...hearing the cries...

Paul gave Timothy instructions to “…preach God’s message. Do it willingly, even if it isn’t the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient” (I Timothy 4:1-2 CEV).  These instructions were not general but VERY specific.  But why such instructions? Because Paul was aware that in the days to come…

people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths (I Timothy 4:3-4).

To say it more plainly: ”The time is coming when people won’t listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear. They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories” (I Timothy 4:3-4 CEV).

Watch the video that follows.  That time has come…

3:33am

*Cellphone rings*

Girl: “Hello?

… … …

Girl: “What’s your name?”

Old Man: “Ronnie.”

Girl: “I’m seventeen; you sound like you could be my dad.”

Old Man: “Seventeen? You’re seventeen years old? Why would I even consider having sex with a seventeen year old woman who’s underage?”

Girl: “No one needs to find out.”

Old Man: “That’s exactly what I said.”

There are millions of conversations just like these going on right here in America through millions of phone lines- conversations between older men and underage girls…13, 14, 17.. girls who are being made to sell themselves online.  The above conversation is an actual conversation that’s a portion of the CNN report done by Amber Lyon titled, “The Girl Next Door,”- a one-year investigation done on child trafficking and prostitution in America.

Copying another young girl’s profile page (who was only 12 YEARS OLD), Amber created her own using a picture of herself from when she was 14 years old and her purposely-bought cell phone number. 

Within four minutes, older men began calling the number of who they believed to be a 14 year old girl…

The calls continued into the wee-hours of the morning to the pretending-to-be-underage reporter. 

As I watched the video of this set-up, I felt sick, angry and compassion all at once.  Sick at the mere thought of perversion, angry at the devil and compassion for the girls and even the men trapped in prisons of low self-esteem, powerlessness, confusion, perversion and lust. 

Here, right in our country, Satan is grabbing men’s lustful and greedy hearts and telling them to snatch girls from right under our noses and abuse them through fear and broken promises. 

Who will hear their cry?  Who will really pay attention to the Holy Spirit within them and hear what they don’t say but are screaming? 

“And he looked for justice, but saw bloodsheed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress.” Isaiah 5:7

Can you hear them?

*To read more about the CNN report by Amber Lyon, click Selling the Girl Next Door.

December 19, 2010- January 1, 2011, I traveled with a team of 11 other young people from Garner, North Carolina, to South Africa.  While there, we served many townships through our talents, gifts, words and presence.  Over the next few posts, I will be sharing photos from my first ever trip to this beautiful and blessed country.  I pray you will open your eyes to see outside of your comfortable life into the hearts of the children pictured, the conditions of the places captured and just the lifestyle maintained.  Many are in need of so much there, but honestly? 

They have so much more than we do…

The video below is a portion of a documentary about the state of Haiti as related to its orphans (see more at www.cnn.com).  I don’t know what it is, but everytime I see orphans here or around the world, I literally become heavy and unable to focus on anything else.  There’s an injustice that is continuing in the body of “religious” believers that few are willing to sacrifice to make right or even help.  If you are not phased by this and you are a believer, tell me… do you REALLY know what you believe?

If you would like to adopt specifically from Haiti, visit: http://www.allblessings.org/adoption/internationaladoption/haitiadoption.shtml. This site also gives you access to other countries in need of parents.

If you don’t meet the qualifications (like myself), you can still help.  Visit http://www.centerofhope-haiti.org/ to see what YOU can do.  More links to come…