Who Gives a Care?

As many of you know, my sleeping is often fueled with nightmares. It's been that way most of my life. A few nights back I woke up with my heart pounding and my breathing rapid.  I immediately started praying, thanking God that my children indeed had not been kidnapped and forced into the sex-slave trade, but also asking God for forgiveness and seeking His purpose in what He wants of me.

Why the frantic reaction and compulsion to repent?

Some months back I read a book entitled, Renting Lacy: A Story of America's Prostituted Children.  In it, Linda Smith, former Congress woman and founder of Shared Hope International, portrays the horrors of America's child sex trade.  Being a woman of action, these realities propelled me to do something.  First off, awareness is key.  How many other people like me think the sex trade is really only a problem in India and Africa?   After all, the only prostitution in our country is in Las Vegas, and those women chose that occupation.  Right?  So many misconceptions had been corrected, I wanted to help others in my community realize this problem too.

I shared some FB notes and asked how many people would be interested in helping me with a fundraiser or dinner/awareness night.  A few did.

But I lost momentum after talking to a dear friend.  She meant well, but her words kind of took the wind out of my sails.  She told me that unless people could see how it would directly affect them, they wouldn't be motivated.  If there wasn't a problem directly tied to their city or a threat to their children, than I probably wouldn't get very far.  I understood what she said, but the thought upset me.  Is that what it means to be changers of the world, Christ's ambassadors?  Only that which directly impacts us will generate compassion?  I hoped it wasn't as true as she projected.  But I let it go.

For several months, maybe even over a year now, I did nothing.  I'd send money to Shared Hope International when I had a little and would read updates on occasion.  But I slumped into the very position my friend said others would be in.  The sex trade didn't stir my world and I started to lose sight of the problem.  I failed to pray. I failed to get involved.  I failed to spread awareness.

And then I had that nightmare. Thankfully, my children are safely at home with me.  But many children are kidnapped, abducted by "boyfriends" and get lost in the sex trade.  Many parents are frantic, searching.  And God reminded me: these are my children.  Are you going to care? Are you going to do what you can? Are you going to listen to Me and pray?

"Will anyone else join me?  Will anyone else care, God?"

And as my mom used to tell us kids, "It doesn't matter.  You worry about you and what you need to do."

So, I will.  I'm not exactly sure what God has for me, but I want to be open to His direction.  I want to be a part of the fight to stop the DEMAND and to bring kids back to restoration and peace.

James 4:17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.