Hi, Everyone!
I leave Wednesday for Thailand and am so excited! I just wanted to thank you for your support and ask for prayer for the trip, particularly a quick recovery from jet lag, safety as we minister, and for those we will meet: for wisdom and that these girls will see, hear, and experience God’s love through meeting us.
Trafficking is quickly becoming one of the largest injustices of our time. And it isn’t just in Southeast Asia. It’s in our backyards– in Atlanta, Orlando, Portland, and many other cities across the US. It’s international and in our communities as well. Some of you have contacted me personally and expressed interest in being involved in ministry in anti-trafficking in some way. It’s been exciting to share with you ways to be involved, and in future posts, I will let you know about anti-trafficking trips with AIM. However, today I have two BIG ways you can help:
1). Prayer. We know the One who sets the captives free… and He is at work.
2). Sign this petition exposing trafficking in Haiti: http://www.change.org/petitions/the-freedom-project-expose-human-trafficking-at-son-of-god-orphanage-in-haiti?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=own_wall
Seth Barnes, Founder and CEO of AIM, posted this on his blog over the weekend:
“Backed by corrupt government officials,
an orphanage we work with in Carrefour/Port-au-Prince, Haiti has been
trafficking its orphans.
an orphanage we work with in Carrefour/Port-au-Prince, Haiti has been
trafficking its orphans.
Suspecting foul play, we’ve been investigating for the last year.
We’ve not been ready to go to the media until we had the facts.
We’ve not been ready to go to the media until we had the facts.
As a result, the orphanage director is now in jail, but the 75
children left in the orphanage are still in danger. A worker said, “The
kids are in terrible condition – the doctor gave them some
prescriptions, but we doubt that the medicine will ever be administered
to the children. Instead, the medicine will probably be sold.”
children left in the orphanage are still in danger. A worker said, “The
kids are in terrible condition – the doctor gave them some
prescriptions, but we doubt that the medicine will ever be administered
to the children. Instead, the medicine will probably be sold.”
The problem is that those running the orphanage are still protected
by corrupt government officials. Our goal is to get this information to
media outlets in order to put pressure on the government to protect the
kids.
by corrupt government officials. Our goal is to get this information to
media outlets in order to put pressure on the government to protect the
kids.
An AIM staff member just returned from Haiti and filed this report:
The situation at the orphanage is an EMERGENCY right now as kids
are sick and dying and still disappearing. We’re trying to mobilize any
connections in politics and media to expose the corruption and put an
end to it. The lead investigator, said we “hit the jackpot of
corruption.”What we’ve discovered:• Food gets donated to SOG orphanage, but disappears very quickly, while children remain malnourished.• Reports by the children of physical abuse by orphanage workers.• Reports by the children of sexual abuse by orphanage workers.• Clothing when donated, instead of going to orphans, gets sold.
• Dozens of children have disappeared.
Another report about Katia illustrates the urgency we feel:
One five year-old girl, Katia was in the worst condition I have
seen of any of the kids. A couple of months ago she had mumps from head
to toe; a month later she was in a body cast that covered her from her
waist to her feet. When he found her on Saturday she had an extremely
high fever and like all of the other children – horrible skin
conditions. She was lying on a bench and someone moved a bench towards
her but she didn’t have the energy to move out of the way. She has lost
most of her weight and she couldn’t even lift her head. After pleading
with the “caretakers” of the orphanage, they released her to let us take
her to a local medical clinic.
seen of any of the kids. A couple of months ago she had mumps from head
to toe; a month later she was in a body cast that covered her from her
waist to her feet. When he found her on Saturday she had an extremely
high fever and like all of the other children – horrible skin
conditions. She was lying on a bench and someone moved a bench towards
her but she didn’t have the energy to move out of the way. She has lost
most of her weight and she couldn’t even lift her head. After pleading
with the “caretakers” of the orphanage, they released her to let us take
her to a local medical clinic.
The doctor at the clinic examined her and determined that the infections
are destroying her; she is nearing death. She only weighed 14 pounds.
He told us that if she doesn’t get proper care right away she will die
of infections and malnutrition. He gave us a prescription and orders to
give her a high protein drink and medicine three times a day for the
next two weeks.
Recent reports indicate Katia now weighs a mere 11 pounds.
We can’t waste any time as the kids are
in serious jeopardy right now. I have the complete file and can email it
to you if you’ll contact Seth by email. Please distribute this blog by twitter. Use these hashtags: #cnnfreedom, #endslavery, #not_for_sale
in serious jeopardy right now. I have the complete file and can email it
to you if you’ll contact Seth by email. Please distribute this blog by twitter. Use these hashtags: #cnnfreedom, #endslavery, #not_for_sale
You can also sign this petition. We
are petitioning CNN to bring their international media voice and
passion for ending slavery into the Son of God Orphanage. Please urge
CNN to expose the corruption within the Haitian government, and allow
international organizations to secure the children from the child
traffickers who are now controlling the orphanage.”
are petitioning CNN to bring their international media voice and
passion for ending slavery into the Son of God Orphanage. Please urge
CNN to expose the corruption within the Haitian government, and allow
international organizations to secure the children from the child
traffickers who are now controlling the orphanage.”
Sometimes, the heartbreak and the injustice seems so big. Overwhelming. But for these children, signing your name could help save their lives. It takes 30 seconds to sign this petition, but our prayer is that 10,000 will sign it. Please distribute this email to your family and friends, encouraging them to add their names to the list.
