(Photo courtesy Operation Mobilization via Facebook)
International (MNN) — 98% of trafficking victims are women and children, according to Equality Now. That means there are around 20.4 million women and children around the world who are in forced slavery.
That large number is not just a statistic, but it’s actually individual stories, names, and faces that have experienced horrific acts.
“They forced me to sleep with as many as 50 customers a day. I had to give [the pimp] all my money. If I did not [earn a set amount]. they punished me by removing my clothes and beating me with a stick until I fainted, electrocuting me, cutting me,” a victim from Cambodia said.
These ruthless acts stay on women’s and children’s minds and hearts for the rest of their lives. They are scarred in more ways than one. Often after such abuse, there will be confusion, degradation of the mind and body, and the feeling of worthlessness.
When the pimp sees them as no longer useful, they’ll be thrown into the streets with nothing. They rarely have hope to sustain themselves.
Many organizations are reaching out to the abused to give therapy and healing, which is needed. But freeing women and children before cruelty pushes them to the edge is needed as well.
Operation Mobilization’s (OM) Freedom Challenge is working toward that goal to help individuals and groups receive freedom physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
The Freedom Challenge encourages everyday women to save the oppressed and exploited. It takes them out of their comfort zone by asking women to first receive sponsorship from their surrounding community–often a church community–and then hike trails and mountains around the world. Trips have gone to Mt. Everest Base Camp, the Swiss Alps, Colorado Rockies, and more.
OM uses the sponsorship funds to share the love of Christ by rescuing thousands of women and children from the hand of trafficking. Over the next five years, OM would like to free one million women from sex slavery.
The Freedom Climb will help them get there.
Now, OM is looking for some great interns who have a heart for saving others in Jesus’ name. OM offers spots in journalism, communications, marketing, and several other areas. You’d be able to earn college credit and would be making an incredible difference in the lives of so many.
Get ready for an adventure and start applying for an internship now!
