These are my daughters, ages 6 and 8. They are modeling the goofy mustaches I had crocheted for my brother-in-law and his wife last Christmas. The girls love to play cowgirls, draw, dance, ride their bikes, climb trees, and bake. They are not afraid of spiders, a little afraid of the dark, and, in general, enjoy school. Could you imagine if the only life they knew was living with a group of girls in a dark building, being exploited by men day and night?
Two Sundays ago, when I heard the stories told by Sara Groves and the pastors of Menlo Park Presbyterian, I was appalled, to say the least, and struck by the fact that they were describing children the same age as my own. Girls, and I do mean girls, were sold by their own families for this sickening, ugly business. Some were kidnapped, beaten, threatened, and forced into this life. One girl attended a Bible class on the weekdays, but disappeared on weekends so her grandmother could sell her. The price for one girl? Sometimes $5. Sometimes $30. And the numbers of girls entrapped in this form of slavery? More than we know.
Sara Groves is working with International Justice Mission to help girls like these. But they are not the only ones who need help. In some countries, innocent people are put in jail for the crimes the police commit. Pastors are arrested. People have homes taken from them. Please go to the IJM website to find out more.
I plan to support IJM. Maybe putting a face, my daughter's face, to a statistic will convince you to do so also.
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