Life is just Life

After the sale of drugs and firearms, human trafficking brings in the most money internationally. Human beings are a commodity which can be sold over and over and over again. The sex industry is an area where our eyes must be opened and we must be praying for doors to open so that we can stand together do put an end to this crime.

(rescued from the bondage of the Cambodian Sex Industry)

There is a happy time,
And then it ends

There is love,
But for a short time and only in front of my face

Men boast we are pretty,
But they are not honest with us

We boast we are pretty
While we wear make-up

No one knows it,
But we are like petals falling from a flower

The only beauty we have is spiritual

Life is just life,
It has no meaning

Pam Cope read this poem written on the wall of a brothel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Reality.

A reality we can pretend does not exist.

But it does.

We can make a difference by looking at it square in the face and being open and available to be used. Each and every one of us can help being freedom to children in bondage to various forms of child slavery.

When I read the words of this heartbreaking poem I see faces of little girls. I see my daughters and the daughters of my friends. Our friends at Rapha House have a four year old who was rescued. I want to see the faces of four-year-olds I know and I want anger to rise up in me. God wants this anger to be felt. We know full-well that He is angry and if we truly want to be "Christ-like" then we must feel a burning passion to do something about both child slavery and sexual exploitation. The one thing we cannot do is to go about our lives as if it is not going on.

Sure, we face our own version of trials and tribulations. Most of them self-created. As real as our own heartbreaks may be, what are they in comparison to the pain of being the victim of sexual exploitation? What is our pain of being sold for a few dollars to become a commodity to satisfy the lusts of evil men all day every day of your childhood until AIDS is ravaging a still-young body.

This is the Year of New Beginnings and I am committing to make it a year to be committed to do all I can to be available to be used by God. I haven't the slightest idea what that means--except to be obedient and to listen.

We at Touch A Life are claiming 2008 to be the Year of Our Lord.

Life is just life,
It has no meaning

No! Life is far more than just life and it MUST have meaning. We know that all things will someday pass away but only what is accomplished for the Kingdom of God will last.

Commit with us to make 2008 a year where eternal differences are made because of right choices we make--choices to go beyond ourselves to "touch the lives" of others.

(written by Penny L)