard, sweating a little, and serving the women. This afternoon they were the warriors, they were the heros.
As night time came, the team prepared themselves as they were about to go down to the place of action: the beer gardens. A place where women are often in forced prostitution, having no choice, and no freedom. The team's ministry was nothing extravagant, it was simple. They chatted over cokes, exchanging stories and details of their lives. As time passed by, the conversations revealed more and more. The hearts of the team were beginning to break as they heard women after women say "I hate this job, I want out!"
These women: are in need of change, are longing for freedom, and are on a quest for love.
The question is this: What does one do now- once they have heard these stories and these desires to escape the industry? One cannot help but crave to do something to change their realities, after all, isn't that what Jesus would do?
The team has invited the women from the beer gardens to a party that will be thrown in their honor. This purpose of this party is to recognize them as women who are precious and valuable in the sight of God. Though it may not be one's normal outreach- tomorrow morning lives will be changed as many of them hear the gospel message, are told they are priceless, and as they are connected with a local rescue home that can help them escape the lifestyle they are in.
Tonight, the team is going to bed with heavy hearts. Their hearts have broken for what breaks the heart of the Father. The Lord is creating a zeal in the hearts of the team to create change and be a light in this dark city.
Tomorrow: Change is coming.
The story continues tomorrow...
Special Request: The Go International team asks that you as our friends and family be in prayer the next 24 hours to our ministry with the women in sex trafficking. In addition to tomorrow morning's party, tomorrow night Go International will be throwing the second annual Night of Refuge, giving the women a night of rest and refuge from their nightly routine and customers. As a team we ask that you pray for wisdom, discernment, safety, an that the Lord would be able to move in and through us as a team, and that He prepares the hearts of the women who will be attending the party. Thank you so much to all of you back at home, we appreciate all your prayers and support.
Written By: Lindsey Clark