In my research and studies about women, I have stumbled across a reality that has shaken me to my core. If you’ve read my posts on The Biblical Role of Women, you are aware that Chavah’s (Eve’s) curse entails man’s propensity to the dominate women. This wasn’t God’s original design; instead, it is the result of the fallen nature.
Little did I know how rampant this facet of the fallen nature manifests in today’s world. If I asked you what the extreme expression of the fallen nature of Adam is toward Eve, what would it be? I believe Adonai has shown me the answer even though I never asked the question. The extreme form of the “curse” is abject slavery. More often than not, it is sexual slavery.
Did you know that there are more people in slavery today than at any other time in human history?[1] Did you know that it is estimated that 80 percent of those in bondage are women and children? How does this make you feel? The more I read and learn about this harsh reality, the more I want to do something about it.
It all started (for me) when I came across a book called Half the Sky[2] by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. These New York Time’s reporters noticed a sickening trend in many of the countries they were reporting from and decided to do something about it. Their book is a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world. They also made a documentary[3] by the same name. If you only read or watch one documentary this year, let this be the one!
Now, I’m not completely naïve. I was fully aware that sex trafficking and slavery are alive and well in the world. But, I was oblivious to how pervasive it actually is. There are an estimated 27 million people in slavery today… TODAY. That’s roughly double the population of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago combined.
I can’t even begin to comprehend that figure. Although slavery is illegal in every country of the world, we have more slaves today than there were 1860.[4] Half the Sky put faces on these numbers. Little girls as young as three are subjected to the vilest forms of sexual abuse and rape. They are bought and sold as if they were a used car; rode and driven and, then discarded for a newer model. Girls rescued from this hell are empty shells of what a child should be. Their distant eyes only reflect apathy, indifference, and emptiness. It’s as if their soul was stripped from their bodies along with their innocence. And this is the daily reality of millions of women, girls, and boys. Can we stand by and do nothing?
The average cost of a slave today is $90 U.S. dollars. Can you imagine $90 standing between you and your freedom and that amount feeling like an impossible dream? I can’t. I can’t even imagine the life of suffering and abuse these millions of people face every day.
I’ve never felt more sick and passionate about a cause before. If I want to walk as Yeshua walked, my heartache and compassion compels me to “set the captives free.”
And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” (Luke 4:17-19)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. (Is. 61:1-3)
I’m still learning about ways I can fight this battle. From what I’ve discovered so far, one of the biggest obstacles to change is lack of awareness. There are way too many people who are like I was: ignorant of slavery’s pervasiveness. We can’t stick our head in the sand this time. This is an issue that touches every nation, tribe, and tongue. It crosses all political and racial boundaries.
I plan on writing more about this issue that has become very dear to my heart. But for now, I leave you with a list of links that can help you educate yourself. We simply must refuse to do nothing.[5]
Links
Responsible Sourcing Tool (Ensure that human trafficking isn’t in your goods supply chain.)
[1] This is according to the research done by Free the Slaves: https://www.freetheslaves.net/SSLPage.aspx
[4] In 1860, there were an estimated 25 million slaves.
[5] This is a reference to a book I’m currently reading on the topic called, Refuse to Do Nothing: Finding Your Power to Abolish Modern-Day Slavery by Shayne Moore and Kimberly McOwen Yim. Available at Amazon.
GRACE in TORAH 
I am the editor of a book entitled Heather’s Tears: The Story of an American Orphan. This true story educates the reader on the plight of foster kids in America. Heather came to me and asked me to help her write her story. I wasn’t exactly interested at first, but as I began to read it, I knew it was a story that had to be told. It is written from the perspective of a child; the reader sees the world through the eyes of a girl who is at the mercy of adult sexual predators. Heather is a Christian now and a testimony of God’s transforming power. Please take the time to at least look at the book. It is available on amazon.com. Half the royalties go to a rescue mission for women. God brought Heather to me as a result of a prayer. I asked God to use me in helping women who are victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. It’s a little scary how God so immediately began to answer my prayer. I am currently working with a young girl in an abusive polygamous relationship.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and reccomend the book. I will definitely look at it! May God bless you for standing up to be a voice for these precious daughters of the King.
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Awesome blog. Could you please find more pictures that reflect people of color…the Eden picture with the fair Adam and even fairer, blonde Eve with the thick featured, black Satan on the First Biblical Role of Women post was particularly offensive to me. I am weary of consistently seeing images that show dark skin as evil or needy only and the face of good and godly as white.
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Charlene,
I’m sorry you are offended; it is not my intent to portray one skin color as better than the other. Usually, the teaching itself is what brings offense and for that I’m not sorry, lol. Personally, I believe that Adam and Eve were both dark skinned people (as well as were most other Biblical characters). All the colors of the rainbow (or in the case of people, all the many colors of earth [dust]) can be extracted from dark colors, but this isn’t so with the lack of color found in “white”. Thus, Adam and Chavah as the ancestors of all mankind would have been dark skinned — at least in my opinion.
When I was trying to find a pic of Adam, Eve, and the serpent, my most pressing focus wasn’t on skin color but on nudity. In my mind, I thought nudity would be more offensive. And most depictions showed nudity. ):
On the other hand, if you’ve read the series on the role of women, I hope it comes through that my desire is for all women (black, red, yellow, white, brown, etc.) to be able to see themselves in the story. All women must learn to see their relationship to the women in the Biblical narratives in order to become (or emulate) the righteous woman rather than the harlot (wicked woman). For we all have the potential for both regardless of our skin color.
By the way, just for added clarity, I’d like to note that the serpent, or in Hebrew, the nachash, literally implies a “shiny” thing. In other words, something with “light”. The serpent wasn’t “dark” at all, as his preferred form is light. After all, he is the one that masquerades as an angel (messenger) of light — from the very beginning.
I’ve been writing about Hebrew numbers, but your comment has stirred me to also add “colors” to my “to write” list. There are some fascinating features to Hebraic thought on color. Each is a contranym. In other words, like all other things, there is both a positive and negative connotation to every color. This only furthers the idea that WE, no matter our “color” must choose righteousness or wickedness.
Lastly, I’ll remove the pic you mentioned when I’m at my desktop. It’s not an accurate depiction for many reasons. I doubt I’ll be able to find one that is. Man is deeply flawed.
Shalom,
K
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Reblogged this on Healing for the Nations with Laura Lee, A Modern Day Samaritan Woman.
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Hi great reaading your blog
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