• Today we are taking time to pray for the millions of people who are sexually trafficked worldwide each year.

• In Canada, women and children are being trafficked internationally as well as internally (from towns or reserves to city centres).

• Trafficking victims are usually women and girls.

• They are our mothers, sisters and daughters.

“Our Father…”

“Our Father…”

“Our Father…”

When we are followers of Jesus, we are part of a large, Christian family.

People everywhere who

cry out “Our Father” are our

family members.

Which means we have mothers, sisters

and daughters all around the world.

We all have life because of mothers.

Ideally, mothers are strong,

protecting us from harm.

They are resourceful and provide for our needs and spiritual foundation.

“Our Father, help me. Rescue me.”

• Some of our mothers are being sexually trafficked: bought, sold and used for sexual slavery.

• Used as property, they are not treated as people.

Often families live in such desperate poverty that mothers are willing to do anything to put food on the table.

They are vulnerable to the fraud,

deception, coercion and abuse of

power found in trafficking.

• While mothers are being trafficked, we need to pray for them

• We need to honour their dignity and strength and show them respect because they are our mothers

As God’s children, we all have siblings or friends to share life’s joys and trials with.

We share life experiences with our sisters worldwide.

Ideally, sisters are there for us in good times and bad times. They listen to us and try to understand what we’re going through.

“Our Father, restore me!”

Some of our sisters are being sexually trafficked.

• Many move to the city or to a different country because of a promise of employment or marriage.

• When they arrive, it is a different story. They are often isolated, chained/tied up, drugged, denied food, physically and psychologically tortured.

Often they have been abused in the past, so they are vulnerable to exploitation. They have been told they are “garbage,” “worthless,” “unlovable.”

They don’t really believe there could be a different way of life.

• While our sisters are being trafficked we need to pray for them with empathy and compassion

• We can do this by listening to their stories rather than saying, “I can’t imagine…”

Children are our hope for the future

Our daughters are beautiful, and should be our pride and joy.

Our daughters carry possibility. We want the very best for them.

“Our Father, rescue us!”

Some of our daughters are being sexually trafficked.

There are young girls trying to pay off family debts that have lasted for generations.

Any person under 18 in the commercial sex industry is considered to be trafficked.

Many young women and girls are forced into prostitution, pornography, brothels, massage parlours or strip clubs “servicing” 30-40 “customers” per day.

While our daughters are being trafficked, we need to pray for

them. They need our protection, rescue and restoration.

Sexual trafficking is not only a women’s issue, it is a global and family issue.

Men play a vital role in fighting sexual trafficking. They do this in the way they treat women as:

• mothers (with honour, dignity and respect)

• sisters (considering them as equals, listening and trying to understand)

• daughters (wanting to protect and rescue victimized women and girls)

Men and women can provide examples of healthy relationships and marriages:

• They can avoid pornography (which portrays women as objects)

• They can teach their children to respect themselves and others.

Let us join in prayer for our mothers, sisters and daughters.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10

Pray… for people vulnerable to trafficking

• Safety and protection

• Wisdom

• Hope to see economic alternatives

• International development

• Supportive families and churches

“But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them…” (Isaiah 42:22a)

“Say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!;” (Isaiah 49:9a)

• Safety

• Miracles

• Rescue and freedom

• Restoration, hope and peace

• Access to adequate services (health, shelter & legal services, counseling, training/education)

Pray… for trafficked persons

“Repent then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)

Pray… for traffickers and all those involved in the sex industry• Repentance and change

• Justice

• Healthy relationships/marriages

• Redemption

• Closure of brothels, strip clubs, pornography shops, internet sites

“ A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.” Matthew 12:20

Pray for… people fighting sexual trafficking

• Faithfulness in prayer

• Wisdom and understanding

• Cooperation and unity

• Compassionate hearts

• Good legislation and support from government

• Passion and patience

Isaiah 61:1-3• The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is

upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

• He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.”