Innocent young girls like this are often bought and sold as profit-generating commodities to supply the adult sex-for-sale market

The Secret War

A glimpse into the dark world of rescuing victims of trafficking and slavery

Dear Friends,

It sounds like something from a spy novel. Secret plans, getaway vehicles, corrupt bureaucracy, kidnapping and, of course, plenty of bad guys.

But this is not fiction.

This tragic story is being played out now, as I write this, in an undisclosed country. The enemies are depraved human beings eager to line greedy pockets, and “an entrenched, corrupt system—one that profits from the sale of its innocent, most vulnerable citizens to prop up an ailing economy” on one hand, and poverty, desperation, hunger and extremely broken, dysfunctional families on the other.

The victims are children, many of them girls under the age of 13, who are bought, sold or rented to be repeatedly raped and beaten. They are often pimped by destitute, drug-addicted mothers, or by stepfathers (or boyfriends of the mother) or relatives (such as an uncle). Grandmothers are also known to get in on the profits at the expense of their own grandchildren.

The front line soldiers in this real-life drama are trusted Heaven’s Family partners who risk their lives and freedom to rescue these children. Sometimes the rescue process takes years because inefficient bureaucracies process these cases so slowly. At other times, government officials are paid off by traffickers and pimps—or they receive death threats that force them to drop a case.

The good news is that an 11-year-old girl was recently rescued from a stepfather who had been renting her out. After a few weeks in an environment of love and care, she’s beginning to thrive. The fight is currently on for her younger sister and two other girls.

We wish we could tell you more, but to do so might jeopardize the work our partners are doing. Our purpose in writing this update is to prompt you to pray fervently for them—their lives depend on it. Also know that your gifts to the Human Trafficking/Slavery Fund are making their work possible. Thanks for standing in the gap with them for the sake of these precious children.

Jesus passionately loves these little ones, and will without doubt richly reward those who fight to free them from this ultimate of oppressions.

Only because of Him,

Jeff & Karin Trotter
Directors, Human Trafficking/Slavery Fund