This could be me.

If I wouldn't have been born a Swiss, what if I'd been born a Moldovan? Or a Russian? Would I ever hear the word "human trafficking" growing up? Would anyone ever warn me of trusting people who tell me they got a nice job for me? Would I know about the dangers of accepting a job offer abroad (because hopes of finding one in my country would be extremely bleak)? Would I go believing it would enable me to help earn money for my poor family back home? Would I - once there - be able to bear the indescribable amount of pain, humiliation, despair and loneliness this new "job" would result in - the whole thing being the worst nightmare and NOT AT ALL what I expected? Would I be able to bear, even survive, the hell I would have to live in, never knowing how long it will last? Would I ever get a chance of escaping the unspeakable horror of this day-to-day "work" that I would NEVER EVER have chosen for myself if I would have been granted a choice?
...And besides all of this, can I even begin to imagine what it would be like to go through any of this???

This could be me.

Would there ever, ever be anyone to come rescue me out of hell on earth? Would there ever, ever be anyone to love me back to life? To help me find an honorable job? To help me learn about life in freedom, without bondages? To pray for healing for my body, soul and spirit? Would there be anyone...??

Because, this really could be me!!!

And I know I would not want myself to be in such circumstances. Ever.

-  -  -

Yes, this could be me. - 
But do you know what?


This could be you, too.

-  -  -

The world needs to know 

My name is Tatiana. I was born in Moldova. After my studies at 19 years old there were no jobs for me in my country. One day a friend offered me a job in Austria. So I went with him. After passing the border, he took my passport and drove me to a house. There I was sold to traffickers. They beat me and raped me...for days on end. 

...I can't tell everything... 

Then they forced me into prostitution. They threatened to kill my family if I refused. I was violated...over and over. I wasn't allowed to leave. I didn't have money. I only got something to eat.   

Then I got sick. I was pregnant and they made me abort. And everything started all over again...

It continued for months. 

One day the police came. They questioned me but I am afraid for my family so I can't tell them anything. I can't stay here in this country. I can't return home. I'm scared. 

I have nothing. I am nothing.  

Today I know there are hundreds of thousands of girls like me... 

Please... Do something for us.

-  -  -

What can we do about human trafficking and forced prostitution? How can we help these people? How can we keep such horrible things from happening?

I honestly don't know.

The only thing I know is that whenever God reminds me of this and reminds me of the fact that trafficked people are just as human as I am, I pray for them and I pray about what this means for me, about what I can do - and I know God will answer. I'm sure because I know He loves every single one of these children and women who are held captive, are beaten and violated daily and have no way of escaping any of it. And He loves them more than I could ever love anyone and He loves them more than I could ever understand.

-  -  -

The following is Philippe Decourroux's very touching song "The Girls from the East" (with the Prague Philharmonics Musicians). Last March I attended a conference on Pornography and Human Trafficking (which are very closely connected issues) and Philippe Decourroux was part of it. I loved his humble but passionate way of performing his songs and sharing about his experiences in Eastern European countries meeting girls and women who had been sold into forced prostitution. Horrible stories but in a beautiful way this singer is bringing awareness into our often so ignorant society...

(Unfortunately the following translation of the song from French into English isn't complete - simply because I'm not sure about the accurate translation of the missing parts... But just so you get the picture, here it is anyway. :))

The Girls from the East 

They dreamed the way girls their age dream
They dreamed how you dream when you're 17
They dreamed of leaving their neighborhood, their village
And then one day to love and to have children of their own 

The girls from the East 

They dreamed of escaping their fate that's too hard
That condemned their mothers behind the wall
They dreamed of an escape to a thousand possible places
From horrible prisons and nightmares

The girls from the East 

Oksana, Marushka and the others
Fallen into a trap of barbarians - they couldn't know
Slaves in the mouths of those (...)
They were innocent
And they were made harlots by them 

I declare war on these cruel people. All those who deal with meat and all the vultures. Those who sell girls for a few dollars. And those who use them not wanting to know. I declare guilty those who do nothing. Politicians and respectable people who wash their hands of responsibility. I declare guilty all those repulsive (...) who still dare looking at themselves in the mirror. I declare war on this trade of shame. And the lives who get buried in horrible brothels. 

And in the name of the victims I appeal to rise
To denounce this crime against humanity 

Oksana, Marushka and the others
If it's too late for you
One day they will pay
Your tears and your torn bodies 

We won't give up, we won't forget 

The girls from the East
The girls from the East

Every single one of these people have an immeasurable worth to their Creator. They were fearfully and wonderfully made by Him and He loves them so much.

I pray for His heart and His compassion for them to grow in me.

It truly could be me.