Today there was a round table discussion during lunch at Ozark Christian College, talking about Christians and the issue of human trafficking. Some great issues were raised – thanks to everyone who came! It’s always great to hear the questions people have, as well as have the chance to engage in earnest conversation about issues we consider incredibly important.
One of the things that we talked about was the fact that human trafficking has become something of a “trendy” issue. Of course we love the fact that more people are now aware of the fact that not only does slavery still exist, but that the industry is thriving. But in the back of our minds is this lingering fear that soon people will move on to the next hot topic discussed on Oprah.
Or is human trafficking and sex slavery the type of issue that sticks around for the long haul? We can’t help but wonder, as more and more people come to know about it, will it move beyond a social issue to become political as well? Will it be something that future senators and presidents include in their election campaigns? And will that ultimately do more good, or more harm?
For us, human trafficking was an issue that changed our lives. Once we discovered how deeply this evil runs, we could not go back to living in ignorance. Either we had to shut our eyes and hope that it went away, or we had to act.
We chose to act, and even if at this time tomorrow public interest fades away, we will still be here fighting for the children who cannot fight for themselves. We can only hope and pray that what right now could be considered a fad in public opinion will take deep roots and change lives–that more people will be changed by what they learn and join us for the long-haul.
