COFFEE CHATS

TINA KADOLPH

BUT WHY?

“What do you hope for?”

The world is in such chaos.

Everyone is fighting for something.

People are fighting for their rights, politics, immigration, and other causes like never before.

These all are important, but so is human trafficking.

But WHY is there no outrage?

I see thousands of people in the streets holding up signs to protest any number of things.

But WHY not for child exploitation?

WHY are people ignoring human trafficking, child pornography, child rape, and child abuse?

Over 2 million children are trafficked around the world every year.

The United States is one of the top-ranking countries for human trafficking. In fact, it is 3rd in the world.

Yes, this is happening to our children in our neighborhoods. Right here. In America.

The average age of a child who is trafficked in the United States is 12 years old. That’s the average. That means there are victims who are older and victims who are much, much younger. THAT should make us want to protest—raise our voices for our children.

But WHY aren’t we protesting?

Every day, children are being bought, sold, drugged, and abused. They are being lured in through gaming, apps, social media, and the internet. These children are becoming victims of heinous crimes.

But WHY do we not crowd the streets for our children?

Instead, we ignore it. Pretend it’s not happening.

If it doesn’t affect us, it’s easy to turn a blind eye.

I wish someone had fought for me.

I wish someone had not just looked and then turned away.

I wish that those who knew of my abuse would have said something. Done something. Fought for me.

But WHY did everyone stay silent?

WHY aren’t we speaking up now?

There are hundreds of thousands of children around the world being affected. Hoping that someone will care enough to help.

But WHY aren’t we screaming at the top of our lungs about this horrible injustice?

One day it could be your family member.

Would you fight, then? Would you care, then? Would you use your voice, then?

Would you fight against manufacturing companies, rich pedophiles, and trafficking rings? Would you fight against websites and apps that allow child pornography to be shown and shared?

Would you fight if your child or a family member had pictures online for others to buy?

But WHY aren’t we fighting for them?

They’re somebody’s child.

It’s a crime that affects us all, even if we don’t want to think about it.

Traffickers don’t care about politics, color, age, gender, socio-economic background, race, religion, ethnicity, or any other demographic.

But WHY do we ignore it as if it couldn’t happen in our family?

WHY don’t we fight against human trafficking like we do all these other things?

WHY aren’t more celebrities and leaders standing up and protesting against those that labor-traffick children or profit off of selling children for sex and porn or harvesting organs?

WHY are these industries making billions of dollars off our children while we turn the other way?

These are supposed to be our most precious, priceless gifts.

God’s precious children.

Our futures.

Our next teachers, lawyers, business owners, nurses, artists, scientists, and presidents.

But WHY don’t we protect them?

Their dreams will never be realized if you, us, we, don’t take a stand for our most vulnerable.

If Christians and the faith community would rise up...

If we would all fight for this like we fight for other things…

We could save our children. And trafficking would end.

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17 NIV).

But WHY don’t we?

Could it be that it’s easier to look the other way?

Could it be that we might just have to make a sacrifice?

It’s time to stand up so that the victims of trafficking are no longer asking, “BUT WHY won’t someone help me?”

I’m a Survivor. Leader. And the President of Love Missions Global, an organization dedicated to educating and fighting for our most vulnerable.

Join me in the fight today. Fight for the ones who can’t fight for themselves. Be the advocate they need.

We can start NOW!

Since writing this article, the movie “Sound of Freedom” has come out. I was invited by Governor DeSantis to come to the governor’s mansion over a year ago to see the trailer. This movie is getting people talking about the horrors of trafficking, which is always good. It’s doing incredible in the box office, even beating out the new Indiana Jones movie. I love all the talk, good or bad, because it brings awareness.

But, as the newness of this movie fades, the talk will die down, and people will no longer be thinking about the atrocity of human trafficking. But for those who have survived this or are still living it, there is no going back.

Watch the movie. Join me in the fight for the vulnerable.

WHOEVER OPPRESSES THE POOR SHOWS CONTEMPT FOR THEIR MAKER, BUT WHOEVER IS KIND TO THE NEEDY HONORS GOD. (PROVERBS 14:31 NIV)

Here are a few ideas on how you can help.

• Like and follow Love Missions Global Facebook and Instagram page.

• Share this article.

• Be a voice. Tell people about the dangers of human trafficking in our country and around the world. We must not be silent.

• Get educated

• Donate to organizations that are working in this field.

• Buy coffee from Palate Coffee Roasters

• Serve at an organization near you

• Fill out the contact form at womenworldleaders.com and join in as we encourage women around the world to stand for justice.

NOT LOOKING TO YOUR OWN INTERESTS BUT EACH OF YOU TO THE INTERESTS OF THE OTHERS. (PHILIPPIANS 2:4 NIV)