Ghana (MNN) — Sex slavery is rampant among tribal religions in Ghana. In a system commonly referred to as Trokosi, girls are given to tribal priests as payment for sins. "Trokosi" means wives or slaves of the gods.
Every Child Ministries is rescuing these women and their children who were born into this environment. ECM co-founder Lorella Rouster says ritual servitude, or shrine slavery, is common.
Recently, Every Child Ministries liberated 55 slaves of the "Thunder god."
Rouster says it was a long process that started five years ago. "We went to the priest's home to meet the wives and to share the Gospel. We also met him and began to share the Gospel with him. At that time he was very interested.
Rouster says that was the beginning of a liberation that was supernatural. "Several members of the ECM team have been visiting [this priest] for the past five years. And, very gradually the priest has come to faith in Christ. He has come to the point where he was willing and even anxious to leave his idolatry and his priesthood and come out as a believer."
Rouster says his conversion led to the release of the slaves. And that's not all. "This priest convened all 63 other priests who were under him and urged all of them to follow Christ, too."
The priest has made a dramatic turnaround. He's now listening to God's Word on a Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) "Proclaimer" given to the priest, and he and his family have been listening to it constantly. But, also in the evening he has been playing it in his yard, and the whole neighborhood has been gathering to listen to it."
This home once used for idolatry is now an outpost for God's Word.
The road hasn't been easy for the priest. Rouster says, "He has really stood firm. Some of the local chiefs have come and argued with him and tried to turn him back, but he has stood firm." They're waiting to see when he gets sick. When he does, they're going to blame it on his conversion to Christ.
Rouster says many of the liberated slaves have already turned to Christ. "Even before the actual liberation took place, the priest allowed us to share the Gospel with the women, and many of them made professions of faith in Christ."
The road ahead is long, says Rouster. "Liberation is an event, but rehabilitation — that's a process. Some of the things we're doing are vocational training, counseling, and we'll continue sharing the Gospel with them and disciple those that have come to Christ.
Funding is needed to help these efforts. If you'd like to help Every Child Ministries with these rehabilitation efforts, click here.
