Smuggling Justice Out

It is better to be a whore in the US than poor in another third world country. That is the argument used recently by a prosecutor in a case where 10 young women (5 who were under 18) were smuggled into Los Angeles. “A federal court jury convicted five people in connection with a plot to lure impoverished young women from Guatemala to the US with the promise of legitimate jobs, only to then force them into prostitution to repay their supposed debts for being smuggled into the country.”—LA Times (2/11/09) It is typical for individuals to have to pay over $5,000 to be smuggled into the country, but usually at the expense of abuse, neglect, prostitution or worse. These women were expecting to work as baby sitters, housekeepers and waitresses, but their hopes for a better life in the US were exploited by others. “In often tearful testimony during the trial, the victims described having sex with up to 30 men a day. Several testified that they were forced to work while ill or menstruating, or both.” They were threatened with violence and witchcraft if they tried to escape. One 17 year old girl, Esperanza, (whose name in Spanish means “hope”) was told her legs would be cut off and here entire family killed, while another was told acid would be thrown on her face. These are girls that were still decorating their bedrooms with stuffed animals even after being taught how to dress and work like a prostitute.

Many men, women and children travel to the US from all across the globe looking for a better future,
yet what guarantee is there that they will find a future that offers hope, peace, justice and love? (Source: Corbis)

Justice is what love looks like in public.

Smuggling justice and love out…what looked hopeless, what looked damaged, what seemed ruined God has rebuilt. People are coming into this country both legally and illegally looking for something. Generally it is peace from war, relief from famine or poverty, freedom from oppression or just a better life with hope for the future—money, health benefits, security.

We, as a family, want to love and care for the immigrant—legal or illegal. We want to see broken lives restored by God’s mercy and grace. We want to see prostitutes restored and able to feel and serve God with their whole lives—no longer living in fear, hardened by pain and numbness.

Our strategy is to go into one of these hot bed cities (Los Angeles) where people are daily arriving wave after wave and fill them up with the love and goodness of God—the restoration and redemption of Christ. Then, after ministering to them effectively and training them up, we seek to send them out—smuggling them out to return to their countries of origin or fellow people living around them so that they can effectively reach their families, neighbors and culture for Christ.

• Each year, an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into the United States. The number of U.S. citizens trafficked within the country each year is even higher, with an estimated 200,000 American children at risk for trafficking into the sex industry.
  (U.S. Department of Justice. 2004. Report to Congress from Attorney General John Ashcroft on U.S. Government Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons in Fiscal Year 2003. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice.)
  
• The largest number of people trafficked into the United States come from East Asia and the Pacific (5,000 to 7,000 victims). The next highest numbers come from Latin America and from Europe and Eurasia, with between 3,500 and 5,500 victims from each.
  (U.S. Departments of Justice, Health & Human Services, State, Labor, Homeland Security, Agriculture, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. 2004. Assessment of U.S. Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice.)
  

Robbing a girl’s innocence and childhood. Los Angeles is a city of opportunities and pitfalls.
From left, child prostitutes from Ningxia, China, Tijuana, Mexico and Poipet, Cambodia.
(Photo: From left, Mark Leong/Redux; James Whitlow Delano/Redux; Q. Sakamaki/Redux )

Rejoice for these answered prayers:
· Our monthly support has gone up 10% in the last 2 weeks.
· Chad has had two weeks of non-stop substitute jobs and has 2 more weeks already booked.

Please pray with us about the following:
· A continued increase in monthly support. Our goal is $700 of new monthly support by March.
· Freedom to the captives! There are men, women and children in literal and spiritual slavery that must be set free. Join with us as we weep over the injustice and cry out to God for mercy. We want to be part of the solution. Use us God!!!

Thank you for sharing these moments with us as we shared our heart.


That the lost might find Jesus,
Chad & Fabiola Wolyn


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A compilation of some verses that have given deeper faith and direction to our prayers this week:

“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed.” Psalm 9:9

“He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy.” Psalm 72:4

“He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.” Psalm 72:14

“Yet their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land…” Jeremiah 50:34

“…Morning by morning He dispenses his justice...” Zephaniah 3:5