Just courage - International Justice Mission · Just Courage books can be purchased on Amazon or at...

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Just courage STUDY God’s Passion for Justice and His Invitation to a Brave Adventure

Transcript of Just courage - International Justice Mission · Just Courage books can be purchased on Amazon or at...

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Just courageSTUDY

God’s Passion for Justice and His Invitation to a Brave Adventure

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welcomeFear not. Be of good courage. Do not be afraid.

Am I the only person who reads these scriptures and wonders whether there are, in fact, many good reasons to be afraid? And perhaps those phrases appear so often in scripture because God knew the circumstances in this world would very much make us afraid?

After more than 25 years walking with Jesus and almost 15 years serving him at IJM, I think these words in scripture reflect not only God’s great understanding, but also his great invitation. Understanding, because no one knows better the violence, brutality and humiliation in this world. And invitation, because no one knows better the fullness of life that comes from finding courage in him to be a light in those spaces of darkness.

For many of my IJM colleagues, their first instinct is always to step forward. I admit, mine is not. My natural instinct was always to shrink back—until a couple of things reshaped my perspective.

First were the people we serve at IJM: the slave in a rice mill, the girl serially raped in a brothel, the widow thrown from her home, the young father languishing in prison on false charges. For them, the phrase “be afraid, be very much afraid” was spoken not in their minds, but by violent men and women intent on hurting them. Watching these survivors remain in courage despite their circumstances has inspired me to choose boldness. Through them, I’ve learned how stepping forward may not be pain free, but it is life-full and we were created for it.

Second were my children, who ruined my entire strategy for managing risk. They embrace every new experience with wonder and unguarded

earnestness. Who am I to tarnish those jewels with my fear, masquerading as maturity? My measured steps were completely undermined by the headlong run of my two daughters and son into life and love—even when that run yielded only scraped knees and momentary tears. I have learned from my children that a very great adventure awaits for each of us. God invites us, even if it means we may need to buy a few extra Band-Aids along the way.

I am so glad you’ve chosen to do this study. I hope it will draw you closer to God’s heart for justice and his love, and that it his love will press you past fear into the adventure he is calling you to. What your adventure is, only God knows. But each of us can be confident he is able to accomplish that which he sets out to do in and through us.

Sharon Cohn Wu has dedicated her career to helping serve the world’s most vulnerable people. Over the last 15 years with IJM, her leadership has helped rescue thousands of children and families from slavery and violence around the world. Today, Sharon oversees IJM teams working to strengthen justice systems to deter criminals and better protect the poor long-term.

SHARON COHN WU

Senior Vice President of Justice System Transformation

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Vasanthi (left) can now provide for her family after being rescued from three years of brutal slavery in a brick kiln.

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GET TO KNOW GOD’S HEART AND

CHARACTER MORE DEEPLY

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

LEARN ABOUT YOUR IDENTITY

IN CHRIST

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18

EXPLORE WHAT IT MEANS TO ANSWER

THE BIBLICAL CALL TO SEEK JUSTICE

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life…Use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom."GALATIANS 5:13-15 (MSG)

goals

Benson Shamala, IJM's director of aftercare in Ghana, cares for children rescued from slavery in the fishing industry on Lake Volta.

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Have you ever thought, "There must be more to the Christian life than this?" In different times and ways, our heavenly Father offers us a simple proposition: Follow me beyond what you can control, beyond where your own strength and competencies can take you. In this 7-week study, you will discover how you were created by God for adventure and how you can be a part of God's great expedition.

This study is about our pursuit of freedom—freedom to fully live out of our purpose and to usher in freedom for others. This is the freedom that we find in pursuing the heart of God, and it fuels us to pursue rescue for those who need it. It’s also about discipleship—understanding his heart and being transformed and unleashed to live, love, serve and pray more like Jesus.

What if we all lived in this freedom of fully knowing who we are and whose we are? What if our lives were about bringing freedom to others? Let’s explore this together.

Consider these tips as you begin your study:

• Gather a small group. You’ll benefit from discussing what you’re reading in a community with others on the same journey.

• Before you begin each lesson, start with a time of prayer. Ask God to guide you into his truth and new understanding.

• Read the scripture passages more than once and out loud. Mark the text by circling or underlining words that stand out to you, surprise you, or cause you to question.

• Be open to what God will show you through this study, and seek out opportunities to live out what you’ve learned. Connect with your small group, church or a community service group. Move towards action.

We sincerely hope that this feels like a journey to you, one through which you can find a refreshing, enlivened and clearer perspective on the life of brave adventure God has for you!

Just Courage books can be purchased on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble.

Author of Just Courage, Gary A. Haugen is Founder & CEO of International Justice Mission. Prior to IJM, he worked in the civil rights division of the U.S. Department of Justice and was director of United Nations genocide investigation in Rwanda.

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WEEK ONE

There is always a sense of anticipation at the beginning of new season or journey. It is right for us to have this sense of expectation, and also right for us to expect that God will provide what we need in each season.

The Lord makes it clear that he shows us the path to life through his word. Micah says God has

“shown” us what is good—we see it in scripture, in the life of Jesus, and in the testimony of other believers around us. His word will be the “lamp unto our feet and the light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105), and each of us will be given “everything that you need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

CHAPTERS 1 & 2

Spend some time in prayer before diving into the study, and use the prompts below to think about what you’d like to learn and where you need freedom. Write down you answers to the following questions.

• What do I want God to teach me?• Where do I need more of God’s character?• What do I want God to free me from?• How does God want me to bring freedom to others?• What would it look like for me to move from being

safe to being brave?

You will return to these questions at the end of the study and reflect on how you’ve grown.

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REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• The author writes, “In a word, we want to live alive

to God.” What would it look like in your life, if you

were living alive to God, every day, with child-like

faith? How would that change what you do or say,

or what you feel and believe?

• Also from Chapter 1: “Our heavenly Father offers

us a simple proposition: Follow me beyond what

you can control, beyond where your own strength

and competencies can take you, and beyond what

is affirmed or risked by the crowd—and you will

experience me and my power and my wisdom and my

love.” What is your initial response to reading this?

• Have you ever found yourself calculating the limits

of your obedience? What did you discover?

• Recount a time that you stepped out beyond your

comfort zone in a way that required courage. What

might it look like to live that way on a daily basis?

What is getting in the way?

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

Choose one day this week to set a timer on your

phone for every 30 minutes. At each alarm, spend a

few moments in prayer. What do you notice? What

impact does it have on your day?

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WEEK TWO

When we think of God’s character, we we might not think of his heart for justice first. But doing the work of justice is an intrinsic part of God’s call to Christians. Read the passages below and note what stands out to you:

God will always act justly—not because something compels him to love justice, but because God himself is justice. It should not come as a surprise then that Micah includes justice on the short list of three things close to God’s heart:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

What do we mean by “justice”? The term is often defined widely and differently. It’s often helpful to think first about how scripture defines

“injustice.” Injustice is a particular type of sin—a sin of

violence and oppression. Consider Ecclesiastes 4:1: “Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.”

Injustice of this nature is ugly and often scary. Yet we know we are equipped respond, because God equips us to do battle in these ugly spaces of injustice: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed.” (Isaiah 61:1)

CHAPTERS 3 & 4

Psalm 89:14Micah 6:6-8Isaiah 30:18 Isaiah 61:8

Matthew 12:18 Psalm 11:7 Psalm 33:5

This is good news! From God’s word, we are armed with four powerful affirmations:

1. God is on the side of justice2. God sees and cares.3. God condemns injustice. 4. God seeks rescue for the victims.

Let’s ask God to give us his heart for victims of injustice, that we might see and care as well.

When we draw people to justice, we draw people to God himself.GARY HAUGEN

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REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• From the book, what is the “surprising path

to courage”?

• When have you tried to fashion your own path and

discovered that you were wrong, that God had a

different path for you? Explain.

• Do you agree with the author that “the struggle for

justice in God’s world…is a call to all his people” and

that the work of justice is fundamental in Christ’s call

to discipleship? Why or why not?

• How does the ministry of justice overlap with the

ministries of evangelism and compassion? Where

do these three ministries mentioned by Jesus and

Micah overlap?

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

Read 1 Peter 1:13. Pray for one of these specific items

each day of this week:

1. Wisdom: Pray God will give you wisdom as you

think about and encounter injustice. Pray he would

show you what is true.

2. Love: Ask God to cultivate your love for people

who are far away, unfamiliar or unlike you.

3. Hope: Pray against the temptation to despair in

the face of injustice.

4. Guidance: Pray for people who may help and

guide you as you seek to do God’s work of justice.

5. Freedom: Pray that fear or ignorance would not

be barriers to taking action on behalf of those who

are oppressed.

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WEEK THREE

“Love God and love your neighbor.” Similarly to the lawyer who asked Jesus about this, we read these words and think: “Who is my neighbor?” In other words, what boundaries can I put on this commandment to love others? Exactly how far do I have to go? Of course, the questions that matter to us are often not the questions that matter to Jesus. In response to us, he asks the critical question: “Are you loving your neighbor?” It seems that we cannot love God well without loving our neighbors. And how do we do this? This is made clear in Matthew 7:12: “Do to others what you would have them do to you.”

This may not sound or seem new to us. But what about the neighbor who is suffering? Further still, what about the neighbor who is suffering and unseen by us—in houses, schools, or countries far away? What about the neighbor who is poor? Are we to love them as ourselves, too?

Jesus knew that this would be challenging, and that it would require sacrifice to spend ourselves on behalf of the poor. In his grace, God shows us how to spend ourselves on behalf of our neighbors. Consider these examples:

CHAPTERS 5 & 6

Isaiah 58:6-7 Jeremiah 21:12 Jeremiah 22:3

James 1:27 Amos 5:15

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REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• How would you define worship?

• As you read this chapter, what was your response

to all the scriptures that stress the importance of

justice to your worship?

• Do you believe that the average Christian can do

something about injustice in the world?

• What can you do to encourage others to live lives of

justice that are pleasing to God?

• Consider this statement from Chapter 6: “The

struggle for justice always stands or falls on the

battlefield of hope.” How can we cultivate hope in

the face of injustice?

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

Hope is not simply wishful thinking; it is a fruit of the

Spirit born of the spiritual discipline of remembering.

Write down five statements that are either true about

God’s promises to you or true about your identity in him,

which you need to remember. Carry those statements

with you this week. Review them throughout the day,

pray and ask God to seal this truth to your heart.

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WEEK FOUR

It’s easy to feel paralyzed by the massive need in the world. We are tempted to think we can’t do enough or that we have nothing to give. But here’s the good news: people who are suffering or in need do not need more of us, they need more of God.

Our power lies in our identity in Christ. It lies in knowing the source of all power. And it’s that knowledge and security in who we are in him that enables us to charge into the darkness.

Where do we start? Consider three ways that you can charge into the darkness of injustice in our world:

CHAPTERS 7 & 8

1. Defend the poor. Vulnerable people today cannot afford advocates to defend them. A young girl who has been trafficked far from her home cannot afford legal representation or even, more simply that that, cannot raise her own voice for her freedom. This is a role that we can play; we can speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Wouldn’t we want someone to do that for us? Praying and paying for the rescue and defense of the poor is something we can and must do.

2. Raise your voice. Look back to the struggle against slavery in the 19th century, to the struggle against child labor, or to the American civil rights movement. In each era, the church not only deployed those with specialized expertise and skill to do the work of justice—but the whole church joined in by raising its voice as advocates for the poor. This is the church at its best!

3. Look around. Search within your own life and community to see who around you might be suffering from intimidation or fear. Consider how you could be the one who breaks through with hope and God’s power to bring justice and restoration. Spend time rediscovering not only God’s passion for justice in the scriptures, but also God’s promises for those who pursue justice (Isaiah 58).

It is indeed incredible that God chooses to accomplish the miraculous through the ordinary. Let’s continue to charge the darkness—to take one step at a time—as we follow his holy and good call to us: Seek Justice.

God longs to use his people to do something good, something real, something significant.GARY HAUGEN

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REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• Consider other heroes of the faith who have “charged

the darkness” of injustice for Christ. Who comes to

your mind? What inspires you about that person?

• Consider your story, from childhood until now. Who

in your life has charged the darkness? What kind of

a reaction did it cause in you?

• Recount a time when you were desperate to help

someone you love, but you couldn’t. How did you

feel? Who eventually helped? What was the outcome?

What could you do differently in the future?

• What can the church do today to support those who

are severely oppressed and enslaved today? What

would it look like for the church to lead in this way?

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

This week, choose to “opt-in” to living justly. Choose

to see those who are vulnerable and/or poor in your

own community. Decide one way in which you will

“charge the darkness”: bring food, pray with someone

who is vulnerable, make a donation, ask to hear their

story and share about it on social media.

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We don’t believe something by merely saying we believe it, or even when we believe that we believe it. We believe something when we act as if it were true. GARY HAUGEN

WEEK FIVE

The work of justice is not passive. God does not require us to “think justly” or to “feel justly.” He requires us to “act justly.” What does this mean? How exactly do we enact justice on a daily basis? How do we become brave enough?

Let’s consider two times when God equips ordinary people in the face of a staggering need or call.

The first is a story in Matthew (14:13-21) that might be familiar to you. Read these verses and think about what the disciples are asking Jesus to do (v.16). We can imagine that the disciples were feeling overwhelmed by the mass of hungry people in front of them. Though they’ve been walking with Jesus and have seen him do miracles, they question his ability to meet the need with only a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. But how does Jesus respond? He simply says, “Bring them here to me.”

Now, let’s consider Moses, a man of great faith. In Exodus 3, God commands Moses to confront Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

CHAPTERS 9 & 10

Moses questions God, saying, “What if they won’t believe me? What if they don’t think you’ve sent me?” To this God asks, “What is in your hand?” God chooses to use the very thing in Moses’ hand to demonstrate his power and equip Moses to feel strengthened in this task.

What do you notice about how God responds in both of these stories? These are two things of significance:

1. God does not ask the disciples or Moses to respond without him. Instead, he intends to respond in power through them.

2. God asks only for what the disciples and Moses have. He is not limited by these things, and does not delay the miracle until these men have better understanding, resources or training.

God presents a massive problem and intentionally invites ordinary people into facing it with what they have in their hands. It’s their obedience that triggers the miracle. Moses and the little boy with the bread and fish receive the blessing, and they see the demonstration of God’s faithfulness because they are willing to act. That’s what it takes to be brave. We must believe that we know who God is, and who he says that we are, and that what we have is enough.

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REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• What do you have to give God? Is it resources,

skills or experience? Perhaps it’s heartbreak and

pain, or deep love and empathy? Think about what

you have to offer.

• Do you trust him enough to present to him what

you have?

• How is he asking you to act?

• Do you believe that his promise to use you is

actual truth?

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

Consider how you can live boldly this week. What will

cause you to leave your comfort zone? What will cause

you to depend more on God and his promises? What

will cause you to trust God more? These are the things

that train you for bravery. Choose one specific thing

and write it down. Work on this action for one week

out of the next month.

He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus!"PHILIPPIANS 1:6

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."1 THESSALONIANS 5:23-24

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last."JOHN 15:16A

PRAYER

As you conclude these five weeks, spend time asking

God to reveal what he wants to use in your life to bring

freedom, hope and relief for those who are suffering.

Pray for the faith to give these things over to him,

believing that he will use you powerfully in ways that

you might not expect. Commit to God that you will be

available to be used by him, and that you’ll be willing to

use what’s in your hands.

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WEEK SIX

A BLUEPRINT FOR YOUR STORY WITH GOD

One of the most effective and exciting ways to share about God’s work in our lives is to share our own personal stories. It can be challenging to find the right words sometimes, but each of us is equipped to share an impactful story. Through our experiences of God’s justice, we can communicate the need for others to become involved. We can motivate others to raise their voices, raise awareness or advocate on behalf of the oppressed.

This week, consider what you’ve learned along your journey through this study. Think about key themes or lessons you think God may be teaching you. What have you reflected on during the course of the five weeks? This was be a critical part of sharing your story. Then, continue by thinking about any significant stories or scriptures that have resonated deeply with you, from the book, or your reflection. Finally, consider how you might be moved to action. Consider all of these steps to be the blueprint of your story. As you gather around the table next week, your story will be “built” and ready to share!

your story

This is the voice of a holy yearning for more. This is the moment in which we can see that all the work that God has been doing in our lives and in the life of the church is not an end in itself; rather, the work he has been doing in us is a powerful means to a grander purpose beyond ourselves.GARY HAUGEN

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CONSIDER EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS.

RECORD A RESPONSE TO EACH.

• What is God teaching me?

• What do I need more of God’s character?

• What do I want God to free me from?

• How does God want me to bring freedom to others?

• What would it look like for me to move from being

safe to being brave?

Look back at your answers to these five questions

from the first day of the study. What do you notice?

Has your perspective changed? What insight do you

have into what God has been doing in your heart and

spirit over the past five weeks?

THEME OR KEY LESSON

As you’ve compiled your thoughts, do you see a

dominant theme or lesson God is trying to teach you?

A consistent struggle or success? Prayer request or

praise? Are there new thoughts, or perhaps a new

passion for seeking justice?

SIGNIFICANT STORY

What story in the book was most compelling to you?

Was it a story about someone who fought for justice,

or someone who desperately needed rescue? Record

some thoughts about this.

SIGNIFICANT SCRIPTURE(S)

Which scriptures have resonated deeply with you?

These are exciting landmarks along the path that you

are taking with God. Write these down to remember

where you are with him, and reflect on them as you

move forward.

Now, consider how this study has impacted you?

Write a summary of your experience, what you’ve

learned, how you’ve changed. This doesn’t need to be

formal, and is meant to help you create your “story” of

what God is doing in your heart and mind. Use your

theme, significant story, and significant scriptures to

shape your response.

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WEEK SIX

1. Complete the Venn diagram

to the right. In each space, list

some words of thoughts.

2. Then, consider what specific

action you might take, or the

role you place in the fight

against injustice. Each of us

has a God-given purpose, and

we’re intricately designed for

the role we are to play.

finding your roleTHE NEED

MY ROLE

MY ROLE

MY GIFT

GOD'S CALL

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WEEK SEVEN

WHERE WE’VE BEEN

• What has been the most interesting thing that

you’ve learned through this process?

• How have you been changed?

• What was the most challenging concept or topic

for you?

• How have your perceptions about injustice or

justice changed?

• What was surprising about this experience?

• What is one way you’ve experienced God in the

past 5 weeks?

WHERE WE’RE GOING

• What are you excited to share with people about

this journey?

• What are you most burdened to pray for in the future?

• How are you going to live differently because of

this study?

• How will you convert your learning to action?

• How will you do more training for bravery?

• How will you mobilize others for this work?

• How can you serve here in this community locally?

SHARING AN IJM STORY

If you’d like, read Manna and Mien’s stories and reflect

on the questions for response. Choose to see the

people in need of rescue, and praise the God who is

the Rescuer and the Redeemer.

(OPTIONAL)

As you prepare to have your celebration, take this opporunity to bring women together, enjoy some great food and fellowship, and celebrate the community around the table. If you feel inclined, consider inviting your spouses as well, so that they can hear about the study and your time together. If you didn’t meet during Week 6, take some time to share your stories with one another.

Focus this time on where you’ve been and where you’re going! Consider distributing these questions, or asking each woman to choose one.

celebrating your journey

FOR CONVERSATION

REMEMBERING TOGETHER

To conclude your celebration, ask each woman to write

a positive prayer for herself, as well as to affirm an

aspect of God’s character that she is resonating with

in her spirit. She can also write a powerful scripture.

Ask each woman to write her name on the piece of

paper. Have one person collect the pieces of paper

and agree to distribute them back to the woman in an

amount of time. This could be two weeks, six months

or one year.

PRAYER

Close with a word of celebratory prayer. Consider

joining IJM in monthly prayer for urgent needs by

signing up at IJM.org/pray.

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PART ONE

Age 14

Mien grew up in Svay Pak, a marginalized community in Cambodia that was notorious for selling very young girls for sex. Mien’s family emigrated from Vietnam, and they were desperately poor. Her father spent what little money they earned on alcohol, and her mother was helpless to stop his abuses.

Like many other girls growing up in the poor community, Mien was sold to a brothel one block from her own home when she was just 14 years old. Night after night, Mien was sold to sex tourists and men who came to Svay Pak because they knew they could find young girls. The nightmare became a routine. Although she was minutes from her childhood home, Mien was trapped.

In 2003, IJM heard about Mien and the many other girls that were trapped and abused like her. IJM investigators assisted the Anti-Human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection Unit of the

mien

REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• Is it hard for you to believe that a story like this is real?

• How do we engage God in the face of such suffering?

What do we need to believe is true about God?

SURVIVOR STORY

Cambodian National Police with its first-ever rescue operation. On that day, 37 girls were rescued from sex slavery. The youngest girl was only 5 years old. But Mien hid from the police during the rescue operation. The brother owners had told her, time and time again, that if the police found her, they would arrest her. Sadly, Mien was not rescued that day.

Her family moved north to Siem Reap, near the popular tourist destination of Angkor Wat, a beautiful ancient temple. Mien was again sold to a brothel there, where her life fell back into the same nightmare.

Mien was sold night after night to men who paid to rape her. She said, “I despair – my life does not have meaning… I feel like I don’t want to do this anymore, but what else can I do? I have no skills and my family depends on the money I send to them every month.”

*A pseudonym

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21J U ST CO U R AG E ST U DY

REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• How can we use Mien’s story to mobilize others for action?

• What does Mien’s story teach us about life after trauma

or suffering?

PART TWO

IJM investigators started to gather evidence in the very same brothel where Mien was being exploited. The brothel was disguised as a massage parlor, but IJM soon documented evidence to reveal girls had been trafficked there to be sold for sex.

In 2007, IJM worked with an anti-trafficking unit of the police in Siem Reap to rescue women and girls who had been trafficked to a brothel, including Mien and seven other girls, most of whom were minors. Mien was taken to a short-term aftercare shelter, where she received crisis care and started a new life of freedom. IJM assisted the prosecutor to develop a strong legal case against the pimps and traffickers. At the end of the trial, justice was delivered: five perpetrators were convicted.

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22 I N T ER N AT I O N A L J U ST I C E M I S S I O N

mANNAPART ONE

Age 14

Manna* lived with her brother and was often beaten by him. When she was 14, she made the decision to run away, believing it was her only option to escape her terrible living situation. Passing through the clutter and scuffle of the bustling train station, a young woman noticed Manna crying and offered to help her. She listened to Manna and won her trust. The woman promised her a job selling fabric—just the kind of opportunity a desperate Manna needed. The woman led her to a place to rest but when Manna woke the woman was gone and another woman warned that her Manna’s life was no longer her own. She would not sell fabric but her body.

Manna refused her first three customers, but the brothel keeper beat her repeatedly until she gave in to the men who had come to rape her. She tried to run away and even begged the men who raped her to rescue her or call the police. There seemed to be no escape from this nightmare. Manna was trapped.

PART TWO

Manna’s nightmare continued for two years until another girl whom International Justice Mission had rescued led IJM operatives back to rescue more girls hidden in a soundproof dungeon. Manna was one of four young girls rescued from that dark place. She now lives in the freedom of an aftercare home that provides love, safety and schooling, where she is studying to become a social worker. IJM helped build a case against her brothel keepers. They were both convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment.

After her rescue, with a smile that filled the room, Manna said, “I came to prison, but I am not alone. God took me from that place to here. … What is impossible for men is possible for God.”

SURVIVOR STORY

REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• What factors made Manna especially vulnerable

to exploitation?

• What do you think Manna needed most while in

the brothel?

REFLECTION & DISCUSSION

• How can we use Manna’s story to mobilize for action?

• How is our need for rescue similar to Manna’s?

*A pseudonym

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23J U ST CO U R AG E ST U DY

God has uniquely gifted each and every one of us. It will take all of coming together to bring and end to slavery. Whatever your passion or calling is, you can make a difference in the fight.

Ideas for what could be next for you:

• Give. Become an IJM Freedom Partner and help us show up 24 hours a day. Donate $24 each month and help bring last minute-rescue to critical aftercare. Your faithful support defends children and families in need, no matter how long justice takes. IJM.org/IF

• Volunteer. Use your time and talent in your community. Look for opportunities here: IJM.org/volunteer

• Share. Host an IJM event in your home or favorite coffee shop and share about the work of IJM – Find resources here: IJM.org/resources; IJM.org/who-we-are-video

• Fundraise. Raise money to fund a rescue operation for families trapped in slavery and young girls in brothels! Set up an online fundraiser and ask friends and family to donate. You can send rescue for $6,300! IJM.org/fundraise. Celebrate with a “Rescue party”!

• Host. Invite an IJM speaker to your church to share about God’s heart for justice: IJM.org/speakers

what's nextIt is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life…Use your freedom to

serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows.GALATIANS 5:13-15 MSG

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All text and images © 2016 International Justice Mission.

INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION is a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world. IJM partners with local authorities to rescue victims of violence, bring criminals to justice, restore survivors, and strengthen justice systems.

Highlighted as one of 10 non-profits “making a difference” by U.S. News and World Report, IJM’s effective model has been recognized by the U.S. State Department, the World Economic Forum and leaders around the globe, as well as featured by Foreign Affairs, Forbes, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Times of India, The Phnom Penh Post, National Public Radio, and CNN, among many other outlets.

INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION PO Box 58147 Washington, DC 20037

T 703.465.5495 F 703.465.5499

IJM.org