Right now, thousands of mothers, daughters, and sisters in dangerous regions around the world are at high risk for being trafficked and forced into slavery. At Christmas, vulnerable girls in these volatile places and situations don’t hope for toys or fine fashions. They hope for the priceless gifts of protection, rescue and restoration.
As this year comes to a close, remember what we’ve done together:
- In the places where She Is Safe works, 20,803 people, mostly women and girls benefited from a program of prevention, rescue and restoration.
In India, we know the reality:
- Eight million people are trapped in modern slavery, mostly women and children.
- An estimated 135,000 children are trafficked annually, mostly into forced labor and the commercial sex trade.
Yet, in India, we hear this voice rise:
“My mother worked in the red-light area until she died of HIV/AIDs. I was rescued from that place and here [at the She Is Safe-sponsored Restoration Home] I have everything I need. I know I am special and I can become independent,” says Devi*.
In South Sudan, we know the reality:
- Due to the ongoing war, there has been widespread displacement of about 2.2 million people outside of the country and 1.5 million people within the country. This instability fuels other risks to the safety of women and girls, including intimate partner violence and underage pregnancy.
Yet, in this very dangerous place to be female, we hear this voice rise:
“My husband died in the war, and I wondered what would happen to my children and me. My neighbor told me about She Is Safe. Through them I have learned how to start a small business. Now my children have enough to eat and are safely in school where they can learn,” says Hiba*.
Throughout this year, we have heard similar voices rise in the Middle East, Nepal, Myanmar and Indonesia.
This year together we have made an immediate, tangible change for those who would otherwise be forgotten. They are receiving the gifts that matter – safety, freedom, new found faith.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior—and the new life we experience through Him—please pray for those still in the grip of darkness. Pray that they will know that the Light of the World has come. He has come for us all.
Merry Christmas.