International (MNN) — Human trafficking is at an all-time high across the globe. "We've been able to assess that currently, today, there are more than 24 million people who are being trafficked worldwide."
Yemi Oshodi of World Hope International says it's hard to be sure of numbers since the trafficking world is so covert. But there are millions currently being trafficked as labor and sex slaves.
World Hope International is working in seven different countries to free those who are enslaved. Their work includes several facets, such as provision of direct care for victims and training law enforcement officers, teachers, psychologists and everyday citizens how to identify and report trafficking incidents. The ministry is particularly concerned with its work in Cambodia.
"Cambodia has one of the highest rates of sex trafficking in the world. It's a huge problem in the country," says Oshodi. "We started our program in Cambodia in 2004 when we recognized that there was a huge need for a center that was different than just a shelter."
The center provides care for women who have been exploited in the sex trade, many of whom have barely survived rape and other violence. They are given a clean and safe place to stay that is more like a home than a temporary shelter, and where the love of Christ is evident. When the girls are ready to be placed back into society, the ministry does so with utmost care and caution.
The ministry does all this in the name of the Lord and the justice He desires. "The Bible tells us that God is a God of justice, He hates injustice, and He blesses those who maintain justice. The Bible also talks about the dignity of human life,"says Oshodi.
On May 8 and 9, World Hope International will hold a forum in Alexandria, Virginia to discuss human trafficking, in Cambodia specifically. The forum will help to raise awareness about modern day slavery, as well as provide examples of ways that everyone can get involved to put an end to it. If you would like to register for the forum, click here.
To learn more about World Hope International's work with anti-trafficking, click here.
