“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2.
Even though the Thai's Buddhism does not have a caste system and those outside that are not considered to be living, breathing people just like everyone else like India's Hinduism does, there is still the concept of karma, reincarnation, and lower plains of existence. Human trafficking is a problem in Thailand, as well as other places, but I am going to focus on Thai women.
Woman are held at a much lower level of life as the men and as human trafficking defines, are many times traded, although illegally, as payment for debts or other such dealings. The dictionary definitions of trafficking are as follows: vehicles moving on a road or public highway, or the action of dealing or trading in something illegal. The fact that it is illegal to traffic humans: men, women, and children is illegal does not seam to stop those who do not like to follow the law to slip in between the cracks. These women once traded are treated with as much dignity as the untouchables in India and other Hindu populations, as if they did not live, breath, have hearts or walk the earth in a manner worth of being called human. Pets in America are treated in better regard as these women who are used as slaves, receive beatings, and are victims of sexual assaults. An article from from gvnet.com gives an example of human trafficking for children explaining that, “On a monthly basis, a small number of children vanish. These children, ... are forced into working as beggars, laborers and prostitutes in Malaysia, Bangkok and Nakhon Sawan. It has also been reported that the children are badly maltreated by those who employ them, even giving them electric shocks if they don’t bring in sufficient money from begging. Some of the schemes that the immigrants perpetrate are: selling their children, luring some away and stealing others, even hiring out babies for 20 Baht daily to be used as fronts for begging.”
One reason, in addition to my home that human trafficking is resolved, that I chose to create a blog on this issue is because I heard about a business called Night Light International in another class this semester. It is a company located in Thailand and in the United States that targets women who have been victims of this human trafficking and sexual immorality in which their self-esteem and self-worth are greatly diminished. Night Light provides lodging and jobs for them, seeking to provide them with freedom, relationships, love, a chance to find their dignity and discover a way to live and make a living in their community by making the beautiful jewelry shown on their site.
Night Light has taken that leap to help fix a global problem one step at a time, and whether they know it or not, make an impact for the Kingdom of God. There are so many issues in this world like starvation, homelessness, etc. that right now we cannot go and address personally within a suffering area, but we can contribute to that difference by praying for and donating to that cause. Personally, I want to start purchasing the lovely jewelry from Night Light International.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and, Love your neighbor as yourself. ...A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ...But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ...Go and do likewise.” Luke 10: 27, 30, 33-34, 37b.
Wow. I was aware that this kind of mistreatment of children was happening around the world, but never realized the details. Like being electrically shocked if not enough money if brought, or the rent-a-baby schemes. SO WRONG.
ReplyDeleteIt's awesome that you're so passionate about it. I actually heard about an organization like night light on a John Walsh special a few weeks ago. You'd never know how much of that is actually going on all around us. There is a trafficking ring in Rancho Cucamunga, the cops are having a hard time catching them. You should really join International Justice Mission on campus! This is like their main focus!
ReplyDeleteSo sad.
ReplyDeleteHopefully we can all unite to stop this from happening
ReplyDeleteThis was a great blog. These women face extremely scary situations in life and I find myself complaining about small things in comparison to what they go through.
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