2,800,000. 2.8 Million. That's the number of children currently in the Untied States of America, the wealthiest nation, that are homeless.
1 out of every 4.
Among those 2.8 million children, 700,000 of them will be trafficked sexually. 700,000 children will be sold by one person to another person for sexual activity. We know of 300,000 children that are victims of sex trafficking each and every single year in the United States.
I heard of Forsaken Generation almost one year ago. My sister, Jennifer Tringale, had met with Sean Wrench, the founder of Forsaken Generation, and came home and told me about what Sean was doing for these kids. After looking at the Forsaken Generation website and reading the statistics they shared I was moved with compassion for these children. I contacted Sean and got involved doing little things like contacting Senators and Congressmen and women to help raise support for specific laws that Forsaken Generation was trying to get passed. I spent about one or two weeks volunteering with Forsaken Generation through my computer, after that I didn't attempt to help with anything else.
Nine months later I was driving home from work one night. I had been praying and thinking about my life and where I wanted life to go or what I wanted to do.
I came to a stop light and noticed a billboard off to the side of the road. The billboard had absolutely nothing to do with children, homelessness, or sex trafficking. But as I looked at the billboard I thought to myself "I should contact Sean and see if I can volunteer again." Immediately after that thought I said "Na, I'll just be contacting a senator or something." I was really looking for more of a hands on approach, something more serious. Let me say, at the time I didn't understand the importance of contacting our elected officials for these laws and bills we need sent through legislation. Now I realize this one of the most important things we can do when it comes to saving these children. So I drove home and forgot all about contacting Sean.
Three days later I was on Facebook and saw Sean posted that Forsaken Generation needed a new social media intern. My heart jumped inside my chest. I knew I was supposed to take the position. I e-mailed Sean and met with him a few times and I got the job. I've been working with Forsaken Generation for a little over 2 months now.
I believe it's the necessity of every human being to help save these teenagers and children that fall victim to these monsters. Sex trafficking, especially under aged sex trafficking, is an ugly stain on our Nation. The fact that we're not taking care of these children and preventing them from falling victim to these atrocities is unacceptable. In America it seems more important to arrest someone for carrying or smoking Marijuana than it does to save the lives of trafficked children and teenagers. In fact, two women were released from jail without bail last week in Rochester, New York after they were arrested for forcing two girls, age 14 and 17, into sex trafficking. Yet, a young man will be pulled over and arrested for carrying a dime of marijuana. I'm not advocating smoking marijuana, all I'm saying is that our morals, our since of right and wrong, our willingness to save innocent lives in America is heavily biased.
The fact that one person can hear about or read the numbers above, that 1 in 4 homeless children will be sexually trafficked, and not be overwhelmed with passion to save those lives is, in my opinion, very sad.
I can understand the feeling of being overwhelmed when first hearing about these severe issues. It seems like we'll never be able to completely end under age sex trafficking in America. There is too much evil and too many victims to save everyone.
Honestly, that's true. As a Christian, I believe we'll never eradicate the evil in this world, at least not until the end of time. I'm not so sure as Christians we're called to make the world perfect as much as we are called to go into the darkness and shine a light of hope and love.
What I do know is that we cannot give up fighting simply because the odds are stacked against us. Personally I feel that if I lived my entire life fighting for these victims and was able to save just one life, it would all be worth it. I believe my life is meant to be sacrificed for those that have no help, that have nobody to stand up for them, to speak for them, to defend them against evil. Who is more vulnerable than innocent children? These are the ones I will fight for. The innocent victims, the ones forced against their will to perform the most disgusting acts known to man.
Fritz Gerlich said "The worst thing we can do, the absolute worst, is to do nothing."
You can help save these children's lives in a lot of ways. You can volunteer at a homeless shelter, you can work at or start a food bank in your community, you can volunteer as a mentor to boys and girls in your community, you can spread awareness for these issues by re-tweeting or re-posting Forsaken Generations updates, you can host community events in your town that raise awareness, you can volunteer with organizations like Forsaken Generation that work to bring an end to sex trafficking.
I'll ask everyone reading this to take time and consider getting involved. Again, you can help by simply following Forsaken Generation on Facebook or Twitter and sharing our posts with your social media network. Spreading awareness is the first step to saving these innocent lives.
My good friend, Seth Raper, is one person that's decided to take a stand against modern day slavery. Seth is going on a trip to one of the most dangerous countries in the world with an organization called The Children's Rescue Initiative.
Seth will be participating by literally going into the darkness and purchasing these children out of slavery. You can check out more about Seth and his trip by clicking here.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite scriptures.
"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." (Isaiah 61:1 NLT)
-Cheers.
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